‹ Prequel: Soria Girl
Sequel: Lukey Kid ›
Status: Regular updates every Sunday and Wednesday (when it begins)
Brendan Dude
Burn Out Bright
“Hey…look, a kitty.”
“What? Where do you see that?”
“Look where I’m pointing.”
“I don’t see it either.”
“Yeah, all I see are stars.”
“Man, you guys are blind.”
Luke squinted to make the night sky clearer. I sat with my back against the railing of the playground, pointing to a constellation I just discovered that resembled a cat. Ren and Soria sat on the platform below us, their hands intertwined as each of them tried to see what I was looking at.
“Yeah…I don’t see it,” Soria said.
“You sure it’s not the Big Dipper or something?” Luke questioned. I froze, realizing he was right.
“Um…oops.”
They laughed quietly. “Oh, now I see it. Yeah, dude, that was the Big Dipper,” Ren explained.
“I had a brain fart,” I said sheepishly.
“We all have ‘em,” Soria reassured.
The freezing air stood still, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. Just, none of us had anything to say.
By then, things in my life were just starting to settle. Though it rarely completely left my mind, I was almost over David.
Tell that to that freakazoid who possessed me just the other day at home, though…
I head Luke beside me draw in a deep breath. Then he turned to me. “I’m sorry. About David.”
He blinked, looking at the stars like he was trying to hide tears. “I know it’s hard to lose a brother,” he added.
We went quiet.
“Thanks, dude.”
He squeezed my shoulder. “S’okay. You know…when I lost my parents I was a wreck for the longest time.” He paused to smile and comb back the hair that hung in his face. I wracked my brain trying to imagine him truly sad.
“But you…kid, you’ve got guts. I wish I had your bravery throughout all this.”
I wish I had his.
I stared at the stars again.
Soria patted my back. “And you saved Joey. You’re a hero, man. Wish I was tough as you,” she smiled knowingly. I still remembered the way she stopped me from killing myself. If that ain’t friendship for ya, I don’t know what the hell is…
Ren opened his mouth but hesitated to speak. “I can’t say I know what it’s like to lost someone you’ve known for so long,” he whispered, glancing at Soria as if there were an underlying tone aimed at her. “But Brendan, they all said it best. You are a hero.”
I’d never grinned bigger.
I pulled them all close, tears pushing at the back of my eyes.
“Thanks, guys. It means a lot.”
“What? Where do you see that?”
“Look where I’m pointing.”
“I don’t see it either.”
“Yeah, all I see are stars.”
“Man, you guys are blind.”
Luke squinted to make the night sky clearer. I sat with my back against the railing of the playground, pointing to a constellation I just discovered that resembled a cat. Ren and Soria sat on the platform below us, their hands intertwined as each of them tried to see what I was looking at.
“Yeah…I don’t see it,” Soria said.
“You sure it’s not the Big Dipper or something?” Luke questioned. I froze, realizing he was right.
“Um…oops.”
They laughed quietly. “Oh, now I see it. Yeah, dude, that was the Big Dipper,” Ren explained.
“I had a brain fart,” I said sheepishly.
“We all have ‘em,” Soria reassured.
The freezing air stood still, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. Just, none of us had anything to say.
By then, things in my life were just starting to settle. Though it rarely completely left my mind, I was almost over David.
Tell that to that freakazoid who possessed me just the other day at home, though…
I head Luke beside me draw in a deep breath. Then he turned to me. “I’m sorry. About David.”
He blinked, looking at the stars like he was trying to hide tears. “I know it’s hard to lose a brother,” he added.
We went quiet.
“Thanks, dude.”
He squeezed my shoulder. “S’okay. You know…when I lost my parents I was a wreck for the longest time.” He paused to smile and comb back the hair that hung in his face. I wracked my brain trying to imagine him truly sad.
“But you…kid, you’ve got guts. I wish I had your bravery throughout all this.”
I wish I had his.
I stared at the stars again.
Soria patted my back. “And you saved Joey. You’re a hero, man. Wish I was tough as you,” she smiled knowingly. I still remembered the way she stopped me from killing myself. If that ain’t friendship for ya, I don’t know what the hell is…
Ren opened his mouth but hesitated to speak. “I can’t say I know what it’s like to lost someone you’ve known for so long,” he whispered, glancing at Soria as if there were an underlying tone aimed at her. “But Brendan, they all said it best. You are a hero.”
I’d never grinned bigger.
I pulled them all close, tears pushing at the back of my eyes.
“Thanks, guys. It means a lot.”
♠ ♠ ♠
I totally forgot to update yesterday, sorry! D: Plus it's a really short chapter (compared to the others) to boot.