Matthew knocked the door in front of him, ever so gently, as if he were scared to disturb the slumber of whoever was on the other side.
No response.
He waited for a moment before opening the door and walking in.
Violet was sleeping. With her messy red hair against her pale and freckled face, she looked like an angel.
He walked over to the window and opened it, letting light enter the darkened room. The river water glistened, creating colourful layers on its surface.
The scene made him think of how his sister, Violet, had been named. When his parents had a redheaded daughter, their first thought was to name her Violet, so that she would grow up to know that the difference in wavelength between red and Violet could never stop her from being both.
“I swear to Satan, Matt. If you were thinking of that story of how I got my name, I'll make a Matthew stew and feed the kids down the street.”
When he turned, Violet was smirking. As if she knew exactly what he was thinking. Her emerald green were eyes shining mischievously. Matt always felt her eyes brought the balance between the Red that she was and the Violet that she'd become.
“Ugh, not the balance theory again, Matt. You know it's creepy when someone stares at you for five straight minutes, right? And why are you in my room, again? What did I deserve to get a dose of annoying-brother early in the morning?” She asked, sitting up on her bed while twisting her hair into a bun.
“I don't see why you get annoyed when I talk about it Vy. I mean, it matches your personality. You're a mystery. You see, like the poles of a magnet, like honey and poison.” He walked over and sat on her bed grabbing a pillow.
“You flatter me, big guy. But, seriously, I think it's high time you put your words to good use. You might get someone to listen, then, you know..” she teased.
“Of course, I will. My first character is going to be based on you. Mysteriously beautiful, an open book yet secretive, a girl made of the best of both worlds: heaven and hell; day and night; light and darkness; dawn and dusk; courage and fear; love and hatred; red and-”
“Life and death,” she deadpanned.
“No. No, Vy. We've had this talk already. You're not going to die. You cannot die. How do you think we're going to live without you?” he asked, taking her hand into his.
Ever since he'd discovered that his little sister was suicidal, he'd tried everything to talk her out of it. He even convinced his parents to take her to a professional. Her therapy sessions worked, but every now and then, she pulled back and returned to her shell.
She pulled her hand back. “I don't know, Matt. Maybe how I'm living with myself now, how I've lived with myself all these years. You don't understand, none of you understand. This is difficult for me. All you can see is the Red that is powerful and lovely, and the Green that is productive and surviving, the Violet that is mysterious and magical. But I'm not just that, Matt. I'm a lot more. I'm the Orange that is craving for change, the Yellow that is looking for joy to keep her sane, the Blue that can't find peace within herself, the Indigo that can't contain the depth of her soul. I'm a rainbow, Matt. I don't fit in. I will never fit in.”
“You're right. You don't fit in, and you never will. But, that's because you are not meant to merely fit in, Vy. You're meant for greater things, the first of which is to create your own space, where you, and only you, can finally fit in.” He said, hugging her.
“You're really good at this. What would I do without you?” She asked, wiping away the tears and grinning.
“Die, probably. And that is why, I will never ever leave your side.” Matt smirked, ruffling her red hair.
“Asshole. Stop doing that. You know I hate it,” she complained. “Mom!! Matt is annoying me.”
“Mom!! Matt is annoying me,” he mocked her. “Oh, and she's not gonna hear you. She's visiting grandma, remember?”
“Oh, yeah. I totally forgot that. Who's going to drive me to therapy, then?”
“Why fear when Matt's here?” He cocked his left eyebrow.
“Maybe because Matthew's here?” She shot back cocking her right eyebrow.
They both burst out laughing at the age old joke.
“Get out, I need to get dressed.” Violet ordered.
Matt walked out of the door and peeped in after a moment.
“Vy, promise me that you'll live for me, that you'll live for all of us, and above all, that you'll live for yourself.” He demanded.
“Yes.” She whispered. Her eyes looking far away, beyond the river.
-Aarathi.
