From My Perspective (BWBM)✔️

XX

Cleo Mitchell
October🍂
NY📍

I dipped my brush in the oil paint before making light strokes to define the trees in the background. I smiled as I took a step back, looking at the face in front of me.

"That's beautiful, Clee. Is that you?", Auri asked as she hung up her painting.
"No, it's my mom. We used to go to this park near our house. It was our safe place. I haven't been there in a long time."
"Maybe we can visit it one day.", she said.
"Yeah."

After I finished up the trees, I did some scrubbing before hanging the piece dry. Auri had gone to the gallery to speak to a potential buyer, so she asked me to go get us some lunch. I grabbed Auri's keys and headed to the vegan pizza place up the street. My phone began ringing as I came to a stop sign, so I reached down and checked it to see that my dad was calling again.

I really wish he'd stop trying to contact me. I'm not ready to talk. I don't think I'll ever be ready to forgive him. I mean, I loved my father. If anyone was a daddy's girl, it was me, but I still blame him for my mom's death. If he hadn't done all that he did, maybe she would still be here. My mom and I weren't as close as Dad and I, but I always knew that if I needed her, she'd be there. At least, that's what I thought.

I clicked decline call before pulling off towards the pizza place.

Auriella Bradford
October🍂
NY📍

After speaking to the nice couple who ended up purchasing two of my paintings, I headed back to the studio to see that Cleo wasn't back yet. It's 2 p.m. in Manhattan, so I know that she'll be a while, so I head to the picnic table outside the building and call my brother.

"Answering on the first ring? Must be a slow day.", I teased him.
"More like I was already on my phone and saw your call."
"Yeah, sure. You know, it's okay if you miss me."
"Sure, Auri. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I just wanted to see how you were doing. We haven't really talked since Hawaii."
"Because I know what you want to talk about, Auri. You want to talk about her."
"I just wanted to know if you're okay. You haven't felt this way about anyone in a long time."
"I'm fine. It's seriously not that big of a deal."
"I just w—.", I began but was interrupted by him gasping and a loud crash on his end.

"Leo, what was that?"
"Cleo got hit by a car."
"That's not funny."
"Auri, it's all over Instagram. The paparazzi caught the whole thing. Someone ran a red light and hit her."

I felt like everything came to a stop in that instant. I was so young when I lost my dad. I barely remember him. I was even younger when my mom left. I never really knew what real loss felt like and if it was anything close to the way I feel right now, I know that I won't be able to take it. I can't take not having my best friend with me anymore. I can't take never seeing her face or hearing her laugh again.

"Auri!", my brother yelled through the phone that I didn't realize I dropped on the table.
"Yeah, I'm here."
"The closest hospital near you is Cedar Pines. They must've taken her there. I'll meet you there."
"She took my car to get lunch. Oh my god, I sent her to get lunch."
"Don't. Don't do that. I'm coming to get you, okay?", his voice was shaky as I heard him rushing out of his office.

I don't know how long it was from hanging up the phone to seeing my brother rush to me and put me in his car. It could've been ten minutes or it could've been an hour. All I know is I could barely breathe. The two of us didn't say a word. At least, not until we got to the hospital and saw that there was a large group of reporters standing in front of it.