I’m writing a story. This is not edited, and definitely not any sort of final draft.

I looked out over a field of bright neon green grass, an oozing, bubbling, yellow hued brook set against a black velvet sky. “I think I might be going insane.” is what I was going to say, but didn’t after experiencing this abnormal shift in perception, almost confirming what I was going to say. I mean, I wouldn’t know how else to describe it. I mean, “Has your color spectrum ever just whacked out on you?” is what I did end up saying out loud.

“What?” Is how my best friend Lucille responded, putting her camera down to hang on her thick black neck strap, but pushed up by her chest, covered by a yellow cotton dress.

Oh. “I mean, does it ever seem to you like everything you’ve ever experienced, everything you’ve been told by people you respect might all just be a lie?” It was something fabricated and vague, something I knew Lucille would be able to, quote on quote, read way more into than anything I might have ever meant.

She sighed, and proving me correct, “Is this about school starting soon?” Definitely not. This is probably the furthest thing from that. Two completely unrelated things. Yet, I digress.

“Maybe…I mean, I just don’t understand what I’m supposed to be doing. We’ve already been through three years of high school, three years of middle school, and six years of elementary school! Making for a grand total of twelve years so far! Don’t they know thirteen is an unlucky number?” During the time I was talking, Lucille had raised up her camera, and taken a picture of me.

“…Why’d you do that?” I asked, but I already knew the answer.

“Oh, Sarah…” She wrapped her arms around my neck. Her lips brushed my cheek as she whispered in my ear. “You’re so cute when you’re all flustered.”

I was wrong. Honestly, I was expecting her to say something like, “I wanted a picture to remember the moment you were ranting before school started, but, you know, I agree with you, blah blah blah.” And then we’d get up and get lunch in town. But this, what is this? Other than completely not normal.

I sat there, dumbfounded and a tad embarrassed by her actions. During the time I was sitting there, I had come to realize I had become entirely self aware. The grass was wet, which meant the backside of my jeans were wet. I think I also might have been blushing. After a couple minutes of me not knowing exactly what I was doing in this strange embrace, she hugged me tighter, and let go.

“Let’s go get lunch in town, yeah?” She smiled.