Rancorous

Chapter 11

SEVEN YEARS AGO

Herlina

Everybody else ran outside as soon as recess started. Normally Brevin and I would run to our oak tree too, but I didn't have enough energy.

My mind wandered to the test I took in math class. I wasn't confident on any of my answers, I second guessed myself, and overthought nearly everything. Unsurprisingly, I was the last one who turned in my test. My stomach twisted and turned. I felt like I wanted to throw up.

"Sunrise?"

I looked up and saw Brevin already sitting down near our oak tree. I sped walked and sat beside him.

"Sorry Brevin, I was just thinking." Glimpses of the sunlight and blue sky were visible in between the little crevices of space that the leaves gave. I tried to relax, feeling the warmth of the sun on my cheeks. It didn't work. My stomach felt like I was on a roller coaster from the stress of doing bad on my math test. I was terrible at numbers and equations.

Brevin gently tugged on my pig tail closest to him and I turned to face him with a fake glare. He smiled brightly at me and my fears got just a little smaller and less heavy at the sight.

"Tell me." He leaned closer and I heard him breathe in. He did that a lot when he was near me, but I never questioned it because it didn't bother me.

Picking on the lint of my black leggings, I tried not to sound too frightened. "The test we took in math class was," I paused.

"Easy?" He grinned.

I rolled my eyes with a small smile and tilted my head toward him. "For you, I believe that." I sighed. "But for me, it was hard. I feel like I failed it and I—"

The warmth of Brevin's hand surrounded my own and our fingers locked together calming my racing heart.

"Don't worry Sunrise. Whatever you get on this exam, it's okay. Just think about doing better for the next one. I'll help you."

"Okay, I just, I've never failed a test before. I never want to." I rubbed my eyes. "I shouldn't be stressing about this, but I can't stop thinking about it."

"Sunrise, I have a question for you." Brevin said as he stood up and our fingers lost contact. I pouted missing the warm feeling of holding his hand.

"What is it?"

"How do you make a tissue dance?" His face was serious, like he asked me something life-changing. His question was far from it.

I looked at him like he grew two heads. "I don't know."

"You put a little boogie in it!" Then, he started dancing like music was blasting to the fullest volume. His whole body moved like jelly and his hands raced around the air. He looked so goofy I couldn't help but laugh. He did not know how to dance at all.

I laughed harder when he combined crazy facial expressions with his already insane dance routine.

"Come on!" He grabbed my hands and pulled me up so I was standing. "Dance with me."

In our surroundings, some kids on the playground were looking at Brevin like he was clinically insane. I didn't want them to start mocking him for his goofy dance. They already made fun of him for many other things, even if I tried to stop them, and I didn't want them to have the upper hand. "Brevin, others are watching."

At the mention of other people, he didn't bother looking behind me. His eyes remained only on me.

"Pretend like it's just you and me. Pretend like we're the only ones that matter in this moment."