On The Run

The Secrets We Keep

Lightbulb's POV:

Wow, it's been so long since I've had someone hang out with me, let alone Painty! Last time we hung is when we were like 6! I wonder why we stopped... Whatever! Now were hanging out again, and that's all that matters! I grabbed Paintbrush's hand and sprinted into my room. I sprawled my legs onto my fuzzy yellow comforter and sighed.

"Isn't this great Painty? We finally get to hang out again, just me and you! It's been so long, am I right?" Paintbrush nodded and grinned. "Yeah! It's awesome!" We sat in an awkward silence for about half a minute when I broke it and asked, "Sooooo what do you wanna do?" Painty replied, "I don't know. Maybe just, you know, talk!" "Ok! So why did you come over here anyways? And why do you have grass stains on your pants..?"

Paintbrush quickly and nervously said, "Oh well, I-I came over here because I remembered when we used to play when we were little and I wanted us to, you know, catch up on each other's lives!" She was lying. I could tell. Painty bit her lip and was sweating a bit. "Ok... and the grass stains?" "Uhhh... um... I... tripped! Yeah, tripped! Over a rock on the way here! Heh, ouch!" Why was she acting so weird? I'm probably gonna ask because I'm a bit concerned. "I hate when that happens! But something's not right." Paintbrush gulped hard and asked, "Wha-What are you talking about? Nothing's wrong!" "You're acting suspicious..."

Paintbrush's POV:
"You're acting suspicious..." Oh my god! I can't tell her! She can't know! That would be terrible! I just tried my best to keep a straight face. "Suspicious? I'm not! So how are you?" Lightbulb smirked. "Changing the subject aye? Smart move. I'll figure you out eventually. I'm doing pretty good!" There was just one particular thing I wanted to know. "So, how is your sister? She seems like she's really into dancing now!"

Lightbulb rolled her eyes and frowned. "Yeah, she's a professional, best on her team." I was the one acting weird? She's usually so upbeat! "What's wrong? You seem... down about the subject of your sister." She humphed. "Nothing." "You're sure? You seem mad about something..." "I SAID NOTHING."

Her scream echoed and it was silent for what felt like forever. "Sorry about that... I just... nevermind." She winced. "Hey, it's alright. I don't want to talk about my thing, you don't wanna talk about yours. It's cool." Lightbulb looked up and smiled a bit. "Okay. Ha, sorry about that! So, would you like to do each others hair or something? It would be fun! You know, girls stuff!" I just went along with it best I could. "Yeah... 'girl stuff'!"

We walked into her bathroom and I sat down on the light blue stool next to the sink. I looked around, and noticed that on the walls were dancing related quotes and pictures of Sugar Drop. But none of Lightbulb. "So, are you into dancing too? Or is it just SD?" Lightbulb was about ready to rage, then calmed her self. She turned around to me and gave a smile. "Nope. She's so good that they probably wouldn't notice if I danced! I don't really do anything now because summer camp ended just last week! But the only sport I used to play is cricket, even though I'm not that good."

She looked down, and I replied, "Well that's cool! I play basketball and baseball. I used to swim but I can't now." She looked at me with a confused expression as she picked up a brush. "Why not?" I shivered and said, "No reason." "Oh is it cold in here or something? I can turn off the fan!" "Nah, I'm good." She started to brush my hair, meticulously braiding it. Lightbulb worked a while on my hair and wouldn't let me see it because it was supposedly a surprise, and she yelled, "Done! I hope you like it!"

I turned around and gasped. It was absolutely stunning! It was somehow curled, though I didn't see a curling iron out. Small curls hung down on the side of my head my headband was out. The curls were in a bun and were wrapped by a perfect braid. I can't believe she did this in a span of 30 minutes! "WOW OH MY GOD! Lightbulb, where in the WORLD did you learn this? It's awesome! You're amazing at this!"

Lightbulb blushed a bit and replied, "Oh, it's just something I learned from YouTube. It was a tutorial that I tried over and over and over again until I got it! It took a month and rigorous time on some dolls' hair! As you can see, I get a lot of free time. I'm not too good at many things, that why it took a month to get it right! It's also why I look like this." She motioned her hands up and down, implying that she was fat. "You aren't!"

"Have you ever met a 14 year old girl who was 210 pounds before? Congrats. Here she is." She sighed and continued. "So, you wanna do my hair?" I didn't really know how to do hair, since it was always in a hair band and I don't know how a person with no gender does their hair, so I said no thanks. "Why? I think with those thin hands of yours I bet you'd easily be able to do mine! We're girls! Who cares if you suck at it?" I sighed and said, "Ok, fine. But don't be surprised if a bird thinks it a nest and lays some eggs in it."

She giggled and sat down. I started to feel through her hair with the pick and take out knots. She flinched a few times then I said, "Do you want me to stop? I will if your hurting." "No, no. It's fine!" I continued and decided to just do a normal braid, which I also have no idea how to do. I tried to do what it looked like in my own hair, but I failed. Hard. I just threw in a clip and bam. It's a thing. "Oh my god GET THE UGLY HAIR STYLE AWAY FROM ME EWWW!" I screamed as I turned the stool around for her to see.

"Ehhh it's pretty bad. Sorry. Just being honest! Here, I'll fix it." She took it out and did a braid down her back in a matter of 1 minute. "I can braid pretty fast, as you can see." I just nodded and asked, "So what now?"

"I don't know."
"How about we go back to talking?" "Awesomeness! I'll get us some chips and stuff and put it in a bowl. You want anything else?"
"A water would be nice."
"Cool! Brb!"

I never realized how parched I was! She ran down the stairs and I started to walk down to, when I stopped. As she got to the bottom, I stared down at her as she made the bowl. She started making it when her sister came in. "Hey Lightbulb! How's it going with you and Paintbrush?"

Lightbulb rolled her eyes and said, "Awesome, actually. See, I told you I could make friends!" "Well apparently not too well, because Painty is your only one! No one has came over to hang out with you for at least 5 years. You wanna know why you don't have any others?" Lightbulb sighed. "Sure. WHY NOT? I hear it every day from you. Why not again?"

"Because you're annoying and fat. You also have no talent. People say you were a bad idea you know. My adoption was mom and dad's best idea, and that your birth was the biggest mistake. Your just my shadow, Bulby bear. You'll never be as-" Lightbulb stomped her foot with tears in her eyes and finished her sentence in a mocking tone. "Pretty as me, perfect as me, or as accomplished as me. I bet those scars on your body make a bit of an impact on your social life no don't they, Bulby?"

She quit the mocking tone and started talking for real. "I stay as positive as possible for a reason, Sugar. Now I'm going to finish making a snack for me and my FRIEND. I don't need your rude remarks." Sugar Drop smirked and said, "You know, if you cut back on those chips, you may not look like a pregnant elephant. Bye!" She did a small wave, then walked into the living room and stretched.

Lightbulb took a deep breath in the kitchen, lifted her sleeve, which revealed a few nasty marks, then sighed. "I wish it didn't have to be this way." She tugged down the sleeve, took another deep breath, and made her way back up the stairs. I ran back to the room, not believing what I'd just witnessed.

(A/N: Oh my GAWD! Sugar Drop isn't as sweet as you thought (PUNZ PUNZ PUNZ)! Comment and rate ❤️. I don't tell you this much, but you guys are the best! Thanks so much for reading my stuff!)