No one ever screamed.
No one ever argued.
No one ever scowled, fought, or frowned.
Twas the neighborhood of good days, happy faces, and kind words.
Twas the neighborhood of silent nights, masks, and hidden anger.
Each home was one of hospitality and secrets, of comeliness and inner despising.
No one ever screamed, argued, scowled, fought, or frowned.
But no one loved either.
Except for one boy named Daniel Harper.
With nothing but the truest words of admiration for one special girl, his heart longed to be close to her. She was the definition of light and goodness in all the world. He never found anything more true and wonderful in all the neighborhood beside her.
She loved him. He loved her. It was more than the neighborhood could bear.
His parents despised the thought of such a union between the two families that disdained each other more than most.
Daniel went on and on about his girl. Finally, the first scream was heard.
"You can't marry her!"
The sheer break of Daniel's heart could not be held in the deepest chasm on Earth. He would marry her. She loved him. He loved her. It was only right.
"I can."
That started the first argument which made his family scowl.
His siblings shouted back and forth with him. He asked in desperate questioning why it was such a dastardly thing to marry the girl whom he loved.
As the night drew on in continued shouting and arguing, the first official frown was held on Daniel's face. And he never let it lift.
Strange were the looks thrown his way. Smiles and laughter filled his ears, yet none of it reached him. He left his mask in his closet and decided he would never take it up again.
Then he saw her. His frown deepened. His face fell further as she smiled and laughed with everyone else. He went to her.
"Did you tell your parents about our wedding?"
"Yes."
"What did they say?"
Her expression faltered for a moment. He knew they had said exactly what his family had said.
"We will be married." He took her hand and kissed it. The frown on his lips caressing the back of her palm.
"We will." She smiled.
He found it quite difficult to not do the same.
His family awaited him at the door.
"I will marry her."
His family smiled and ushered him inside. "Of course you will. And you will always be welcome as we are your family and love you."
He went to bed with a frown still on his face.
No one ever loved in this neighborhood but him and his girl.
No one screamed.
No one argued.
No one ever scowled, fought, frowned.
And yet, they did. So, perhaps...they might love?
He glanced out the window and thought hard on love.
There might be love in his family, but no matter. There was love in his heart and that is all the matter need be.
