edited and reposted for wattys 2020

on july 6th

After a month, I wanted to tell my friends about the surgery I took time to plan to the finest detail.

No. I didn't want to. I had to. Because they always kept me updated about what was going in their life.

I didn't want them to think that I didn't trust them. I did trust them. With some things. It was always hard either way.

Being abandoned and destroyed by the woman that should be your greatest friend did that to you. I planned to tell them on our trip the rollercoasters. But Tess, and Amber brought some of their friends I was never acquainted with, and between all of the fun we had, and the discussions, I realized that I couldn't tell them there.

Fun. I had fun. It rolled strangely on my tongue.

Some of their friends asked me about my parents, how I was doing really, and what I was up to. I found myself thinking of an answer that wouldn't give away too much. What if their intentions were evil?

Sigh. I just couldn't help it.

I tried multiple times to get my friends to go somewhere I could tell them. After we got on the different rollercoasters, I told them that we should leave. Amber asked to go on another one. I said okay.

After another hour, I said that it was getting dark. And it was. There was only two hours left till sunset. Tess said a little twenty more minutes.

When twenty minutes passed, I used another tone. And strategy. "I have something to tell you both. we need to go somewhere, the three of us."

All of their friends were there, looking at us with raised eyebrows, but still expectant stares. They couldn't come, though. They just couldn't. Otherwise, I wouldn't tell my friends. A hundred percent personal.

"okay." Tess said.

"Yeah, bye guys" said Amber.

I was surprised at how fast they agreed. And that's how I got rid of their six mutual friends. I didn't really like meeting people. I was weird, and didn't get along with most people. It was a miracle Tess, an Amber wee my close friends. And even ou beginning was rocky.

I was only going to stay with those that stayed and accepted me for who I was; Amber and Tess. They made sure I knew that, and I appreciated them so much more for it.

We bought drinks and walked on Times Square, far from where I was a month ago. My footfall was light, and my mood the brightest it had been the last few months.

Things were finally looking up.

I thought so. They weren't. At least not in the way I was thinking.

It's when you think it will be easy that it's really not.

We talked for the twenty-minute walk. We cracked jokes. We wheezed of laughter, and received glares because of it. but when they realized I'm there too, they'd shake their head, and smile. Teenagers. If I wasn't with Tess and Amber, I'm pretty they would have still been thinking something degrading.

In our era, if you're a one or two, you were treated differently. It's been like that for every era in history when you're rich, or famous.

When the park was finally in our view, I took a deep breath. Freedom smelled and looked good. It was a avst space, and a few people on the grass picnicking.

"you look different today." Said Tess, on my right hand-side.

"what do you mean?" I said.

"you look..." she tilted her head. "happy. Or relieved."

"yeah. Maybe."

Did I really? I asked myself , looking at the sky. When I looked at the green space in front of me, I felt the surge to run to our favorite spot there. Without wondering, I ran as fast as I could. the fresh air that filled my lungs felt good. It also felt good on my face.

I immediately started hearing footsteps following mine.

When I got there, I fell on my back. When they got there, we had a laughing fist. But I had to tell them what was happening before night fell.

"ok" I stood up, while they were still laying on the floor. "you guys can't repeat this."

They sat down, nodding.

This is where I went wrong. I went too fast. I didn't check to see if there was anyone nearby. I thought since I didn't see anyone, I thought there was no one. But Ken taught me weel about self-defesense, and being safe than sorry. It was a beginner's mistake.

Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there. I didn't think as thoroughly as I usually did. The excitement did that to me.

I regretted checking for the rest of journey.

He was there at the time.

"there's this surgery I came up with to fix the difference in intellect and sensitivity between Humans and Insensitives. "

I said it fast. It didn't change anything. He still caught it with his camera, in the middle of the bushes behind our backs.

When our eyes met, time stopped. Then after a few seconds, it returned to normal, and I chased him down in the forest. The first thing I noticed, other than his neon yellow hoodie, was that he ran fast. Super fast. I couldn't get any close to him at first, and a realized with sheer panic that he was getting away from me.

But after a hundred meters, I started catching up. I always thought I was fast. I realized because of him that maybe I wasn't as fast as I thought. I mentally noted should to train that area more.

When I was only a few meters for him, he slowed down, then ran even faster, and- jumped on a tree? When I finally managed to stop, and walked back the few meters it took me, I realized he really did it. That's right. Like a lizard, he climbed to the top while going around it.

I stood at the white flowers' tree base, pondering. He had disappeared. Completely. I passed a hand on my face. Why did he record me? Am I going to lose my job because the High Science Council will think I'm not professional?

They told me to not say anything.

I thought him recording me was bad. What came after was worse.

The tree started shaking, and what I thought were flowers showered me. I was in fairytale suddenly. Only I wasn't. one feel in y hand, and I realized they weren't white little flowers. They were thousands of folded papers with the same threat. When I read it, my hand crumpled the paper of its own will.

Who knew? I looked around me with a severe frown on my face. "who had spied on me, and knew?

I see you,

Even when you don't.

Your plan

Shall be dropped

Or ruin and desolation

Is what you'll attract.

-The One who sees you, even when you're sleeping."

How did the person know I would come there, when I didn't eve know myself? Tess reached me at that moment, panting. "let's go." I said.

I suddenly didn't want to see, or talk to anyone. I was always liked that when I was mad. Tess knew to follow me, but not before I saw her read it. The purpose was defeated. I didn't want her to read it. that's why I told her 'let's go' I ran back, without her. But not at full speed. On the way, was Amber. She followed me without a word.

"let's all just go home." I said.

They knew not to talk to me. I didn't want to explode on them. Because they didn't deserve it. But the truth is, my paranooi part of me wondered if they had anything to do it. Was it finally their time to betray me, and leave like everyone else?

Everybody leaves. Whether they want to, or because they must. They still end up doing so.

"we didn't do anything!" Amber cried, after staying quiet until we got to where we were siiting. "why you gotta be like this always?"

"Amber. Don't get on my nerves."

"but-"

I opened my mouth, but Tess beat me to it. "Shut up." She said to her.

Sometimes, when some things are said, it's impossible to go back, or pretend they were never said. I cared, and didn't want to accidently say them if I got mad.

When I came back later at night to take a paper as proof of what happened, everything had been cleared out.

Everything except my mind.

Then the next day, because I didn't deserve rest and peace of mind, the worst thing that could possibly happen to me, waited for me at my front door.

I didn't have to only deal with a shadow that knew everything about me.

I had to deal with new family problems, too.

*****************

Hi lovely beings!

Welcome back. I just want to say thank you for reading this far. I appreciate you a lot, 

and I love you so much for helping me with achieving my dream of being published one day. 

A read might seem small to you, but the fact that there's people who want to know what goes on in my head is mind blowing. 

It's because I am really crazy and weird. So crazy I'm giving this idea of a book that I got years ago a chance at having readers.

If you're still reading, I love you even more than before. 

Comment what you like about this part, and what you expect will happen next. Share the story with someone you love if you want to read it together and have even more fun, and if you want to have even mooooore fun with strangers, put it on your reading list.

-Sel