Killing Daniel Heartman.

The gloomy sky had turned orange and pink while the air gave gentle kisses rather than nipping at your skin. The sun could be seen in the horizon and it was clear that God painted a master piece in the sky. A person could fall in love with the sight of its beauty and I couldn’t help but question if every time the sun set with such beauty, was a person falling in love?

If so did people fall in love every day?

What does the sky look like when someone falls out of love?

There was a knock on my door and I waited for my dad to walk in, I could tell it was him. His knock was strong yet courteous. Since I couldn’t respond who ever knocks at my door usually waits a moment or two before coming in, just in case I may be changing or something.

“Hey squirt, wanna practice some soccer?” questioned my father leaning against my door frame. He was tall just like the boys ranging at 6”2.

I nodded with a smile and pointed to my closet, letting him know I needed to put on my practice clothes.

“Alright you go ahead and get changed while I grab your brothers.” spoke the man before closing the door behind him.

My feet trailed across my white, blue, green and room. I had thin drapes that divided my room into 3 sections, my bed, my lounging work area, and my closet. The room was fairly large with clean white walls and lots of windows, so whenever the sun shone in the drapes it appeared as though I were walking on the bottom of the ocean floor.

Rummaging through my closet I managed to dig out a fresh black sports bra and searched for some sweat pants. I couldn’t remember where I had put them, I checked under my desk, the dirty laundry hamper, and found the gray pants under my bed. If you couldn’t tell I wasn’t much of an organized person.

Making my way across the room I made sure to carefully take off Lee’s shirt and neatly fold it before placing it in my bottom dresser drawer. A smile formed across my face as I looked inside. I have t-shirts in every color, size, and design, some were even from the 7th grade when I first moved to Stars hollow. Each shirt represented a panic attaché that I had and was proof that Lee, my best friend was always there to bring me back to grace. I snatched up my yellow cami and quickly dressed before lacing up my cleats and heading to the back yard.

This had to be one of my favorite things about our house, the back yard. It was large with trees that lead to small woods. Our yard had 7 acres of free space, nothing but grass and a large Olympic sized diving pool. Audrey and Audrien were divers on the swim team and may even have the chance to make the Olympic trials. They were actually really good and hopefully if all went well for me I’ll have a chance to make the state soccer team and compete in nationals, then if I win I could be picked for the national team to represent the country and compete in world. But even I had to admit that my dream was a little far fetched.

I jogged over to my dad who had already gotten Auren. To my surprise my twin brother Aurthur was there too. Aurthur was the more serious intellectual, soccer and sports weren’t really his thing. He was the tallest, a whopping 6”5 amid messy dark blonde hair that was cut into that surfer boy style with bright green eyes and blue specks. I wasn’t sure if he was conscious of his good looks but he did have them.

I pulled out a small memo pad from my back pocket and a sharpie before scribbling.

*Scrimmage or Kicks?*

“I think we’ll scrimmage when Aubrey and Audrien get back from shopping with your mother, but for now we can run some plays and passes.” shrugged my father.

“I call the squirt.” commented my brother Auren yanking me by the arm and pulling me to his side. He was only an inch shorter than Aurthur with untidy golden blonde hair, just like mine, and cloudy blue eyes that could match the sky. Auren was the musician in the family, he wanted to make music and become a producer… if any one could succeed in that dream, it would be him.

My brother had killer vocals and was talented with many musical instruments, but sometimes when I looked at him I could see the disappointment in his eyes. Auren told me I was gifted with a beautiful voice and that I should share it with the world; he even planned on me being the first singer that he would ever produce.

“You and me, were gonna make beautiful music together, squirt.” This was before I became mute and stopped singing. I think out of everyone in the family, my silence pained Auren the most. My brother had a dream for us and in a way I shattered it, with the help of Daniel Heartman off course.

“Fine you and squirt against me and the old man.” commented Aurthur heading backwards with the ball. “We kick off.”

I headed backwards positioning myself center forward, which was my spot on the team; I was dead in the middle. Center forward meant that the pressure was on me to take the lead and make most of the shots, which I usually did. I wasn’t great at many things in life, but soccer, well soccer was my thing. I could escape the world when I was playing this game, because nothing else mattered.

Soccer was like a world of Serenity and in this world Audrey didn’t have a drinking problem, Audrien didn’t have to use sex as an escape in order to forget that his best friend Rupert died when it should have been him, Auren didn’t hate me because I couldn’t sing for him, Aurthur wasn’t was walking ghost shell, and Aubrey didn’t look at me with pity every time he laid those 3 colored eyes on me.

I entered the world of Serenity with a sprint; Aurthur was coming down field towards me the soccer ball clumsily being kicked forward. I ran head on waiting for him to try and get past me. His long legs kicked in strides and right when he thought I was going to steal he shoved me hard, I could feel his shoulder ramming between my back shoulder blades. Completely unfazed by the pain I kicked my left foot out and stole the ball. My brother didn’t even have time to apprehend what happened, and when he finally did I was already on the other side of the field.

I came bolting down left field and was preparing for my kick to the goal when before I knew it I was shoved at least 6 feet to my right. Staggering I managed to stay on my feet only to watch my father run down field with the ball, my eyes searched for Auren and spotted him and Aurthur blocking at each other. I was on my own. I darted to catch up with my dad. Coming up behind him I had to literally jump and dive to shove his body out of my way and steal the ball, he was after all 6”2 to my meager 5”5.

It was clear that dad didn’t see me coming because his eyes held bewilderment and I tried not to stare at him too long. Heading back up field I had a clean break for it until Auren accidentally let Aurthur get past, he was on my tail and I actually had to fake him out, going left when he though I was going right. It was then when I made it to the end field, pulling my right foot back I watched as the ball went flying into the goal.

*Perfect*

“Damn, I know you guys didn’t just let the squirt punk you like that!” came a voice. I turned to see Aubrey, Audrien and who I believe to be Trent. Yeah it was Trent; I knew that gorgeous Asian face from anywhere.

Ok so if I didn’t have the hotts for Lee, I would probably be in love with Trent. Not only was he the cutest thing on this earth but he is also an amazing friend. I met Trent in the 8th grade and our family have been buds ever since. His sister Shayna and Audrey are actually best friends although not even Shayna can stop Audrey from drinking.

“Sup Audrina.” nodded Trent with a smile. He was a freak of nature just like my brothers, standing 6”4 with a chest to die for and legs that can out run Hurricanes. Trent had eyes the color of hazel nut coffee and carefully styled light brown hair that looked like he just rolled out of bed, although it actually takes about 40 minutes to style.

My hand gave him a light punch in the arm as I stood before him. Honestly any girl would be lucky to have him… yet he was single?

“We saved Trent here from the torcher of having to endure another 3 hours of shopping with Shayna, so mom said he can stay the night.” commented Audrien now standing in our circle of bodies.

“Jude I heard what you did to Ryan about Vicky.” laughed Trent. ”Smart move, that girl had more pregnancy scares than I have baseball cards.”

We called Audrien Ryan sometimes, if you haven’t noticed saying Au before every persons name quickly gets tiring so nick names come pretty quick.

My dad grinned before shrugging. ”I told him it was for his own good, but you know Audrien stubborn as a fucking mule.”

*Ain’t it the truth, I’ve never met a person more headstrong than Audrien.* I looked over at Audrien and smiled as I watched him roll his eyes, at least he knew what he wanted in life and no one could tell him otherwise. I envied him for that.

“Alright shirts vs. skins scrimmage.” chanted Aubrey pulling of his shirt and throwing it to the floor.

“Shirt.” called Aurthur, he was such a conservative.

“Skin.” announced Audrien, figures he’d use any excuse to not wear a shirt.

My father spoke “I’ll go ahead and be a shirt.”

“Same here.” piped Auren scratching at his untidy blonde mane.

*God I wish he didn’t hate me so much…*

“Skin.” replied Trent. Although we were close friends I couldn’t help but gaze at his washboard abs, baseball had done him good.

“Alright squirt, what’ll it be?” questioned my dad.

I looked at both teams; my best bet would be with Trent since he was pretty good on his feet and Audrien was lightning quick.

With a simple tug I pulled off my shirt, revealing a well toned stomach and black sports bra.

“Well someone has to be a shirt. Not only is it 4 against 3 but the squirt needs to have a disadvantage.” piped Aurthur, I guess reading all those books made him so smart that he never mosses a beat.

My dreams of making state and national team were well known by everyone and since trials were coming up they’ve given me unrealistic disadvantages in the game. Such as running with 30 lb ankle weights, blind folding me, playing 3 against 1 and so forth.

“I’ll go shirt.’ spoke Aubrey now putting back on his dark green tee, he really is self sacrificing.

“I think I’ll referee.” retorted my bad as he rubbed at his side. ”Squirt knocked the wind out of me just a minute ago.”

“In that case I’m a shirt too; she needs a bigger disadvantage since Jude’s ref, 4 against 2 sounds good.” nodded Trent now covering his delectable abs, damn.

“Fine but me and the squirt start the kick off.” managed Audrien. There were no complaints and everyone took there positions.

“You got your head on straight?” questioned Audrien his strawberry blonde hair blowing in the wind as we headed opposite side of the field.

I nodded before taking out my hair tie and redoing my ponytail slightly tighter, my cleats stomped into the ground as I crouched over a bit. Audrien had told me to take center forward as usual and that he would cover the back. This was smart seeing as how quick he was, if we needed to block he was more likely to get there before I could.

The guys were still choosing who would play which position when I couldn’t help but wonder what score we were going up to, it was getting late and I knew the game wasn’t going to be longer than an hour and a half. I looked over to see which one of my twins was the closest and spotted Auren. I gave slight concentration as I pushed my thoughts in his mind.

*Do me a favor and ask dad what score were going up to?*

I scoffed as he looked directly at me and pretended as though he hadn’t even heard me. I hated being ignored and this was one of the few things that I would never get used to as being mute.

*Auren, don’t be a douche bag! Just ask dad for me. Christ!”

“If you want to know so bad, use your damn mouth and ask him you’re fucking self!” shouted Auren with hostility.

*It was just a simple fucking question you dip shit!* I hated when he acted like this. Ugh! What a jerk.

Notice how not to long ago we were buds and he wanted me to be on his team and just because I want to ask him something since I couldn’t talk he goes all evil twin on me. So now you see what I meant when I said he hated me for crushing his dream? Even the simplest action that may cause him to have a recollection of how I disappointed him, throws the boy into a fit of anger.

“If you have something to say, man up and say it aloud!” barked the blonde our matching hair color swaying fiercely in the wind.

I said nothing but did manage to give him the finger before looking in the other direction. How long was it going to be before he forgave me?

Pulling out my memo pad and sharpie marker I aggressively scribbled SCORE in big bold letters for my father to read. Dad had to squint just to see it from my direction but then spoke when he could make it out.

“Were going up to 10 since its getting late.” spoke my dad from the side of the field.

The whistle blew and I headed forward breezing, past Aurthur and just by luck dodging Aubrey. I was at the peak of the field and planned on kicking for the goal, where I spotted Trent as goalie when out of nowhere I was rammed in the side. My body went flying at least 9 feet in the opposite direction and I could taste the bitter salty dirt in my mouth.

Pain surged through me before it was then converted into anger. I looked up to see Auren, the clouds in his sky blue eyes turning into a storm of gray. It took a lot out of me just to get up, and even more to chase my maniac brother down the field. I did exactly to him what I had done to my dad, except throwing all my weight completely on him and watching him fall to his knees.

I had to jump over him just not to trip on his body and keep going, racing down the field. I knew that if Auren caught up with me, he would probably kill me. Before I knew it Aurthur and Aubrey were both on my tail, I looked over, my eyes searching for Audrien and spotted him to my right. I swiftly passed him the ball and shoved past the boys. Aurthur went to block Audrien, who within seconds passed me the ball and with ease I kicked as hard as I could, the ball spinning and flying all at the same time as it slipped through Trent’s arms.

“Goal!” shouted my dad and I punched the air as I headed to my side of the grass for defense and couldn’t help but smirk at Auren who looked thoroughly pissed.

Nearly an hour later the score was 8 to 7 Audrien and I were winning by just one point and I was feeling the pressure. The guys had my head spinning and although Audrien was great help we were both tired. I positioned back at center forward and was somehow head to head with Auren, I could have sworn he was center left but ignored it. My head had taken a few blows to the head by the ball and probably forgot what position he was playing. Auren’s lip was bleeding and a getting swollen, smirked. Did I mention that I did that?

The whistle went off and he came running towards me at full speed. I went racing directly towards him planning on using my shoulder to shove him and steal the ball, but I never got to because… I was on the ground?

I never even saw it coming.

Auren used his right shoulder and pounded it into the right side of my ribs. It was all so painfully slow as I seen myself falling and swore I heard something crack. The wind was literally knocked out of me and I thought I was going to puke blood. Never in my life have I felt such pain and the pain only got worse when I had to wonder, Was this what he considered payback for disappointing him?