5 Minute Reads | Anthology

Darts (For Beginners)by TypicalRobot

by TypicalRobot

Darts (For Beginners)
"It's like darts." He said. "For beginners."

She tilted her head back in puzzled amusement.

"Darts?"

"Yes. Remember when I introduced you to darts a few days back?" He asked while soft ocean waves rippled at their feet.

She nodded in agreement.

"Remember how frustrated you were?"

"Don't even remind me about it." She sighed. "Hitting the board seemed like a miracle."

"Exactly. At first, hitting the board seems like an impossible feat but after a few tries-"

"The great miracle happens." She smiled.

"Gives you quite a smug feeling, yeah?" He said.

"Smug yes, satisfied no." She replied with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Right. You see it's never enough to just hit the board." He breathed softly. "On the inside you always know that you can try harder, do a little better."

She shielded her eyes from the sun and shook her head.

"But sometimes you just don't." She said. "Sometimes you have to be satisfied with your terrible, horrible aim."

He chuckled a little.

"But maybe, just maybe your conscious doesn't allow you to back down." He leaned back and stretched his legs. "And then, you try harder."

"Like I did." She said.

He nodded.

"Like you did." He said. "And the results...?

"Bullseye." She smiled and puffed out her chest in mock pride.

"Was it easy?"

She shook her head.

"Did you feel slightly depressed when the dart never hit it's destination?"

"Nope." She said. "To be honest, I felt annoyed at how everyone could do it and I couldn't. Remember that sixteen year old who hit the bullseye on his first try and kept getting luckier and luckier after?"

"Uh-Huh." He affirmed.

"Well, I was envious." She rested her head on her knees. " 'How could he do it on his first try and I couldn't? It's not like I have the worst aim of all time. Do I?' I remember thinking that."

"And what did you do next?"

"Well I ordered a drink." She smirked.

"Of course." He smirked back. "Continue."

"Then I finished it in øne go." She shrugged. "Steeled my resolve and joined you back."

"And?"

"I focused on the bullseye and nothing else." She said. "Not you and your tips. Not the others. Not the sixteen year old."

"And?"

"And I hit very near to the goal." She sighed.

"Brute need to prove yourself didn't work." He said.

He put his arm around her and she leaned on his shoulder. Both of them content with each other's company.

"After that you gave up." He said.

She nodded.

"Went on with your life, the bullseye getting farther and farther towards the back of your mind."

She looked down at the soft sand and found a tiny shell.

"But then yesterday happened." He raised an eyebrow.

"It sure did."

"Out of the blue, you hit the bullseye." He said.

"Hey!" She punched his shoulder. "It wasn't out of the blue!"

"Okay." He rubbed his shoulder but with an amused smile. "I agree. You did get perfect hits after that."

"Completely annihilating your reputation at the club." She maturely stuck her tongue out at him.

"While restoring your pride and your peace of mind." He completed.

She sighed.

"It happened when you were least expecting it. Didn't it?" He poked her cheek and she frowned.

"Alright. It did happen out of the blue." She frowned falsely.

"And now you're completely satisfied."

"That I am." She nodded.

"So you see... It's like darts for beginners."

She nodded. Finally getting his logic. They both stared at the sea while contemplating his little definition of "finding love".