Things I've never told you

Hi, I'm Dani

10 years old

"Look Dani," my brother Derek held up an earthworm between his fingers.

I recoiled in disgust, "ew, get it away from me," I swatted his hand away.

"You know what worms like?" he asked with a devilish grin, "annoying sisters!"

He chased me around the backyard, trying to put the disgusting thing on me.

"Mom," I cried, "he's doing it again!"

"Derek, stop tormenting your sister," she called not turning around from tending to her flower garden.

I ducked under the deck quickly knowing that Derek was too tall to fit under here. He stopped in front of me so the only thing I could see was his scuffed shoes.

"No fair!"

I peeked out a little and stuck my tongue out at him. Eventually, he got bored of waiting for me to come out and left. I watched him walk to the swing set and start digging for more worms. I shuddered from my crouched position. Why were brothers so awful?

A ball suddenly landed in front of me and I heard my mom call out to our neighbour.

"Hi Donna, how's it going?" she asked standing up and wiping the sweat off her brow.

Donna was our elderly neighbour and probably the nicest person I ever met. She's kind of like the neighbourhood grandma and every Halloween, she gave out the full-sized chocolate bars. Yeah, she was great.

"I'm well," Donna replied with a smile, "sorry about that," she pointed to the ball in front of me, "we were tossing the ball around and I forgot how little they are," she joked.

I turned my attention to the pink ball in front of me, "no problem at all," mom called out.

I watched her pick up the ball and hand it to Donna, "and who do we have here?" she bent down.

"These are my grandchildren, Amelia and Dominic."

I watched mom exchange pleasantries with Donna's grandkids, from under the deck.

"Derek, Dani come over here please!" mom yelled.

My brother trotted over, every inch of him covered in dirt. "Derek, you look like you've been digging in the mines," mom scolded dusting off his shirt. "and where is your sister?" she asked looking around.

I crawled out from the deck, "I'm here," I mumbled.

Mom looked like she was going to scold me too but stopped when Donna addressed me.

"Sweetheart, what were you doing under there?" she laughed.

I frowned and pointed an accusing finger at Derek, "he tried to put a worm on me."

"Tattletale," he mumbled under his breath.

Mom rolled her eyes while Donna introduced us, "this is Derek and Danielle. I'm sure you kids will get along great."

"Why don't you two come over and play for a bit? Is that ok, Donna?" Mom asked.

Before she could answer, her grandson climbed the fence.

"Wanna go look for worms?" Derek asked Dominic who smiled and nodded his head in response.

Donna and her granddaughter walked around the fence to the front yard where mom and I met them.

"Go play, Mia," Darla encouraged.

I studied the girl and couldn't help but feel envious of her blonde hair. While Derek inherited my mother's blonde hair, I inherited my dad's vibrant red hair. But my dad's hair has changed now that he's older to a copper colour so to everyone else, it looked like I was adopted which Derek brings up anytime he can. It's like from the moment I was born, the universe decided to work against me