Dart and Dash by Mary Smith

I don’t think Dash has ever felt that way toward anyone.
    “I’m not you, Dart. I can’t just tell her that. I’m Dash Terrance. I fuck girls, and I leave them. I don’t feel this way toward them.” He lifted his head.
    I sat down next to him. “You’re wrong. The Dash Terrance I know is a kind, caring guy, who loves to cook, and has Edgar Allan Poe memorized. There’s nothing wrong with your feelings toward her.”
    “She’s eighteen.”
    “Daisy and I were that age and look at us now. It doesn’t matter.”
    Dash laid his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes. “You saw how she just looked at me, how do I get her to talk to me?”
    “Go over there and talk. She’s stubborn like you, but she’ll listen.”
    Dash didn’t move until he got up and headed for the stairs.
    “Where are you going?”
    “To bed.” He stomped all the way to his room and slammed the door shut.
     
    ~~
     
    I slept in Sunday, because I didn’t fall asleep until the sun was coming up. I still couldn’t believe everything Dash had told me. I wondered how today was going to go.
    After I showered, I headed to the kitchen. The smell of bacon made my stomach growl. Dash was fixing a brunch of buffet portions.
    “Are you feeding an Army, Dash?”
    He shrugged.
    I knew from that telltale sign that he wasn’t in the mood to talk at all. I began to set the table. I heard the front door, and I looked up to see Daisy’s blonde hair coming toward me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me.
    “I missed you last night,” she winked.
    “Trust me, I missed you, too.” She released me, and I finished my task. Dash put all the food on the table, and looked around.
    “Where’s Garnet?”
    “She’s not coming.” Daisy growled at him.
    “Why not?”
    “Well,” she put her hands on her hips. “Maybe she’s still hurt because you played her.”
    “Fuck off, Daisy. I didn’t play her,” Dash yelled at her.
    “Don’t you dare talk to me like that. Maybe it’s best that you stay the hell away from my little sister,” Daisy screamed at him.
    “Enough, both of you,” I commanded them to stop arguing.
    “I don’t fucking need this shit.” Dash slammed the bowl on the table and left the kitchen. A moment later I heard the front door slam shut, and his bike started.
    I looked over at Daisy. She protectively crossed her arms. “Don’t give me that look, please.”
    “Daisy—”
    “No, Dart,” she interrupted. “I know he’s your brother, but I listened to my sister cry herself to sleep last night. Plus, instead of coming over here to kill Dash, I stayed at my house. He used her, just like a banjo.”
    “You don’t know what’s going on with them,” I informed her.
    Daisy stared at me for a second. “You know something, don’t you?”
    I raised my eyebrows at her.
    “Dart,” she gritted at me.
    “Daisy, I will not betray Dash’s trust any more than I would yours.”
    “That’s my sister,” she shouted.
    “And that’s my brother. I will not argue about this anymore.” I think I was just as loud.
    Daisy’s eyes grew wide. “He’s never yelled at me like that.”
    I gripped the back of the chair in front of me. “I don’t want to argue, but you need to let them work it out.”
    Neither one of us broke eye contact. I knew she was as stubborn as I was, but she needed to let them handle it.
    “I don’t think I’m hungry right now.” Daisy went to walk out of the kitchen.
    “Daisy, don’t—” I tried to reach for her, but she pushed me away.
    “I need to be alone, Dart.” And, for the first time ever, Daisy walked out on me.
     

Chapter 18 – Dash
     
    It was Friday, and I should be planning which party I was going to hit. Instead, I was standing in front of Garnet’s door. I had been avoiding her like the plague. But, I couldn’t do it anymore.
    I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. This was either going to work, or she was never going to speak to me again.
    Garnet