Color Blind

The Edge

"Shhh" Dao hushed.

There was a quiet banging of a tray. "I'll bring ice" Jeon whispered. The door clicked and a soft hand brushed against my face, following my swollen eye. Another hand traced my ribs gently yet a few places still hurt.

I opened my eyes slowly glancing at Dao. "Do you mind" I said quieter than I meant to.

"Your awake" Dao said happily and gently lifted me, setting me back down and kneeling over me.

My whole body was sore and I didn't have the energy to move. "What time is it" i asked.

Dao reached over me, grabbing his phone off the bedside table. "Noon 15" he smiled at his choice of words.

I carefully sat up. "We're late for class." I mumbled.

Dao put his hand on my shoulder, stopping me. "Mr Min demanded I don't let you go to class.... the whole week"

I reached my hand up to push his arms away and he balled up onto the floor with his hands covering his face. "Dao?" I called worriedly.

He peaked through his fingers then got up slowly, laughing nervously. "S-sorry"

Jeon came in setting ice on the end of the bed. "I'm afraid duty calls. I have to run." He bowed.

I waved at him then sprawled myself out on my bed, boredly.

Dao pressed the ice gently to my ribs making me nearly scream in pain. He quickly took his hands away. "I didn't touch you yet" he defended.

"Well don't." I sighed and closed my eyes.

Daos hand rested on my ribs then he slowly slid the ice on. "What do you usually do when he leaves."

I opened my eyes and glanced at him before sitting up. "Go out. Pick a fight. Don't pick a fight. Always a fight if I choose it or not." I shrugged.

Dao laughed a little. "Sounds like you. Do you do anything that doesn't get you hurt?" he asked with a smile.

I looked at him and pulled him downstairs and out the door, both barefoot as I lead him to the beach. He giggled as we reached the warm sand, that squished between our toes. I lead him to a small area where there was a huge ladder leading to a platform that hung over the deep waters. "I guess I don't."

Dao followed me up the ladder dangling his legs over the edge as he sat. "You're dangerous," he stated.

"You could say that." I shrugged his comment off and stared at the varietys of greys and whites merging together to form a beautiful image. I imagined I could see the blue water reflecting the yellow sun but not being able to remember the other colors. I looked down at the dark water. What once seemed like it could be a beautiful blue now seemed like a monster ready to eat. All the things people had said to me echoed in my head making it impossible not to think about what was inside the water. How deep it was. How cold it was. What lived down there. If one could survive the fall. I felt my hands naturally begin to push me so I was on the edge edge. I began to let my hands fall from the wood surface when a painful jolt pulled me up and onto the platform again bringing me back to reality.

"No!" is all I heard from Dao. A sorrow, fear filled no. I looked at him calmly. He had a worried almost hurt look on his face.

"Dao-

"No!" He said again louder. His hands were holding my shoulders tightly as he stared at me with such a terrified expression that it hurt me.

"It's ok Dao. Let me go now," I said softly. "Dao," I whispered when he didn't let go. "It's ok."