Reality is a Fleeting Moment

Chapter Twenty

No one POV

"I told you she was bad for you."

"I– I don't understand.

I thought she liked me, I thought she wanted to be friends with me."

"Why would Leila stay if it wasn't in her best interest?

Only I can be the perfect companion for you.

I can be everything she was, wasn't, and more."

"Leila only stayed because it was... in her best interest?"

"Of course! Remember last summer?"

"Of course I do.

It was the summer we officially became best mates."

"The night that followed you two becoming best mates,

Leila invited Willa and Wynter to her home.

She told them that she felt guilty for attacking you,

But she was glad you had forgiven her.

Willa asked why she did it in the first place,

To which Leila replied,

'Zed and Bucky both gave me $100 dollars if I attacked her because they thought she wouldn't be able to run against them if she sustained a serious injury.'

Honestly, you gotta admire Zed and Bucky's commitment to winning."

"Wait a moment...

How do you know this?"

"Iz, I literally live in a mirror.

I know things.

But, ya know, there was a mirror in the room,

So I was able to spy on them that way, too."

"So...

It was all...

Fake?

Wait, wait, wait a moment

That still doesn't explain how it'd be in Leila's best interest to be friends with me."

"Because once she knew of the skills you had,

And your desperation to have someone in your life,

She knew she'd be able to turn you into her slave, her thrall.

She knew that you'd do anything for her if you had a strong enough relationship."

"What?!

...

You know what?

I'm gonna kill her...

I'm gonna kill all of them."

"Woah!

Izzy, look in the mirror!"

"Why?"

"Your hair has purple-grey highlights!

And your eyes are heterochromic; your right eye is red!

And your nails are longer and sharper...

You look so scary!"

"I feel scary.