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But like everyone else in my life, he’d met my brother first, and that was all that mattered.
Sometimes Calvin being the favorite wore me down, and my walks were the way to process that. Levi seemed quiet, only telling me where to go and what roots to watch out for, so I had time to think about all the ways I hated my lot in life.
I stayed positive on the outside simply because there was nothing I could do to change the fact that people liked my brother more than me.
Inside, I let myself feel everything. Even the worst parts of it.
When Levi offered me help for a particularly tall rock, I took it, but he didn’t let go.
“You got quiet.”
“I get introspective on walks sometimes.”
“Anything you wanna share?”
I didn’t want to talk about Calvin and ruin this moment, but I also knew I couldn’t lie. “Sometimes it feels like I got the short end of the stick with life.”
His lips pursed. “Not anymore, darling. I promise you, things are gonna change.”
Not for forever.The reminder bounced in my head but wouldn’t leave my lips. If I said it out loud, it made it all the more real.
“We should be near the top,” I said instead. “That’ll put me in a better mood.”
“Then come on.” He didn’t let go of my hand and stayed next to me as we finished the climb.
My eyes widened as I saw vast, open land dotted with fluffy white clouds and tall mountains. Even in the winter, evergreen trees made the landscape beautiful.
“Wow,” was the only thing I could mutter.
“Smile,” Levi said. I turned to him and realized he was taking a photo with his phone.
“Hey, at least let me fix my hair.”
“Why would you cover something so beautiful?”
My hands, which were trying in vain to tame my curls, stilled. “They’re a mess.”
“And they’re still beautiful.”
My cheeks heated and I could only stare, unable to process him being too kind about something that I’d been told made me look bad ever since I was a kid.
Silence stretched over us, and eventually, he broke it.
“Besides, we need photos. Candid ones. Isra will ask.”
Nowthatmade sense. “Right. Okay. Take all the ones you need. Just try not to make me look ugly.”
“I’m pretty sure that would be impossible.”
He snapped a few more of me, us, and the skyline before we made the trek back down and headed to get lunch. I eventually had to excuse myself to the bathroom, and when I came out, I saw him scrolling through messages. Alotof messages.
“You reading through all of your conversations with your secret woman?” I teased as I sat.
He set his phone face down and sat up straighter.
“No. There’s nothing.”
I jerked back, all thoughts of teasing gone. That was a very telling reaction.