From Start To Star | Teen Ink

From Start To Star

May 10, 2017
By oSnow BRONZE, Oswego, Illinois
oSnow BRONZE, Oswego, Illinois
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

Brad rolled over in the snow, Emily’s eyes still stuck in the stars path her eyes following each one. Brad shifted back looking up, gazing in their brightness.
“What do they mean?” he muttered.
“I’m not sure yet…” Emily whispered under her breath --- Brad’s phone rang and lit up, It was his mom. 
“It’s time to go home, we can gaze again tomorrow” He exclaimed hastily trying to answer the phone. Emily got up gracefully brushing the snow off her back,
“We always do brad” She giggled watching him attempt to stand up with one hand. They walked through the woods down the path that led to the subdivision snow falling peacefully, at the end of the path they stopped
“I'll see you in school tomorrow?” he sighed.
“Of course” She exclaimed, They leaned in a gave a quick peck before going their separate ways down the glistening starlit concrete. Brad walked down the sidewalk freshly caked in snow till he arrived at the third house down, He walked up the driveway where 2 cars were parked. As he opened the cold steel door he was met with the warm scent of home cooking where his was gracefully dancing around the kitchen preparing a feast.
“You're just on time sweetie, Come on in!” His mother welcomed as he took off his coat and sat down at the dinner table.
---
Emily dragging her feet up to the front door, she saw her brothers car in the driveway, When she walked up to the door a wall of emotions hit her. She braved opening the door and quickly tried to get upstairs, it was too late her brother was just coming down. They both glared at eachother until emily broke the silence. “Get the hell out of my way” She hissed.. Emily locked herself in her room and immediately her brain taunted her to text brad but she didn't want to be annoying, or at least that's the lie she told herself to relax. She laid there curled up in a ball letting the depression hit her like waves as the memories of her brother, Andrew tormenting her since she was a kid. How her mother and father would sit there and watch seemingly not caring as her brother forced the opportunity of a good childhood each day until he left for college. Her phone lit up in a screech reading 5:00Am, Emily jumped realising the time, her startle melted into anxiety when she realised it was another day, sleepless.
As Brad drove into Emily’s driveway to pick her up he saw Emily slumped over on the porch fast asleep, He jumped out of his rusty old truck and rushed up to the porch shaking her.
“Are you ok!?, Are you alive!?” he screamed.
“Woah woah! Yeah I’m alive…” Emily slurred dozing back to sleep. He laid her back down and knocked on the door, no answer, he grabbed the keys from her bag and picking her up and carrying her back inside where he laid her back in her bed.
---
“Brad” She murmured.
“Yes?” Brad responded swiftly.
“What time is it”.
“5:30pm I think, Listen you don’t have to explain anything I know who’s here I remember the stories.”
Emily leaned up weakly, “Listen I didn’t wa- “
“I don’t care, we are together to help each other,  I can’t see you hurt like this, I just can’t. You know I’m always open and you’re never going to annoy me period.” Brad imparted
Tears carelessly ran down her face, “Thank you...I love you so much” she choked over her tears. Brad sat down next to her on her bed.
“Babe look, everything is going to be ok, I promise” Brad whispered softly as he brushed her hair away from her face. There was a knock on the door, brad propped up and walked swiftly to the door opening it just smidge.
“Is everything alright?” Emily’s Dad ask with little concern.
“Yeah everything is fine” Brad sighed
“I knew we should’ve stopped him John I knew it, now she’s a wreck!” Emily’s Mother exclaimed clenching onto emily’s father.
‘Mrs.Pato I can assure you your daughter is in good hands, I’ll make this right” Brad exclaimed confidently “Now just give me a minute I need to talk to him real quick” He muttered as he brushed past them, slowly walking down the stairs, Andrew Emily’s brother was sitting on the couch. Brad pulled up a chair across from him. “What did you do?” He said confidently
“I don’t know but it honestly scares the hell out of me, what happened?” Andrew replied concerningly
“I don’t know either, She said it was because of you. ” Brad questioned.
“Yeah...When we were kids we were always rough with each other, Play fighting that sort of thing but. Let’s just say things escalated quickly” Andrew sputtered, his eyes getting more reflective. Brad tightened his grip on the chair. “I didn’t think she would take anything to heart but I was wrong, I tried talking to her but she just pushes me away. She was always awkward and different, All we ever did was the regular taunting that siblings do. You had a older brother brad you know what it’s like.” Andrew responded
“Ok, I’ll be back.” Brad shifted up out of the chair and walked up the steps to the landing where Mr and Mrs Pato situated themselves. “What did he do to her” Brad asked.
“He taunted her like an older brother but forgot to pick her up on the way out” Mr. Pato responded quickly.
“If he was only a little bit nicer thing wouldn’t be like this!” Mrs.Pato Cried out
“Everything will be ok, besides what would I be if I couldn’t pick her up for him” Brad comforted Mrs. Pato and he shuffled between them to the door of Emily’s room. “Are you ok sweetie” He whispered
“I'll be fine” Emily choked cracking open the door.
“Come out we all need to talk, To you.” Brad whispered slowly opening the door the rest of the way grabbing her by the arm gently leading her downstairs. “It’s going to be ok, it’s not just you that goes through this a lot of people do” Brad whispered sitting her down. Brad spoke up breaking the silence, “Ok Andrew explain.”
“I’m really sorry Emily, I am, I was stupid, I couldn’t see what you had I-I was young and dumb and I couldn’t be part of your life the way we all wanted.” Andrew said shuffling himself toward Emily.
“You-you asshole, I’m not what I am because I was born this way, I’m this way because you molded me like this, I never knew you, but I listened to you and you broke me as a person. Now I’m just a depressed worthles-”
“Stop.” Brad shouted carefully darting to her “Look at me, You are everything, You're destined for great things, Hell you're better than me in about everything you do, don’t let you past take away the glasses for your future.” Brad slowly leaned back, “He’s poured his heart out to you, For your forgiveness not the other way around like it used to be, You’re in control now, he’s at your mercy” Brad exclaimed wiping away her tears.
“I don’t trust you, I don’t think I ever will, You’ve scarred me and I’ll live with it forever. You will have to prove to me your sorry, this s*** doesn't happen overnight” Emily cried leaning onto Brad.
“It’s ok” Brad whispered slowly comforting her.
---
The grass rustled with the cool spring breeze, the trees opening up their leaves to drink in sunlight. Brad and Emily lay in the middle of grass patch surrounded by tall oaks and pines.
“I think I figured it out” Brad assured
“Figured out what?” Emily giggled.
“What they mean, What we mean. They mean destiny and I think it was destine for us.” Brad grinned shifting his head at Emily.
“I think you’re just crazy” Emily smiled
“Yeah but I was destine to be” Brad laughed.
 


The author's comments:

This piece is loosly based on my own experience and kindof reversed in a way.


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