The Lies We Live

Twilight opened her eyes and looked over at the desk that her phone sat upon. It continued its dreadful ringing which had drawn her from her daydream, a tone she would have to change sometime. She stood from her bed and picked up the phone to see the caller was her mother.

She answered and was greeted with a scolding to be out of bed and readying for school, a scolding she often received whether she was up yet or not. Twilight explained she was already up and ready, as per her parental instructions that they had left behind. The response met the satisfaction of her mother who grew calm and thanked her before saying she would be gone another few days for her meeting and continued with instructions on how to care for herself. Instructions that Twilight had heard multiple times and had written down in at least four places. To such repetition, Twilight simply responded with her understanding and nothing more.

The conversation was short following and, after an exchange of partings and expressions of love, ended shortly thereafter. Twilight was once more left alone. With both parents away at business meetings and her brother still away for military training, she was as alone now as she had been for some time. Nothing seemed to change it seemed.

The thought of family dredged up forgotten memories, along with some suppressed ones. She had once been happy. She once had parents who were there for her and expressed their love daily. She once had a brother who was the only friends he had ever known, or seemed to ever need. A life of happiness, robbed of color as the years had gone by.

Now, her parents spent their time working, whether at home or not. They often went on extended business trips, even at the same time. Her brother had had found other things to do and had recently left to join the military. It was common now for Twilight to be left alone, not only physically but emotionally.

As she walked down the hall on her way to gather her school supplies, she took a moment to glance at a family photo hanging on the wall. Taken some time ago, the family in the still image appeared happy and loving. A far cry from the one Twilight knew.

As the years had passed, the love had faded. Her parents gained greater prestige in their careers and had put more and more focus on said careers. Her brother had drifted further away as he grew older until he left in the name of honor.

There was nothing to be ashamed of with each. The family did live well with the annual income of such successful business persons. The life of a soldier that her brother would lead was one to be proud of. And Twilight did attend a grand school that provided the base to whatever she could want in her life. But all of this did little to alleviate the loneliness that the young girl felt.

After grabbing her school bag, Twilight stopped. What about her? Her parents were successful in their careers and her brother would soon stand ready to defend the land they lived in. But what of the young Twilight whose life had hardly started? What would she do?

She had thought long and hard about what she desired and had come up with nothing. Her school provided the opportunity but she had lost the drive. What did it matter? As long as she was left alone, what was the point of success and pride? She had no natural gifts or talents as it was. Though she had a few skills that were required when one lived alone, it only pained her to recall that each was self-taught. No one with the time or, as it seemed, the care or desire to teach her.

Twilight gripped the strap of her bag tightly. Did they even care for her anymore? No matter how often they said it, the statements of love from her parents felt hollow. The praise for her success in school, staged. As if each was practiced for each staged performance and success was expected. They claimed to care for her, but such claims only made the chasm between them that much more evident.

Her thoughts continued to torment her as she finally exited the house, ensuring to lock the door as she left for the bus. Her ride to school only reminded her of the monotonous life she led alone. Classes with repetitive or pointless tasks. Going through each day separated from the rest of the student body, due in part to her reclusive nature. And the question of what next following such schooling.

She stepped off the bus and looked over her destination. What was the point of it all? What was her role in all things? Was there even a point? Was she even needed in this thing called life?

That was why she daydreamed, she thought. Of course she was not so depressed to even consider ending it. She could not even bring herself to consider that option anyways. She just wanted something more. She wanted to belong, to have a purpose. But what was that purpose? That was why she daydreamed. To imagine purpose or a life without loneliness.

The day dragged on as it always did. She went through the day unnoticed by others, including the teachers. Her thoughts continued to drift and wander as she mindlessly went about her day. Just another drone. But as the time for lunch approached, things changed.

Her wandering mind caused her to choose a different seat other than the one she usually sat in, a solitary table far off to the side. She had not realized her blunder until a shadow passed over her and held its place. She turned to see a girl and her friends standing behind her. Not upset, just curious.

Before she could apologize for taking the girls’ seats, the lead girl smiled and greeted her, saying she had harldy seen Twilight before. Twilight shifted to stand and leave but was met with a hand and the girl’s smile as she introduced herself as Minuette.

Torn between making an apology and then leaving and returning the introduction, Twilight was silent. She sat for nearly half a minute holding her tray and staring at the offered hand. She questioned the reality of the situation, wondering if she was simply daydreaming again. But with a timid touch, she took hold of the hand and returned the introduction.

The hand was real. The situation was real. And Twilight could not help but smile with Minuette whose smile only got bigger. The girls sat and the others were introduced. Lemon Hearts, Twinkle Shine, and Moondancer.

The rest of lunch period was a mix of joy and worry for Twilight. Minuette and her friends conversed easily with one another and Twilight was caught in embarrassment at the new situation. She instinctively shied away for most of the conversation, though still beggin that she was not daydreaming. Slowly, she opened up.

Lunch ended and the five girls returned to their classes. But Twilight’s fear of the joy being short lived was put to rest as she discovered that she shared several classes with each of her new acquaintances and one with all at once. Through the rest of the day, Twilight felt her life shift into the light.

When the school day was over, Twilight was allowed to meet with Minuette and the others before they each returned to their respective homes. For Twilight, the parting was like having a part of her torn away. Something wonderful, taken before she truly got a chance to enjoy it. Despite the promise to see her again tomorrow, she did not wish to leave the girls’ company. To part from those she already considered her friends.

But as the five girls parted and Twilight resigned to return to the empty home, a single sight caught her eye. Standing at the edge of the school was a young man dressed in the dress uniform of a soldier. A closer look revealed the young man to be her brother.

Upon his face was a warm and loving smile, one that Twilight recalled from days gone by. She approached and greeted her brother, unsure what to make of the situation at hand. But to see the smile upon his face and to feel the love that emanated from him, she was taken over by emotion and grabbed him in a hug. He returned the hug and she felt the full force of his love.

The siblings talked on their way home, driven by a friend of her brother and new comrade of his. During that time, Twilight found that the brother she thought had drifted from her had never gone away. Grown but still the same. Physically, he was now going to be far away. But he would always be her loving brother.

When they arrived at home, they were greeted with a wonderful surprise. Waiting for them were both parents, each having concealed their time of return to surprise their children in honor of their son’s completion of his military training.

Though life had caused many things to change, it seemed that some things had never really changed. A perception brought upon by change and perhaps influenced by a fear of change. Perhaps her family had never really changed as much as she thought. Perhaps it was she who had changed. Regardless, she now had the family once more she thought she had lost.

Finally, after so long it seemed, Twilight could feel true love from her parents once more. The color of her life had returned. And with new friends at school, new colors painted her world brighter than before. Her drive for a future was refueled.

With what she now had, there seemed to be no more need for fantastical daydreams. She now had what she wanted. The life she held in her hands now, she could cherish. Perhaps it had always been there, having been lost and waiting to be found. But now, it did not matter. Her life had light once again.