“You are a disgrace to this family. On top of that, you embarrassed me in front of the controller and everyone in the temple. I knew you were questioning when you were younger but I thought you believed now. How could you lie to me like this, Xavier?” Mother scolds.

I cringe and try to think of a response. The last time I saw Mother this angry was when I asked the question about how we all have darkness inside of us.

I finally think of a response, but when I look up Mother is already gone. Pierce is next to me silent but one corner of his mouth is slightly turned up.

“Dude, I knew you had the guts to admit you didn’t believe but I didn’t think it would be in front of the entire temple. What are you going to do now?” Pierce asks.

“I don’t know,” I murmur.

I regret not being able to control my words, but it feels like a ton of weight has been lifted off my chest. Of course, the rumor that I had already turned to Darkness has already spread like wildfire. The pressure of everyone’s eyes on me replaces that weight. I feel like I am drowning yet again.

Pierce sighs, “Come on, let’s go to June’s house. She would know how to cheer you up.”

June Chaffer has been dating Pierce for three years now. Everyone is waiting for the wedding to be announced but there is no hint that it is going to come anytime soon.

Arriving at June’s house amazes me every time. The long path that leads to her house, after the shiny golden gates, is lined with neatly trimmed trees on both sides. The gravel pathway leads to a staircase right outside of the mansion. The white pillars with gold trimmings around it show how rich June’s family is.

Her father is one of the head guards for our kingdom's Magnificent. Her mother is a seamstress and with all these funerals happening, she has been very busy.

Her mother had never been fond of Pierce only because Pierce is so poor, he would soon have to live in a box. June tries to convince her mother that he is a good and caring person. Money shouldn’t matter when love is in the equation, right?

My family is financially stable but not rich like June’s family.

When we knock on the door, we are greeted by the usual butler.

“Emerson, my man, how are you on this fine day?” Pierce asks. His hyper body language is opposite to Emerson’s collected stance.

“I am doing fine, sir. How are you?” Emerson replies.

“I am doing just swell. Do you know where June is at the moment?”

“Yes sir, I will take you to her right now.”

“Thank you so much, my kind man.”

Emerson is the only one that calls Pierce, sir. Everyone else in the house, including servants, thinks that Pierce is so beneath them that he doesn’t get to be respected in any way.

Emerson leads us to the back door which shows a backyard even grander than the front yard we just walked past. He opens the all glass doors and tells us that June is in the garden on the tree swing.

June told us the tree swing is one of her favorite spots. It’s where she likes to go when she wants so peace or just to absorb the beauty of nature.

Pierce and I walk down the white stairs that match the set in the front of this mansion. We walk down a dirt path that has stepping stones along it. When we reach a fork in the path we go left. Going right would lead us into the guest house which has its very own pool and courtyard that leads down to a beach at the ocean.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

To get to the tree swing, we have to go through the gorgeous garden. We are met with a big arch entrance that is covered in rose climbing plants. The dirt on the path turns into a full stone path. The bright red roses and vibrant orange marigolds contrast with the deep violet irises. The flowers cover the path both ways until there is a break on the right of the path.

The break leads into the middle of the garden. June sits on a bench swing on a tree in the middle of the garden. Blue leaves fall off of the tree as the wind blows.

June reads her book as we approach her. She didn’t hear us, so when Pierce took a blue leave out of her hair, she jumped.

“Pierce, Xavier, you guys scared me,” June squeals.

Pierce laughs as June nudges him in the ribs. Then they start to kiss. The part I always try to not see. It’s not that I don’t believe in love. I think love is a great thing. It can make so many people happy but it isn’t for me.

“What has been new?” June asks us.

“Do you want to tell her?” Pierce asks.

I glare at him. I didn’t want June to know. Yes, she is dating my best friend and yes, I have known her for many years now but that doesn’t mean that she should know everything. She is brutally honest and she is not afraid to tell you when you are in the wrong. I already know I was in the wrong this morning and I don’t want to be told by someone else I was in the wrong.

“Tell me what?” June questions.

“It was nothing,” I briskly say.

“Xavier admitted in front of the whole temple that he doesn’t believe in Light and Darkness,” Pierce interrupts.

Now I give him the death glare. What gives him the right to tell someone else about my business?

“Oh, Xavier,” June walks over to hug me as if she was comforting me, “You royally fucked up.”

I huff and lightly shove her off. “You don’t think I know that? It was a poor decision on my part. I don’t need to hear it from you guys.”

I didn’t realize I shouted the last sentence until I saw the surprised expressions on their faces. I look down at my feet in embarrassment.

“Dude, it’s not that big of a deal. People will forget it in a week or two,” Pierce reassures me.

But my mother won’t. I wanted to reply but decided to change the subject.

“What are you reading, June?” I ask.

“The Scripture of Light,” she replies.

Great, today’s theme of discussion is Light and Darkness. I don’t think I will be able to escape it. Maybe this is either Light or Darkness punishing me for not believing them. Or it could just be a mere coincidence. If I can’t avoid the topic, may as well dive into it, right?

“Can I ask you something?’ I hesitate.

“Sure,” June replies.

“What makes you so sure that Light and Darkness are real? Doesn’t it seem a little too fake to you to believe it?”

“It gives me a sense of hope and comfort knowing that something or someone is watching us. Darkness wasn’t all evil despite what The Scripture of Light says. What makes you so sure they don’t exist?”

“It’s just an excuse for people to do horrible things to one another. We have never seen Darkness or Light so how can you know they really do exist?”

“What about the people who follow Light? What’s their excuse?”

“Um, I don’t know, they’re probably delusional.”

Calling my mother delusional hurts. It’s not that I think she is delusional but if she believes in Light, wouldn’t that make her a little bit delusional?

“How would you explain the people who have turned into monsters when they disobey Darkness?” June asks.

“The creatures with pale green skin and purple veins?”

“Exactly.”

“When is the last time you have seen anything like that?”

She’s silent as if brewing the right response. “I haven’t but my father has told me about them and how horrible they are.”

“Your father is working for The Magnificents. He is probably lying to you.”

“My father would never lie to me.”

“He probably does every day.”

I expand my lungs to chuckle a little, but the air is blocked. June has punched me in the front of my jaw.