It Is Just A Child's Game

The smell of waffles, bacon, and egg wafted around Cahlen. She slowly opened her eyes and stretched her arms and legs. She rolled over but found the cold floor rather than her comfy bed. A low groan escaped her lips before she stood up and stretched again. She ran a hand over her face and through her hair. She tried to untangle the knots in her hair but gave up and just fixed it into a messy ponytail.

She began walking downstairs and followed the smell of food. She found herself in the kitchen with her brother by the stove. She snuck behind him with a fork in hand and tried to steal a piece of food. He gently slapped her hand away. She pouted but all he did was stick out his tongue.

Cahlen dropped her fork on the counter beside the stove and sat on the island in the middle of the kitchen.

“Dawson! Feed me!” she exclaimed dramatically.

“Just wait, Fatty.” Dawson teased as he continued to cook.

“Hmph. I am not fat. I am healthy.” Cahlen replied before tucking her legs underneath her. “What are you doing today, Dawson?”

“Uh, nothing, actually. I’ll most likely call Shane or Matt.” Dawson said with a shrug.

Cahlen stared at her brother as an overwhelming emotion fell upon her. She looked at her brother. Her eyes gazed at his sandy blond hair, so unlike her own. He had grown so much in the four years she had been gone. He was nearly 6 feet tall and had a slightly muscular build. It was such a contrast to how she left him. He wasn’t even as tall as her and was so skinny she was worried he would break. She no longer had to worry about that now. However, she knew one thing would never change. His gray eyes that were so much like their father’s.

She let out a sigh as she realized that she had missed so much of his life. She also felt a pang in her heart as she has barely spent any time with him since she had been back. She had been spending most of her time with Garret & Kennedy or Frankie that she had neglected the boy who was probably the one who hurt the most because of her departure.

“How about a Cahlen & Dawson day?” Cahlen suggested, hoping he wouldn’t turn her down. “We haven’t had that in a long time.”

“Yeah, not since I was ten or eleven.” Dawson replied with a soft chuckle.

Cahlen cringed at his sentence. She knew he wasn’t trying to hurt her but it did. She realized that even in her last year in Arizona she didn’t spend that much time with him.

“Hey, no fair! We hung out before I left. Anyway the more we should hang out today!” Cahlen exclaimed to mask her pain. “Come on, you used to love hanging out with me.”

Dawson let out a hearty laugh as he turned off the stove and put the cooked food on a plate. He shooed Cahlen of the island counter and put the plate down in the middle. Cahlen got two more plates, two sets of utensils, and four glasses. She placed them on the counter before pulling out a carton of orange juice and a pitcher of water. She filled two of the glasses with orange juice and the other two with water. As she filed the glasses, Dawson put food on the two plates. They both sat down and began eating.

“So, is this the beginning of our day?” Cahlen asked to which Dawson replied with another laugh.

“Yeah, I guess.” He replied before continuing to eat his meal.

The day passed them quickly as they enjoyed each other’s company. They had gone biking, swimming, and even spent some time in the kitchen. They had talked about Dawson’s high school life and their parents. It was nearly twelve midnight and they were wrapped up in blankets as they sat across each other on Cahlen’s bed.

“So, tell me about your girlfriend.” Cahlen teased as she got a handful of popcorn.

“She isn’t my girlfriend!” Dawson said as his cheeks turned red.

“Yeah, whatever.” Cahlen said as she rolled her eyes. “The point is you were constantly texting her today and I saw all the things you’ve been getting for her. You like her!”

“No duh.” Dawson replied.

“So tell me about her!”

“I don’t know what to say! She’s in my History class. She is a swimmer. She likes pizza and ice cream. She is allergic to fish. She’s really pretty. I like her and I think she likes me.”

“Awww.” Cahlen said as she pinched his cheeks. “How cute!”

“What about you?” Dawson asked.

“What do you mean?” Cahlen asked.

“Who’s that special someone in your life right now?”

“No one”

“How about in England?”

“There were three guys but they didn’t last very long.”

“Oh okay.” Dawson replied without asking any questions on that topic. “Why’d you leave?”

Cahlen let out a deep a breath as she looked at her brother. She could clearly see the tears that would soon slip down his face. Her lips began to tremble at the thought of seeing her sixteen year old brother crying.

“I just had to go, Dawson.” Cahlen said as she wiped the tear that fell down his cheek. “Arizona isn’t where I am supposed to be.”

“So you’re going to leave again?” Dawson asked.

Cahlen bit her lip as she slowly nodded her head. She wanted to say the words Dawson wanted to hear but knew she couldn’t lie to him. The truth hurt but her lies would just make it worse.

“Why isn’t Arizona for you?” Dawson asked. “Is it me or mom or dad?”

“No, of course not.” Cahlen said as she grabbed his hands.

“Then why?” Dawson asked. “It is John isn’t it?”

“Why would you ever think that?” Cahlen asked as her heart began to beat faster.

“Because I saw the way you guys looked at each other before. I know your relationship was secret and you said it wasn’t even a proper relationship but I thought it was. Now that I am 16 I understand that I bet it started because of my sex but I know it grew into something more. I am sure of it. After you guys stopped seeing each other, I heard rumors and it got even worse when you left. I noticed how different you were. I noticed how you barely smiled, didn’t go out, and was closed off. I knew your heart was broken. Is it because of him that you left?”

Cahlen stared at him with wide eyes. To say she was taken aback would be an understatement.

“He was part of the reason why I left so suddenly but I was always going to leave, Dawson.” Cahlen said.

“I knew you were always going to leave.” Dawson said so softly Cahlen wasn’t sure if he actually said it. “I just never thought you were going to leave without a goodbye.”

“I am sorry, D.” Cahlen said and she watched as he stood up and walked to the door.

“It’s okay, Cahlen.” Dawson said as he slowly opened the door. “Just promised me that you’ll give John a chance again.”