Post by tovaana on Sept 23, 2019 12:47:20 GMT -5
Treyvin; 8ish turns old, black eye
“Treyvin.”
He jogged over to the group of kids, joining the team as he was called. He tried desperately to ignore the mixed feelings that were emanating from the team. There was some whispering toward the back and he heard the word ‘fast.’ Yes, he was fast. They were going to play a game that consisted of trying to find and get a colored piece of cloth or ‘flag’ from the other team. Quickness was essential, and Treyvin was very fast. Picking teams was his least favorite part, but after choosing teams, the emotions around playing usually simplified.
Everyone watched as the rest of the kids were chosen for teams. At least he was never last – he was just never popular enough to be one of the first. He had sort of friends, but he was just awkward enough and still trying to grapple all the feelings of others that mostly there were just rumors about him. A straggly long brown haired girl nearly skipped over to their group when called. She did a fist pump when she settled next to Treyvin, her excitement contrasted heavily against the others feelings surrounding him. Her elbow butted sharply into his ribs. “Ouch!” He gasped quietly, giving her a long side look.
“Sorry, I’m just so glad I’m on your team! We’re sure to win!” Her name was Lillian, and she wasn’t the most liked person, but she had probably been chosen for her knack of getting into small places quietly when she wasn’t bursting with energy. Not only was she very competitive, but also she had claimed Treyvin as a friend a turn or two ago.
The game was long and grueling. They played multiple rounds, of which Treyvin earned some respect as he caught one flag and took out multiple enemies in their home base. Treyvin’s team had won, but all the kids were now chattering in their friend groups, the competitive division had vanished.
In one group in particular he heard, “yeah, he’ll visit this year, on his dragon too.” A brawny boy who was a turn older and far too tall for his age. Treyvin glanced toward the boy, not because of the words, but the feelings that accompanied the words. They were familiar, and he realized it was because he had felt that mixture of hope, sadness, doubt, and confusion. Most other kids had fathers that were local traders or fishermen – or even in other trades that were nearby. Not Treyvin, and not this boy either – it sounded like his father was a dragon rider.
The feelings drew him to the boy and before he knew it he was standing near the group that the boy had been boasting to. “Where are you going??” Lillian had hissed at him as he left her side to go to the boy whose name was… what was it? He couldn’t remember, especially with all of the emotions that swirled around the kids in the vicinity. The whole group glanced at his intrusion, since the group was a set group of friends – not usually inclusive. Treyvin didn’t care much, except for the resentful and laughing emotions that started to bubble up from them.
“What do you want?” The boy, whose name was Drevyn he remembered suddenly, spoke somewhat harshly. Treyvin then felt silly in that moment, because the emotions had called to him – not this boy.
“Uhm…I…” Lillian was suddenly behind him, tugging on him urgently, “come on!” she whispered just as fiercely as her pull.
The group continued to look on skeptically.
“Maybe my dad will visit too.” He whispered weakly, and a few kids leaned in a little to see if they could hear him.
They all gawked at him. “Uhm…what?” Drevyn said, a laugh in his voice.
“Maybe my dad will visit too.” He said louder, and Lillian stopped pulling. There was silence and giggling from a couple of the girls in the group.
“Who asked you?” Another boy growled with contempt. Drevyn was looking at him with a mischievous grin, recognizing Treyvin.
“No, your man’s not coming.” Drevyn snickered, a bully, but not vicious enough to tell the whole group what little he knew about Treyvin’s dad.
Treyvin was started to feel desperate and was drowning in the negative emotions that he had stirred up. His fists balled and he closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, blue eyes watery. “I know…” he stopped himself, remembering what his mother had said about claiming to ‘know’ what someone was feeling. “I mean… I think I know how you’re feeling.”
“He’s a deadglow…” “Clearly a sun-crazed wher.” Whispers from the other children and their defensive insults were not nearly as bad as the feelings that Treyvin was feeling from them. But they then all looked to Drevyn, to see if he would confirm or deny was Treyvin was saying.
Drevyn’s face had drained and he glanced at the others, shame so strong that it left Treyvin feeling confused. Shouldn’t he be glad to have someone who actually knew how he was feeling? Then Drevyn was looking at Treyvin with fury, but the feelings that were coming from him were now guilt and regret. He took a few steps toward Treyvin and shook his head. “No, you don’t," and he pushed Treyvin with both hands. It wasn’t hard enough to push him to the ground, but having the body of a stick and being unprepared for the attack, he stumbled back and onto the ground. He sat there stunned for a few moments, both silence and chuckles coming from the kids who were starting to feel excited about the idea of a fight. There was fear behind him, probably from Lillian.
Treyvin stood and took a couple of brave steps back toward Drevyn. “I don’t want to fight, I just wanted to let you know… that… you know… you’re…” He was having a hard time now with all the emotions pounding into his consciousness. “You’re… not… alone…” The last bits came out as a whisper and only those closest could hear. But unfortunately as Drevyn glanced around and saw that even a couple more had heard Treyvin, fury flooded him and with heavy regret a fist made its way quickly to Treyvin’s face. Treyvin was on the ground and had hit his hip and flipped so his face was toward the ground.
He was oblivious to sounds of people leaving, but conscious that the laughing emotions were fading slowly from his consciousness, even though they haunted his mind still. One of the feels lingered, it wasn’t pity – but it was a sad feeling. He didn’t look up as Lillian came near and sat in the wet dirt near him. She didn’t say anything as he cried, his tears falling directly from his eyes into the ground, grateful that his face was hidden. He only wished in that moment he had long hair to drape and allow him complete seclusion. Lillian didn’t say anything, but put a hand on his back and just sat there.
Treyvin was left with his confusion. Why had Drevyn felt bad about punching him, why had he not wanted Treyvin to say anything? Would he have acted differently if they had been alone? His young mind whirled as he slowly released his own frustration in quiet sobs.
[to be continued…]
