Chapter 6: With Every Tear

"Leave me alone!"

And with that, I turn on my heel and stalk out of the room, wanting to get away more than anything. Away from them.

Anger courses through me, liquid fire in my veins, blazing with a wild ferocity. The rest of the world has been drowned out by it's roar. But I'm just lying to myself. This anger has another source. One deeper than their superficial words.

Hurt.

I've spent to long being teased for being different or weird. Too long listening to my parents' quiet whispers of how strange I am. To my younger brother's stinging insults, and my sister's unthinking remarks. I knew this wouldn't be any different.

"Onii-chan?"

There is defeat in my eyes when I turn to face him, and pain. He hates it. Silly boy. Stupid, sweet, silly boy. Doesn't he know that everyone cries?

He doesn't ask what's wrong. Maybe he already knows. He just holds out his arms, an invitation of sorts, and I let myself fall.

"Shh, it's going to be okay."

Tears cascade down my cheeks, crystal droplets pf heartache. They are all that symbolize my pent up hurt, every time someone said something vicious or cruel. Just water. And I feel a bit ridiculous; a fifteen year old girl crying in the arms of a thirteen year old boy she met barely five days before. But then I realize exactly what that means.

This isn't the same as every other place, because there is someone right here. And somewhere inside of me, my heart realizes this. How utterly wrong I've been. I feel myself round up all the pain and loneliness and loss inside of me. And I let it go.

Stepping back slightly, I wipe away the last of my tears and smile.

Seeing this, Samir grins. "Look, you cried so much you got my shirt wet!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yeah you did. It's soaked!"

I shake my head in disagreement, and I'll keep on denying it to everyone and anyone. Except myself.

"Onii-chan shouldn't cry so much," he teases, but there is serious undertone to his words which is usually absent. I'm thankful.

With each tear he let me cry, I'd let a little of the hurt go. And in the process, I've come a little closer to knowing him. Infuriating, funny, and kind; annoying one second, sweet the next. He really is like a little brother.