Mirror

II

TW// Distortions

***
BLURRY SIGNS

    MAYBE I WAS LOSING MY MIND. Again.

    It is impossible for what I'm seeing to be true—for what I'm dealing with to be true. My doctors said the medicine would make it go away, so how is it all coming back like a slap to the face? Dr. Nate told me therapy would help me work through it while building coping skills to manage them.
    Was that all fake?

    Yes.

    "Hey, what did you get for answer three?"

    Answer three? What?

    I removed my hands from my face and stared down at the numbers floating across the paper. That and class chatter in every direction of me.

    Sliding the paper forward, I turned in my desk, coming to find Shilo staring at me for a response as she leaned towards me in her desk. My best friend at school.

    Her green eyes widened at me, tapping her pencil against her finger, causing the two braids framing her face to sway. Her aesthetic never fails. New outfits every day, tons of jewelry, shoes of all kinds, bags, accessories, perfumes. I mean you name it, she probably has it. She was beautiful.

    Except right now. I can't bear to stare at her.

    Those green eyes twitched, pulsating the longer she—I—looked at her. Her sun-kissed arm, leaning on the desk, spilled onto the table like liquid. Her face was twirling and stretching, tugging at each corner of her face as if it were slime or something.

    "I'll be right back," I said to her with a grimace.

    I pushed myself out of my chair, grabbing my phone and worksheet then sticking my headphones in on my way out. I didn't bother to wait for Shilo's reaction. I swiftly exited the hallway of my class, glancing back to find a shadow creeping around the corner. At this point, I was practically running down the stairs, ignoring anyone in the hall, trying to keep my breath under control and my eyes from falling shut.

    When I blinked, I dropped my gaze to my feet, harshly stopping in the middle of the main hall at the sight of my feet moving backwards. I lifted my head and scanned the hall.

    "Oh my god," I murmured to myself, covering my mouth with one hand.

    "Leila?" A voice called from behind me.

    In a second, I spun my head around and stumbled off to the side a bit. Confused eyes scanned me from across the hall. My counselor cocked his head and waved a greeting hand at me.

    I raised a questioning hand in the air, waiting for him to say what he wanted so I could book it out of here the second he was done.

    "Hey man, I was trying to say 'hi' to you, but you walked right past me," he laughed and walked my way.

    An awkward laugh escaped my lips as I stiffened in place. I picked at my nails with each beat of my heart. Mr. Cillian—a tall, chill and outgoing counselor, stopped in front of me. He raised his fist out to me. My eyebrows twitched and I lifted my shaky hand to bump fists.