Painting Life

T w o

<< Do you believe in dreams, baby? // Because I do, // And my dream is // To be with you >>

T w o:   S w i n g i n g   A l o n g.

D a n i y a: 

My nights usually went by restlessly. It was the same routine everyday; twist, turn and thrash around because I was afraid to close my eyes and see all those monsters trapped inside my dreams. 

But of course, staying awake meant that I had to face the monsters under my bed too. There were horrifying shapes in the dark and everytime I looked at one and made it out to be some demon's face, my heart started beating faster and I froze. 

I remembered being scared last year when I was just nine. I was trying to sleep and had shut my eyes when there was a peculiar sound from upstairs - a hammer, hammering a nail. My eyes had flown open and I had come face to face with the odd shape of my table in the dark. 

My scream had echoed in the whole house. The terrifying sounds started to come louder and I later found out it was my parents moving everything out of their way to come and get me. 

I only stopped screaming when my father had cradled me in his arms and sung a soft lullaby to me. Even though his voice was truly beautiful, I had been unable to sleep. 

My parents had stayed awake with me the whole time and we had played several games to hide away my fear in the casket. It was the best night of my life and the only night when I wasn't alone with my eyes, wide open. 

I half wished that my father would come to check on me and find me awake and do a replay of that night. But wishes never came true as I had learned when I blew the candle of my tenth birthday. 

I had wished for those kids to stop calling me ugly names which I couldn't even comprehend. I didn't understand why they called me those names; did they think I liked it? Fawn, the girl who called me bich (what was bich, anyways) told me that they were just generous nicknames and I needed not to worry. 

I planned on telling her that I didn't like those names at all and I wanted them stop. But everytime I got closer to her, my heart pulled me back and away as if telling me that I was making a huge mistake. 

My school fellows hadn't stopped calling me names. I think I lost hope when a guy called me "Daochbaggess" on my birthday. I had run away from him, horrified that people could think of such ridiculous nicknames. 

I promised myself never to wish on those candles again. I told Mommy that I wouldn't and she just smiled brightly and seemed proud of me. She told me she knew I was sensible and had finally realized it was only God who would hear our pleas and it was only him from whom I shall find help. 

Somehow, that had led my heart to sink. There was something terrible about believing in something so truly and then losing faith in it. 

I had cried my eyes out that night and no one had even noticed. We all had the hearty breakfast in the morning as usual and my father continued to crack lamer jokes by every passing minute. They didn't ask me if something was wrong and I figured that I shouldn't tell them when they didn't care. 

A creaking sound from upstairs made me shreik in fear and I skedaddled away from the room and in the garden where my favourite swing was. 

It was almost day now and the sky was blueish of sorts. This encouraged me to go up to the swing and actually enjoy there without worrying about the monsters in the dark. 

The cold wind was like a slap to my face but I actually enjoyed the sensation. Giggling a little, I went up higher and higher and congratulated myself mentally on being so daring. 

"Couldn't sleep, baby girl?" A voice asked from behind and I almost fell off the swing in fear. Clutching its ropes tightly, I looked behind me and was relieved to find only my father standing there, smiling at me. 

I shook my head. "No, Daddy." 

I halted the swing with much grace and walked towards him so that I was in front of him. I gazed up at his sleep-ridden face and wondered why he had gotten up when he obviously wanted to sleep. 

"Why did you wake up, Daddy? You seem sleepy." I wondered. 

He smiled at me in a way that made me want to soar in the skies above those fluffly cotton-candy like clouds. "I was checking on you, baby girl. You weren't there. I got scared." 

I took his huge hand in my own little ones. I had once asked him why his hands were so big and he had smiled and told me that all grown ups had big hands and it was a big secret that other kids weren't supposed to know.

I took pride in the fact that he trusted me enough to confide in me. "I am right here, Daddy. I am not going anywhere." 

He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it, giving it a warm squeeze. "I hope not." He whispered and he sounded so sad that I felt sad too and then I gave him a big cuddle so that he wouldn't be so sad. 

"Don't be so sad, Daddy. Why are you so unhappy?" I asked, pouting. 

He laughed. "I am more proud than sad, baby girl. You know another word for sad." 

"Yes!" I said, my eyes lighting up. "Cool, isn't it?" 

He ruffled my hair and I didn't mind if he ruined them because I was so happy that he was standing right next to me. "Very cool, baby girl." 

I grinned at him and he grinned right back at me and I probably looked like a big idiot (I've read that people you smile too widely look like smiley idiots) but I couldn't really bring myself to care because my heart was blossoming and even I didn't know I was capable of being this happy.

"Do you want to sit on the swings with me?" I asked zealously, bouncing up and down in front of him. He looked at me peacefully and reached out to caress my cheek. 

"Maybe later, okay?" 

"Pinky promise?" I held out my little finger and offered it up to him. 

He didn't hesitate to put his own little finger on top of mine and that was how I knew that someday we would be sitting on the swings together and having the best time of our lives.

___________

A/N: Okay so I am on a bit of a toll here (yay!) but you guys are leaving me hanging on the cliff because no comments! :O I want to see how I am doing! :D

And you might have noticed the poetic verse on top. It has nothing to do with the chapter. Just something I thought of when I was having a bath. :3

P.S. Forgive any sort of mistakes. Please note that this is the first and rough draft of the story. 

Cheers! Happy Reading, 

~Rida. :)