Her Darkness

Chapter 1

Dark is a word used for not bright. It can also mean great unhappiness. It was dark. At least she felt dark. Sad. Incomplete. Her life felt as though it had fallen to the ground. Her walls, shattered. Life's pieces thrown around.

Her name is Aaron Quinn. She hates her name. She knew she was named Aaron because her parents didn't want to know the gender before the birth and expected a boy. Her parents were like that. She knew her parents were going to name her Aaron if she was a guy. But she wasn't. Her parents didn't expect a girl. They didn't have a name. Well, she's Aaron.

Aaron is 15. She's an average height of about 5'6". She weighs about 130. She was never perfect. She was always too short, still the shortest in all of her classes. She was average, but all muscle. She never was popular or was ever the girl who fit in, still isn't. She has beach blonde hair, green-hazel eyes, and light skin.

Aaron has a little brother named Brady. Brady is 5 and loves Aaron. Aaron plays with him all the time, considering she kinda likes sports. Brady and Aaron play basketball, soccer, and when he's older, they will play more sports. Brady has a mini hoop he shoots on and every once in a while, Aaron will hold Brady up to her hoop so he can make a dunk. And while they play, their mom watches quietly from the window, smiling and laughing along with them.

When Brady was born, Aaron was at school. She was in the fifth grade. Her dad went to pick her up from school that day, October 18. She and her dad drove to the hospital. They laughed so hard and they sang. Brady was in her mother's arms when her an her father walked into the hospital room. She walked over and her mother handed Brady over to her. He was sleeping as looked so calm. Aaron love him dearly upon the first look.

Aaron goes to Liberty High School, in Boston, Massachusetts, in her Sophomore year. Last year, Aaron's dad died in a car accident. Sadly, Aaron was in the other car that killed him. Her friends mother was driving them home from school when Sara's mom lost control of the car and it swerved, hitting the driver's side of her dad's car. He was killed on impact. She witnessed her father's death and is still haunted by it to this day. Ever since her father's death, she has fallen into a darkness, her brother and mother are the only people she talks to. She shut her friends out. They miss her and she misses them too sometimes, but Aaron decided that this is her way of grieving.
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Today is the anniversary of my father's death. 1 year on this day, November 16th, I witnessed my father's death.

My alarm clock went off, making me slap the off bar with my hand. I dragged myself out of bed and glanced at the family photo of the four of us. I looked to it's left, there was the picture taken at Christmas right after the accident. There stood only three of us.

I quickly glanced away, the tears fighting to emerge. I walked to my closet and grabbed my outfit, a black long sleeve shirt and my dark denim skinny jeans. I pulled on my combat boots and put a white scarf on. I walked into the bathroom, brushing my teeth, combing and doing my hair, washing my face, and applying very little makeup. I grabbed my phone and my backpack and walked down the stairs. I walked into the kitchen, dropping my bag onto the counter and grabbing a bowl and the lucky charms box. I glanced at the clock, realizing it was already 7 o'clock. I finished my cereal and walked out the door, heading to the sidewalk. I haven't gotten into a car since exactly a year ago.

I put my headphones in and started playing Fight Song by Rachel Platten. I realized that next door was a large truck. People I have never seen before were taking boxes out of a moving truck and putting them into the garage. I noticed a guy about my age helping. He noticed me, but I looked away, pretending to be typing on my phone.

I finally made my ten minute trek to school, walking into school. I walked to my locker, being walked into about four times, nobody paying attention. I grabbed my books out of my locker, walking to my first period class.
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My first three period went by slow, as always, now it's lunch. I go through the lunch line, taking a cheese burger, and sitting down at my usual table, all alone. I don't look up until Sara, my old friend, came and sat in front of me. I glanced upward. She was looking at me.
"Hey..." she said softly, just enough for me to hear.
"Hi..." there was a long pause before she spoke again.
"I wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss... And the I miss you...." She looked down as she spoke.
"Thanks..." was all I could say. I mean what was I supposed to say?
"I know that your father's death hit you hard. And I'm sorry. But, I miss being friends. I hope we can talk again and go back to the way it was before." I didn't know what to say still. I shut her out for a year and she wants to become friends again. What do I do? I decided it be best to just let it all out.
"I miss you too. I'm sorry I shut you out, but I it was just my way of grieving, it still kinda is." I was nervous for her response.
"It's fine. We all grieve in different ways. When I lost my 2 year old sister to cancer, I didn't come out of my room that entire summer, only when I needed to." She was looking at me now and I did the same. I could see the tears behind her eyes. I stood up, doing something I never would have thought of doing since he died. I got up and walked to the other side of the table and hugged her. She smiled and I did too. I haven't smiled that much and it felt good to finally do.
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The bell rang. I walked out of school and walked to the closest flower shop in town. I walked in and immediately walked to the roses. I picked up a few and paid for them at the counter. I began the walk to the cemetery. I walked in and passed under the big oak tree in the middle of the open area. I walked to his grave and immediately sink my knees into the dirt. I cried as I placed the roses into the vase that was part of his grave. I pulled the dead roses off of the dirt that had blown out with the wind and tightly held onto them.

I grabbed my things, still feeling my tears run down my face, and ran out of the cemetery. I took the short cut home and ran into the house not stopping to say hi to my mom. I rummaged through the cabinet in the sink upstairs and finally found a case. I filled it with water and put the dead roses inside. I walked back to my room and place the roses on my bedside table below the picture of the four of us. I fell down onto the floor and sobbed until my door creaked open. Brady walked through the door.

I quickly tried to stop crying as he walked over and sat in my lap. I gave him a big hug. "How was school?" I asked forcing a smile.
"Good. I met a new friend named John. He is really funny." He smiled like crazy.
I laughed. "Thats good, really good."