Overcast | ✓

Wonderland

Faye and I talk for an unusually long time. We discuss things of little importance (school, music, films) and things that I never really discuss (the pranks, Marcos, Elio). By 10, we are sitting parallel to one another with cans of soda and bags of gummies between us.

    "What do you want to do when you're older?" I ask her and Faye groans.

    "I hate this question, you know. How am I supposed to know now what I would like to do for the rest of my life?"

    "Well, what's something you enjoy?"

    "Cooking," she says immediately. "But, that shouldn't be a career, in my opinion. Once you do something for money, you lose the passion for your craft. It's almost like studying literature."

    "How?"

    "Don't you think books should just be read sometimes? Not everything has to be analysed and broken down. With all the Venn diagrams and book reports, it's no wonder everyone hates to read."

    I shrug. "I hate to read."

    "Why? Reading is fantastic."

    "I don't like things that are fake."

    "But, you like films." I blink for a moment as my mind tries to conjure up something coherent.

    "I suppose," I begin, looking at the ceiling. "When you watch a film, it's like you're an outsider looking in. But, with books, you have to sort of be a character. It's like you're right there with it all."

    "I know," Faye says, and her eyes shimmer. "Isn't it incredible?"

"Are you one of those avid readers," I ask sourly. This makes Faye raise her eyebrows and cross her arms, still smiling. Always still smiling.

"Yes. Does that make me undesirable?"

I contemplate this for a brief moment, sipping on my sprite. "Yes," I reply and Faye laughs.

"You're quite judgmental, Sunny."

No shit. "Well, I'm nothing compared to most people at our school. I mean, they'll drop someone for something stupid. Like, if they post the wrong thing or don't act the right way."

Faye takes in a breath as if about the say something before glancing elsewhere. She does this multiple times before speaking. "Why hasn't Maeve been talking to me very much lately?"

    This is suddenly very awkward. "Oh," I say because the answer makes my best friend sound like a horrible person. "Right. There have been some... rumors."

    "About me?" I nod. "Okay. What are they?"

    I don't want to say anything but I think, if I were Faye, I would want to know. "Someone said you cut your hair in the bathroom at Valley High."

    "Oh my god! No. I wish. That's hilarious."

    "And that you were in a car crash and lost half your brain."

    "Ah, sadly I was born like this. Anything else?"

    "Yeah. That you broke a teacher's spine."

    "What?" Her eyes get wide. "People think I'm really that strong?"

    I chuckle and shrug. "And that you never spoke all last year." Faye doesnt say anything and her face suddenly drops.

    "What?"

    "It's just a rumor."

    There is something unreadable behind her eyes. "Right."