Lucid June

Chapter Five - What Else, He Can Build A House From Scratch?

And for a while, high school was better. From age 8, the years grew darker and darker in colour, like grey clouds looming in the distance for the storm they brewed beneath. 

For two years I had peace, I experienced a normal high school life. Sure, I got looks and was asked obnoxious questions by annoying students in my year, but that to me isn't considered bullying. 

If that were the case, then I could count on my hands the people on this planet who have been kind to me. And no, I wouldn't be able to fill up all of my fingers, because the general population, whether you'd like to hear the truth or not, are layered up in different tiers of terrible. 

The obnoxious. 

The cruel. 

The silent. 

Terrible in their own malicious ways, but don't dress in the same colours, don't present with the same bite, and aren't aware of their mighty fist of pain. You might not even be aware of the black you're painting around you, because in a lamps glow, dark becomes light. 

Dark and light are not two, they are one of the same. 

Turn your light off. Turn your light on. 

Did they look different?

"Maggie?" Derek questions. 

The nickname yanks me from my cesspool of thoughts. 'Yes?' I sign, but stare at him with a frown from the nickname - the only person who calls me a nickname is dad, but technically those are pet names. 

"Can I call you Maggie?"You can call me anything. 

'Yes.' 

He grins. "Great. I'm sure heaps of people call you Maggie." 

My heart sinks a little. People call me a lot of things - if they were calling me Maggie, I wouldn't be counting kindness on my fingers. 

'Yep,' I nod with a false smile. 'Lots of people.'

There's a phobia in lying, people feel guilt or uncomfortable. Majority don't like it, but I love it. I get to create the life I want in someone else's head, and if they live the dream me through their vision, maybe it'll be just enough to convince them I'm good enough.

That I'm not pathetic Mousy Mute Margaret. 

"That's what I thought," he's the first person I've lied to and felt that uncomfortable feeling, this tinsy tiny gnaw in my gut doesn't feel temporary. "So, Maggie, you think we'll get all 12 kids back to camp safe and sound?"

I laugh lightly, then cross my fingers and shrug. 

"Reassuring." He teases. 

"Hey!" A little girl with a blonde bob spawns in front of us, her denim overalls and stripy rainbow t-shirt adorable like the frown between her brows. "Are you single?" She asks Derek. 

I roll my lips into my mouth, stifling a little laugh as Derek reels back in bewilderment at the little girls straight-forward question. 

"Who wants to know?" He replies. 

"I do," she states, then her eyes flicker to me. "Is she your girlfriend?"

My smile and laughter choke, switching to embarrassment as blood rushes to my cheeks. 

Derek smirks. "Again, Indie, why do you want to know?"

"Because," she turns sly, "love is cute." 

He chuckles. "Love is more than cute, but you'll learn that when you're older."