Written by Veronica
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[Scarlet's POV]
The wind blows my wavy hair across my face, midnight streaks of silky black get tucked behind my ear.
I'm sitting alone in my favorite bench, near the best music store in town - and my hangout place after school, In My Head.
This bench is frickin cold.
Well, I'm always cold, but it being near winter in Chicago, it's doubly so.
Shivering, I adjust my position and continue to people watch.
A young woman passes by, one hand limp by her side and the other with a death grip on her Louis Vutton purse.
I sigh, noticing her stern and worried expression. Then, she stops. I tilt my head to the side, wondering what she could have possibly paused to do.
I watch as she bends down to her knees on the pavement and plucks up a small flower.
She then puts the tiny bud into the pocket of her blazer and walks off smiling.
Feeling a little better about the world, I gaze on, looking at another girl. Right away, I can tell she is in a relationship. How? You look at her eyes. She looks as though the world is shining and filled with positivity. Her bright green eyes are searching for someone in the crowd. Suddenly, they light up. Eyes sparkling, she starts at a quick pace down the sidewalk and jumps into the air. I gasp, but see a sandy-haired boy with baggy cargo pants right there to catch her.
I'm not the one to get jealous about things, but seeing their cute little PDA gave me a little twinge of the old green monster. Honestly, I'm just in love with the idea of being in love. The immediate rush when you see them, being able to kiss them, having excited nerves, electric sparks racing between the pair. I sigh again, this time out of longing.
I grab my messenger bag and head for the door of the music store.
~~~~~
A small while later, I'm in the corner of the store, sitting criss-cross in a bean bag listening to a new CD by Fun.
I have to get this CD!
Pushing myself up, my sleeves roll up, showing the butterfly tattooed on my left wrist. With the Fun. song "All Alright" still playing, I get wrapped up in myself and go backwards in time.
~~~~~
"Scarlet?"
-"Yeah, Cass?"
"How come you're so pretty?"
-"What do you mean?" I shrug myself off Cass' bed, walking over to where she is by the mirror.
Playing with her strawberry blonde hair, she continues, "How come you're so pretty? And smart? And funny?"
-I try interrupting her, "Cass! You're all of those things and more! You-"
"No I'm not, I'm not like you! You're amazing Scarlet." She fell into me, sniffling. "I thought..." She trails off.
-I'm not sure whether to ask her what she thought or not. "What, Cass?" I try using a softer tone. "What did you think?" I lift her up and stare into her deep brown eyes.
She won't meet my gaze. "I thought... Maybe since you're so great... Some of that could rub off on me..." Twisting that same piece of hair around her index finger again and again, she turns to the mirror, scrutinizing every inch of her petite form.
-I go to her. "Cass..." I start. "Do you see that beautiful girl in the mirror?"
She nods and points at me.
-I give a sad laugh. "No, silly" I take her finger and point it towards her own reflection. "Her."
Cass stand there for a moment, her emotions slowly starting to show from behind those dark eyes of hers.
-I wait for a moment to see some kind of recognition, understanding.
She turns to me, staring into my eyes. Looking through me. Cass ducks her head sadly and starts to roll up her sleeve.
-I already knew where this was headed. I was dreading it, almost believing myself that if I didn't bring it up, it wouldn't happen. Or, at least, I wouldn't have to know it happened.
But I help her the rest of the way, exposing her entire arm. On her soft pale arm were a million rough lines. Red lines. Bleeding lines.
She whimpered. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I wish I was stronger like you. I wish I was more like you."
-I put my finger to her lips, silencing her. Quickly, I grabbed a black Sharpie from her nightstand. "No, Cass, it's alright. You are a good person. You are such a good person. You are a good friend." I repeated these words as I drew small, delicate butterflies. "Look at these beautiful butterflies. They'll keep you safe, Cass. They'll always be here for you even when no one else is."
I took ahold of her scrawny shoulders and squared them for her, making her smile.
"Okay?"
"Okay, Scarlet."
I hate remembering.
Makes me think back.
~~~~~
I was jolted out of my flashback as someone said my name.
"Scarlet!"
