9
1955 Words
Unedited.
•••
Daryl hastened his steps the moment he entered the waterfall wing.
A part of the school only accessible to members of the waterfall family.
He heard his brother was back.
He had gotten a glimpse of Ryder for the first time in 6 months only at the banquet where his engagement had been announced, apart from that, he hasn't gotten to have a proper meeting or conversation with Ryder in six months.
Ryder had been too busy making the company a bigger success than it already was.
He is always proud to say his brother was the genius who made the waterfall corporation skyrocket to #1 on the list of world richest companies within the 3 years he had joined. As of right now, waterfall corporation has no competition. The difference between it and other companies was too vast for competition.
He worships his brother like a god, in fact he sometimes even believes Ryder is a god, he worships the ground Ryder walks on and is ready to jump off a cliff if Ryder asks him to without giving it so much as a second thought.
Ryder would never cause harm that much was sure. And more than he worships Ryder, he fears him as well even more than their father. Sometimes, for reasons he still wasn't sure of he thinks even their father is wary of him.
As Daryl neared the double door of the waterfall lounge, he could faintly hear the sound of loud arguments and mixed with low music spilling out from the small part between the doors that wasn't completely closed yet.
He already guessed the other guys were in there, Seth Leo and Mike that is. Daryl began doubting if his brother was even in there. Finding Ryder in a loud or crowded place was rare almost impossible even, unless it was a business meeting or banquet in which he would always arrive last and leave first, but he had to be sure.
With his good hand that wasn't wrapped in cast, he pushed the door open and walked in.
He didn't bother acknowledging the other guys in it, not that they noticed him anyway, Seth and Mike were both busy arguing over something as usual, and Leo sat on a barstool with a drink in hand while he watched the two with a bored expression on his face.
Daryl's eyes scanned the room for a person in white.
He was slightly surprised to find Ryder in the room, but he wasn't surprised to find him stretched out on the recliner by the floor length windows, asleep.
Typical Ryder.
Daryl walked towards where he laid and stood there watching him quietly.
Almost a minute passed.
"If you weren't my brother I'd think you're gay and like me."
Ryder's eyes were still closed as he spoke.
Daryl on the other hand felt giddy inside when he heard the word 'brother'.
That was right.
This god like person was his brother, though half brother.
He still remembers the day he had saw Ryder for the first time.
He had been a spoilt six year old brat who's mother had raised him telling him he was the heir to the waterfall empire and one day he was going to own it all.
Imagine how he had felt when he woke up one day to his father bringing home an older kid and introducing him to him as his elder brother, the heir to the entire waterfall empire.
An eight year old boy with really dark hair and silver eyes just like his fathers, but unlike his dads steely cold eyes, Ryder's own looked dead. Terrifyingly dead and empty.
Apparently Ryder had been his fathers first son from his first marriage who had living with his maternal family.
He had hated Ryder to the core.
How dare he?
How this person to come to steal what's his?
He would threw tantrums around Ryder.
Purposely destroy his room.
Daringly carry his things
Daryl always felt superior, he had a caring mother while Ryder had no one, he had a better relationship with their father while Ryder always fought and argued against him, even the servants were more biased towards him.
What infuriates him though was it doesn't matter what he did or what he says, doesn't matter how much Daryl taunts him for being a motherless kid Ryder never once treated him like he exists. Not once had he looked his way, not once had he spoken to him.
Daryl's anger soon melted and turned into curiosity.
Curiosity about this so called brother of his.
Why does he ignore him?
Daryl has never experienced being ignored before.
Most of the time, people usually fawn over him, for he is a Waterfall after all.
"Hey you, don't you speak?"
Daryl would ask and receive a stifling silence in return.
Not a single action to show his question was actually heard.
He started following Ryder around like a pestering fly.
Like a tail, he was always behind him.
Where there's Ryder he was there as well.
It took him three years.
Three good years before Ryder finally acknowledged him.
On that day he had tried to climb a tree after Ryder and had fallen resulting in him hurting both knees.
Daryl had cried and wailed like an infant.
He has never even gotten a splinter not to talk of a wound.
Daryl had cried as loud as he could in hopes of getting Ryder's attention, only for him to look up and find out Ryder had already fallen asleep on the tree.
Daryl cried louder but Ryder hadn't budge, not even a slight arm movement, he had slept like a corpse.
He eventually got tired and leaned on the tree, where he ended up falling asleep as well.
He woke up three hours later to the sound of rustling leaves.
Ryder had woken up and was leaving the woods.
He stood up to chase after him only for him to fall back to the ground. His knee hurts badly, and because it has been in one position for too long without being treated, he couldn't stand straight without feeling immence pain.
He raised his head to look at Ryder.
Not even a glance was spared to him as Ryder left.
Daryl's shoulder slumped as he sat on the floor.
It was getting darker.
He was scared of the dark, and he was in the woods, a part of the waterfall villa no one ever comes to.
He screamed for help even though he knew no one could hear him.
Eventually he gave up.
He couldn't even gather the courage to look around afraid of seeing something that'll scare him.
He sat there with his eyes squeezed shut for god knows how long.
They should be searching for him by now.
He's sure they'd think to look for him here if they can't find him anywhere else. They would surely check the CCTV's he's sure it'll have recorded him following Ryder into the woods.
He tried to comfort his fears with those thoughts.
Daryl's eyes flew open.
He heard rustling.
His heart beat accelerated.
His eyes widened in fear.
Was that a snake?
He's heard snakes can be found in the woods too.
This is waterfall estate, it's impossible for there to be snakes here.
But those thoughts didn't comfort him, not one bit.
The rustling was getting closer, in fear Daryl grabbed a stick and held it in front of him defensively.
But instead of a snake like he had feared, Ryder had emerged from trees, much to his relief and surprise as well as confusion.
Ryder stood there for a long time staring at...him?
Was he really looking at him or were his eyes playing tricks because it was dark.
That was the first time, the first time Ryder ever looked at him.
"Pathetic."
Ryder has spoke.
His voice low, calm yet cold.
If not for the throbbing on his knees he'd have strongly believed this was a dream.
He spoke to him.
For the first time Ryder spoke to him.
Although the word was degrading and insulting, it was still progress wasn't it?
Ryder had piggy backed him back to the manor and literally dropped him off at the entrance for the servants to tend to and until the end, Daryl had a silly grin on his face even when he had been dropped to the ground.
Ryder continued to ignore him after that, but after what had happened in the woods, it only increased Daryl's insistency on getting to know his brother...
"You didn't tell me you were coming back."
Ryder opened his eyes and it immediately zeroed on Daryl's wrist.
He didn't ask about it though, like he didn't care, Daryl wasn't offended though, Ryder had always been like that.
Ryder raised his eyes to look at him,
"Would it have made a difference?"
Ryder said to him, and before Daryl could open his mouth to speak, a voice he had been dreading and wasn't looking forward to hearing cut him off.
"Look what we have here..."
Seth grinned.
"If it isn't my adorable baby brother."
"I was expecting you sooner than this little daryl."
Mike said as both him and Seth started towards him.
Daryl closed his eyes in dread and annoyance too.
Baby brother?
Little Daryl?
This two were also no more than 2 years old little babies at the time he had been born...
"Have you missed me baby bro?"
One of Seth's heavy arms wrap around his shoulders as he asks.
'No, I haven't...not even a little.'
"What's with that expression baby brother, you can't tell me you haven't missed me too right"
"Judging from that look, I don't think he's missed you at all. But he surely misses me, I'm his favorite after all."
Mike says as his arm suddenly slung over Darly's shoulder as well, the weight of both of their their muscular arms combined almost had him toppling forward if not for his strong physique as well.
"What have you both been eating, you're as heavy as bulls."
Daryl jibed while shrugging off their arms.
Seth gasped dramatically while feigning hurt with his palm pressed against his chest.
"Did you just call us fat baby bro?"
"Yeah little Daryl, do you dare to repeat that."
Mike grabbed his collars.
"Give him a break guys, he's hear to see his big brother not you."
Leo teased with a smile.
Daryl rolled his eyes and once again shrug Mike's hands away.
He loves his brother. He really did. But the same cannot be said for these three.
They never miss a chance to annoy him, and they've been at it for as long as he could remember but although he's unwilling to admit, these three were a part of his life he couldn't imagine a future without, they had grown up together, he considers them brother too but they'll never hear him admitting to that.
One thing in common that bound them together was the fact that they all had to relentlessly chase after Ryder before they finally got a place in his life, and maybe in his heart too.
Speaking of Ryder.
"Would you tell them to leave me alone."
He turned to tell Ryder only to notice his absence on the recliner he previously occupied. Daryl scanned the room to notice Ryder was absent.
He furrowed his brows
"Where's Ryder?"
"He left."
Leo answered.
"Probably somewhere quiter, you all were being noisy."
Daryl's eyes then caught on the devilish smirks on both Mike and Seth's face.
Oh no.
"Guess you're stuck with us now baby bro.
Please no.
•••
- Writer
