Chapter 1
Due to the risk of obvious reasons, I had always been home schooled. I had never thought anything negative of it because I knew how dangerous I was. When I was younger Aunt Mabel had taught me, when I got older I studied myself. My favorite spot to do so was under the Maple tree I had mentioned before. On hot days it provided cool shade and in autumn; the leaves looked so beautiful. After Daniel and I had made our promise, we carved the date of our promise into the bark of the tree, as a reminder.
Soon as we were done his mother called him and he had to leave.
I went back inside too. I grabbed an apple from the kitchen and went straight to my room. There was no point in lingering around in the living room as it was dead silent, and both my Aunt and Uncle were at work. Even if they were to be home no one talked to me, not after what I had done. Aunt Mabel had been my shield for so long and even she was starting to burn out.
I know I promised Daniel I would try to forget the past but I don't think I can do it this soon. It was too early. We were moving too fast. I would tell him this when we would meet next time.
I still couldn't believe that Daniel was willing to come near me after what happened merely yesterday. His arm was badly burnt. He had bandages wrapped around his arm and yet he still came to talk to me. When we fell, instead of calling me a monster and turning away he asked me if I was hurt. I traced my finger over the cut on my cheek, I hadn't put anything on it because I didn't care. It did still hurt. I guess I pressed a little too much and I suddenly felt something warm starting to trickle down my cheek.
I looked at my fingertip; blood. I stood up and after cleaning the cut I went to put a band aid on it. I sat back down on the beanbag near my window and stared out, getting lost in my thoughts while eating my apple.
I thought about everything Daniel had said. He seemed to eagerly want everything to get better. He understood me more than anyone else I had met. We were both hurt in some way.
My mind flashed back to the time when we were in my room. I turned to look at my door, where we were sitting when we told each other our problems. I remembered how dejected he had looked when he talked about Ella, how his eyes lit up when he saw my little display for Ella. They way the fire reflected in his crystal eyes-ah yes.....Daniels beautiful crystal, blue eyes. Deep and blissful; yet filled with so much sorrow.
My thoughts were broken by the front door opening, which I could hear from my room. I peeked from over the stairs and it was aunt Mabel.
Soon Uncle Danny arrived too and we had a silent dinner. I went back up to my room without a word.
The next day, after both my Aunt and Uncle had left for work I grabbed my math book and headed out to the backyard. I hated Math, it confused me but Aunt Mabel had always said Math's was very important; so I tried my best (to no avail).
I started some work but quickly got frustrated, my hand was on the book and I felt something warm, then I smelt something burning. To my horror the page on which I had my hand on was starting to burn.
I panicked and quickly jumped up, throwing the book on the ground; I stomped on it with my foot and luckily the small fire burnt out. I sighed and flopped down next to the book. "I'm hopeless." I said to myself.
There was a knock on the fence door. Well I hadn't mentioned this before but the fence door was basically just a loose wooden plank the you could slide to slip in through.
I got up and slid it open. It was Daniel, even though I knew it could be no one else I was still quite shook at his return. He was wearing another sleeveless sweater and his arm was still bandaged.
"Well....." He said to me looking at me with an expression that said; "I know you're surprised I'm here but please get used to it"
"Oh sorry, come in." I said finally.
"What were you up to?" He asked.
"I was trying to understand math's but my brain cannot comprehend its foul ways." I replied in dismay. "I could help you."
I looked at him. "Really?'
"Yes why not."
I agreed to let him try to teach me.
I got some more supplies from inside the house and we sat back down under the tree. I handed him my now ugly looking mathematics book. "You really don't like math huh?" He said looking at the burnt and slightly disfigured book. I turned away bitterly saying, "It was an accident.....like always."
I turned back to him, "How's your arm?" I peeked over at his arm. Daniel looked down at it too. "It still hurts-but it is getting better. Although the doctor said that it might leave a patch. Even after it's healed."
I felt guilt in my stomach. I stared down at the book. Sour thoughts started filling my head; until Daniel tapped my shoulder to snap me out of it. "Stop thinking about it. It wasn't your fault."
I looked up to him, though not meeting his eyes; I said "Let's-just start Math's"
We spent some time on it, Daniel was very smart; I had no difficulty focusing on what he was saying and he explained everything very well. I was making progress for once. But at one point I zoned out and fell back into my deep dark hole of thoughts.
"Maybe we should stop for today." I heard Daniel say. "Isabella"
Hearing Daniel say my name brought me back up. My gaze fell onto his arm.
Burnt.
Then Daniel stood up and sat back down right in front of me under the trees shade, from his prior position where he was sitting beside me. "Isabella look at me. Not my arm." He took both my hands in his own, they were soft and smooth; as if not even the slightest wrinkle or roughness had gotten the chance to ever brush his hands.
I finally managed to look him in his eyes. Filled with kindness and sorrow, never of pity or hate. "I'm sorry..." I whispered.
"Isabella if you keep being like this I will most certainly not accept your apology." He said, a stern expression on his face. It melted away, "We are here to help each other, you promised me. It has barely been a day since then and I need you to talk to me if you have problems. I'm here for you. We were supposed to be resilient remember?"
My heart sank. How was I to tell him I was a coward? He would hate me. Call out my hypocritical behavior. Then I would be alone. My Aunt and Uncle already would not talk to me. If I were to lose Daniel..........
No
