I remember this night like it was yesterday. I was coming home from my friends’ bonfire. The smell of the hickory smoke was still on my clothes. Christian, my older brother who was home from college, asked me if I wanted to take a walk with him that night and I said yes. Right when we started walking, I immediately felt the warmth of the night. The stars were glistening like diamonds and the streets were dead silent, as if they were trying to listen to our thoughts. My brother and I weren’t talking at first, almost like we were both too scared to break the night’s silence, but I saw him building up his courage to talk, and he finally did. He started by talking about how his life would be like after college and wondering where he would end up. Christian and I have always been close, but his openness caught me by surprise. He’s never told me things unless I asked, but tonight he talked in a soft tone and mused about where he thought he might live or how many kids he might have. While he said all of this, I just listened. I listened to him talking as the stoplights switched from green, to yellow, and to red. The night was starting to cool off, and it felt good against my warm pale skin. As he talked, we reminisced about our family, our vacations, and our past. We shared all of the things we used to do when we were little and laughed about how we teased each other. The memories invaded our thoughts and we became silent once again. While he said all of this, I just listened. I listened to him talking as the stoplights switched from green, to yellow, and to red. The night was starting to cool off, and it felt good against my warm pale skin. As he talked, we reminisced about our family, our vacations, and our past. We shared all of the things we used to do when we were little and laughed about how we teased each other. The memories invaded our thoughts and we became silent once again. While he said all of this, I just listened. I listened to him talking as the stoplights switched from green, to yellow, and to red. The night was starting to cool off, and it felt good against my warm pale skin. As he talked, we reminisced about our family, our vacations, and our past. We shared all of the things we used to do when we were little and laughed about how we teased each other. The memories invaded our thoughts and we became silent once again. As we walked the footsteps against the pavement were soothing to me. Our pace was synchronized; Right, left, right, left, in perfect rhythm. Each step went thump, thump, thump, like a happy dog’s tail against a wooden floor.

His voice startled me when he started speaking again. He turned his questions toward me. How was soccer? Are you nervous about high school? I told him everything, leaving no detail unspoken. The answers flowed out of me without delay, jumping from my lips without fear of how it made me look in my brothers green eyes.

When I finally took a breath I realized that we were at brougham elementary, our old school. As we walked to the playground, the breeze increased pushing the empty swings noisily against their chains. When I touched them, I got goose bumps that sent shivers through my entire body. Not wanting this incredible moment to end, I tried to hide my chills from my brother, but to no avail. He immediately stopped talking and said we should probably head home. As much as I hated the time to end, we retraced our steps down the street and headed out.When we were nearing the house, I confessed to my brother. “Christian I know I can be a bratty, annoying, and mean sister sometimes, but I never meant a bad thing I said to you. You’re a good brother and I’m lucky to have you.” Christian looked at me, and I saw the streetlights dance across his pale freckled face. He looked straight into my eyes and said, “Jamie, no matter what, I’ll always be there for you. I would do anything for you. You’re my little sister and I love you to death.” That was the first time he’s ever really said that thought, that feeling out loud. I wanted that moment to last forever. When we finally reached the house, I cried as we walked in, feeling the strength of his love wash over me.