To Perceive an Image

Two: Images of My Dearies

Another look at my younger friend's terrifying blue eyes, and she spills everything in one breath.

"Sapphie and I were about two minutes away from my house, when this creepy, another word for butt dude, showed up out of nowhere. He started following us while staring, might I add," Lyaly choked out. She was still panting while clutching the sleeves of my crewneck with her pale hands.

I look at Sapphire, who has a stoic expression on their face, looking at Lyaly. That's when I know Lyly's not exaggerating her explanation. If she did, Sapphire would have laughed their ass off right now. They're kinder than me for laughing at Lyaly's sometimes unfunny jokes.

The furrowed eyebrows and clenched jaw will fly by with Lyaly because she thinks Sapphire is angry. But I know that expression, my friend isn't mad. My friend has trembling fear tearing up their insides. I swear to behead that motherfucker for making both of them feel like this the second I see him.

You don't scare my friends and expect to live in peace, you waste of air.

"Did he just walk behind you guys? How far away was he? Do you know him by any chance? Are you hurt anywhere?" I say in a frenzy, grabbing both of their arms to turn them around. I search for any injuries or scratches on them before Sapphire stops my mother goose instincts from taking over anymore.

"Calm down, baby, we aren't hurt. He didn't even get to look at us for longer than a few seconds before I grabbed Lyly's arm and started running." Sapphire says, the corners of their mouth raising a little. I still need to talk with them later. I know it takes Sapphire's fears a long time to pack their bags and leave.

Lyaly raises her left arm, flexing. At least, I assume she is because all I see is her oversized cardigan swallowing her petite frame. Why is she flexing her arm when she should flex her calf strength instead? They ran for a whole five minutes. Not everyone can run for this long. In no way am I jealous of them, though. Friends celebrate each other's achievements, yeah.

I know she did this to make the mood lighter, or because I look like I have a murder to plot later. Either way, she comes in saving the day as she always does.

Her admiring scene lives short because she swings her arms around Sapphire's middle soon after. I sometimes think her energy will run low if she doesn't touch Sapphire or me. Nothing beats being a human charger.

She should depend on her oldest friend, though. I don't have enough energy to supply both of us.

Sapphire wraps their arms around the waist of the walking firework and continues.

"And to answer your other questions, all he did was walk behind us. I've seen videos of creepy weirdos being a lot stealthier than that. Because if his mission was to stay hidden, then give him an F for failure. And no, neither of us recognize him from anywhere. He was a blondie with blue eyes, though." I take a relieved breath when I see Sapphire laughing.

Thank you, Lyaly, and all the goofiness in that head of yours.

We can never stay serious enough to explain situations like this because our goal is to make the mood brighter than dwelling on it. It would be nice if my anger didn't return in larger, more violent quantities.

"This person isn't giving you a good rep, Lyly. Blondie with blue eyes, too? What if he was you in a wig?" I joke with her, knowing she's easy to annoy.

"HEY! Don't associate me with a creep, I'm the much prettier blondie," she says stomping her foot, pouting.

"Of course, you are Lyly. Ignore her, it's her fear of blue-eyed people making her say this. She loves you, right Azail?" My older friend says, a warning look in their eyes that said if you don't say yes, I'll disown you.