(Spin-off of Imaginary, more so specifically it's second book, Severity)
Cleo Vexer, a problematic teenage girl, is the sensation of your average pessimist and mediocre criminal. Still having to survive the rest of her senior year bitter and lonely...
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Sicily joined me for an afternoon at the park knowing that I didn't have work today after school.
Her silver hair cascaded in long, wavy curls down to her mid torso. The clock on my phone was ticking to four o'clock as she walked up to me, sat down beside me on the bench, and folded her hands elegantly on her lap.
I didn't have any words to muster; I just stared.
Sicily awkwardly shifted her feet, the heel of her ankle boots scraping the sidewalk. "I'm sorry for what I said the other day. I never had the intentions to hurt you, but I guess I always do."
I shook my head. "You're not the one who should have to apologize." I closed my eyes briefly. "Not when everything you said was the truth."
"But it still hurt you." Sicily reasoned.
"The truth will always stings, Sicily." I gave her a sad smile. "Don't be sorry for saying something I was too scared to admit."
"You don't understand; that's not really how I feel about our friendship." Sicily sighed softly. "You're not a bad person, Cleo."
"That's a debatable topic, Sicily Wells." I responded.
She sighed hopelessly. "You never give yourself enough credit, Cleo."
"What is there to justify my bad impulse?" I rolled my eyes.
"In my opinion," Sicily says slowly, closing her words. "If people do bad things, then bad things will come to them. Don't you think?"
"I believe in karma as much as the next guy." I couldn't help but agree. "Though green spray paint isn't the most rational of all options."
She smiled softly. "You said it, not me."
We share a small laugh.
"Did Oliver Walkley really deserve it?" I asked in a small voice.
Sicily's gaze pierced mine in disbelief. "Is that a serious question?" Her eyebrows raised. "Cleo Vexer is questioning her art? Never thought I'd see the day."
I chuckle. "Is it really that expectant of me?" I asked as I transferred my gaze to the scatter of trees in the distance. "To not see things other than my way?"
Sicily's eyes had a glint of concern. "It's not that at all, Cleo. You're just so strong about what you believe is right. I never thought you would ever question your word."
I lost my gaze in the speckle of the forest. "I don't think it's that wrong," I admitted, the words falling loosely from my lips. "I've always just had a mad dash of envy. And you're right, Oliver Walkley was in the wrong for always cheating on me. But isn't it my fault too for always wanting to crawl back?"
I continued, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
"You need a break from all boys." Sicily nudged my shoulder. She comfortingly enclosed me in a hug. "And lucky for you, I share your pain. I need my best friend back, Cleo."
I tightened my arms around her. "Yeah," I whispered. "So do I."
