"So anything that is moving has—"
"Kinetic Energy."
"Correct," Juniper smiles, checking the back of the card for the answer. "This sorta shit was never my forte in fourth grade, always leaned more towards math. What a mistake that was huh?" Juniper reminisced with Tiny. "I won't follow in your footsteps then?" Tiny sassed.
Juniper snorts, "Yeah, you do that," she says, looking over the index cards. "Can you tell me more about this 'Silus' fellow?" Tiny asked. Juniper clears her throat, looking at Tiny suspiciously, "Why?" "Oooh," Tiny says. "If you're so skeptical that means you have something to hide!"
"I don't!"
"You do!"
"Oh really? What then?" Juniper snapped. "That's he's Scarlets replacement?!" She accused, making Tiny shake her head. "No, I was just trying to mess with you. I'm sorry, I didn't want to get you so worked up. A joke, that's all," Tiny said, and leaned forward to hug Juniper in an act of comfort. Juniper's stiffened shoulders slumped some.
It truly did amaze her how a nine year old could be more empathetic and compassionate that most adults. If that does say something about the world, Juniper wouldn't know what would.
"Sorry, Tiny," Juniper apologized, wrapping her arms around her sister. "Didn't mean to be such a—"
"Absolute and utter floor board? It's fine, we all get tense, don't be sorry for having emotions. It's my mistake." Tiny's words reflected nothing but wisdom often missed in adults. On the wall, the clock struck three o'clock, not going unnoticed by Juniper.
Clearing her throat and pulling away from her sister's embrace, Juniper stood up quickly. "I- ah, gotta go..." she rubs the back of her neck awkwardly, "We've been studying since you got home— nearly an hour and a half? Would that be enough?" Juniper meets Tiny's eyes for a moment before grabbing her bag.
Tiny chuckled like an old soul. "I'll be fine! Go be a teenager, or whatever you are,"
All Juniper could was smile.
—
"Wassup Silo?" Juniper greeted the blond as as she sat at the counter. He jumps up, eyes going wide like a startled deer. "Oh! Hey! Uh, why're you here?" He laughs awkwardly, straightening his posture. Juniper placed a hand on her chest in mock offense, "Why! I can't see my best friend? Also I wanted coffee because I have to go to McDonald's in like, an hour," Juniper snorts sarcastically.
"Yeah, sure, okay, order?" Silus said in a jumble of word vomit. "Let us do a... red velvet tea?" Juniper tilted her head politely, going to grab her wallet. Silus sighs, "Sure, for free, I suppose since we're best friends," he teased like she did to him.
He turns to prepare the drink, taking a sheet of laminated paper and examining it, most likely the recipe. Juniper last down her head on her arms and watches, physically there, but her mind somewhere else.
She thought about Silus.
She thought about Sparrow.
She thought about Scarlet.
She thought about how Scarlet had been stained Scarlet. How her amber eyes held a cold, lifeless stare, that had once held Juniper, with so much warmth. She thought about how her throat had been mauled, how her intestines looked like pink, fleshy vines, and how the single, distinctive claw mark across her chest made Juniper feel all the pain Scarlet must have felt at the time.
And Juniper thought about how it should have been her instead.
—
574 WORDS
COMPLETED MAR. 11TH
YOU ARE READING
Pale
FantasyAt fourteen years of age and in the middle of her freshman year of high school, Juniper is about as normal as your average Joe. She gets C's and B's in school, isn't necessarily athletic, but can run if she needs to, and never really knew her father...
