I Said Enough // Sashanne

[2] What Are You Doing Here?

          The moon was high and it was quieter on this side of town. Only a few other pedestrians were also taking late night strolls. She took her phone out of her pocket and checked the time on her phone. It read 11:47pm. Sasha was taking a late night walk with a destination in mind. She just couldn't sleep with everything going on. Too much was going on.
          Finally getting back home was initially a relief, but that feeling quickly dissipated. She thought maybe getting to see her other friends would help with what she was feeling, but Sasha realized they weren't all the best people. They were mostly just fake friends who hung out with Sasha because she was popular and Sasha wasn't about that anymore. Sasha is a new person and understands how wrong that is. Her time in Amphibia taught her that. Her most real friends were Marcy and Anne. Marcy.
          Sasha made it to her destination, the playground. She hopped the fence and walked over to the swings. Sasha took a seat on one of them and took a deep breath, tightening her grip around the chains. Marcy. Sasha could feel her nose start burning and her eyes got blurry. Tears started trailing down her cheeks. She kept trying to wipe them away, but they kept coming.
          "I'm sorry, Marcy." Sasha wept to herself. "I'm sorry that I couldn't be a better friend while you were still here. I'm sorry that I realized too late and I couldn't show how much I've changed." Sasha kept crying, even when a chilling gust of wind swept through or when a loud noise could be heard in the distance.
          Sasha took her phone out and checked the time. 12:02am. Her parents didn't message or call her. She was glad, she didn't want to be bothered right now and only wanted to be alone.
          "Sasha?" A voice called out. She looked up and saw someone that was slightly illuminated by nearby streetlights. They were behind the chain fence looking in at Sasha. She got up and walked over to them. On closer look, she realized who was on the otherside of the fence.
          "Anne? What are you doing here?" Sasha quietly asked, trying to mask her voice since she was crying, as well as her face, but it was dark so it was hard to see anyway.
          "I couldn't sle- what are you doing here?" Anne cut herself off.
          "I needed some fresh air." Sasha replied sarcastically. "Here, hop the fence." Sasha took a step back and Anne looked up. She jumped and got over easily with a fluid motion. It almost seemed too easy. Like a magical force lifted her over the fence, but it was just Anne's new talents.
          "Damn, Anne. I remember when you could barely get over by yourself." Sasha teased while the two headed over to the bench table.
          "Amphibia really worked my jumping over things skill." They both sat down across from each other. The table was dimly lit, but they could still see each other with the streetlights and moonlight. The two girls quietly sat there for a moment, just looking at each other. Sasha could feel this silence and her eyes darted around, trying to think of something to say.
          "So, uhh. How do you think Marcy's doing right now." Sasha had to ask to break the silence.
           "She's probably doing well, you know Marcy. Things might be rapidly changing for her, but she's probably making the most out of this change. Learning new things and taking in the change of scenery." Anne explained her optimistic thoughts in a caring and gentle voice, but Sasha could hear some doubt in that voice. "We can find out soon tomorrow when we call her."
          Sasha smiled and nodded, not responding to Anne. She noticed this reaction.
          Anne put her hand on Sasha's hand, which was resting on the table, and asked, "Sasha, does your parents know you're here?" Sasha pulled her hand back and placed them on her side. She looked down and away from Anne's gaze.
          "Does yours know you're here?" Sasha dodged.
          "Of course they do, Sasha!" Anne exclaimed. "I disappeared for months out of nowhere on my birthday of all days, and then when I finally come back, I have to leave them again and fight the literal moon, and then I almost died, no, actually died! What I'm saying is, I don't ever want them to feel that feeling they had when I didn't show up that day, the feeling they had when I was gone without a word. Your parents deserve the same knowledge that you're not really gone like how we were before." Again, Sasha didn't respond to what Anne said. She just sat there, unresponsive. Anne felt slightly guilty to what she said. She probably came off strong. Sasha let out a loud sigh.
          "I told them that I was at the other parent's house. They're not going to question it since they don't really talk to each other, even while I came back." Sasha finally looked back up at Anne and made eye contact. Anne gave her a slight, pained smile.
          "If they do find out, I'll just tell them you came over to my house as a last second change." Anne backed her up. Sasha appreciated that.
          "Anne, if I can ask, what happened when you.." Sasha trailed off.
          "When I...?" Anne repeated, giving Sasha a confused look.
          "When you died." Sasha whispered. Anne went silent. She wrapped her arms around herself and was still. Sasha sat up straight. "Anne, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to ask you something like that so soo-"
           "No, no, no. It's fine. Don't worry. It's just.." Anne paused. Sweat started forming on her forehead and her voice was shaky. "When I died- if I even died, you know like-  it's not really that crazy. It just happens sometimes- well not really, but Amphibia is just-"
          "Anne."
          "I didn't even die- well I'm pretty sure I died, but I'm here- or what if I'm not here. What if I'm just- no I'm me, I'm Anne Boonchuy. The only Anne Boonch- or is there several of me. Could there be several of me-"
          "Anne."
          "What if I'm in limbo right now. What if I'm still dead. Is anything real? Am I real?"
          "Anne!" Anne snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Sasha. "Anne, it's fine, really. You don't have to talk about it."
          "I.. yeah, sorry." Anne started to calm down again.
          "Look, we need to get home. It's getting late and if my people realize I'm gone, they're going to go cray-cray." Sasha started to get up, but paused and asked, "You think I could actually sleepover at your house? As a last second change?" Anne showed an exhausted, but genuine smile.
           "Of course. I would love to have you there. It would be nice to have someone around." Anne and Sasha hopped the fence with ease, of course, and started to walk back to the Boonchuy house.
          They mostly walked back in a comfortable silence, enjoying each others company. While they were walking home, Sasha kept thinking to herself. Did I see that right? There's no way I could have seen that wrong. It was pretty dark over there and nothing could have reflected that in her eyes. Sasha looked at Anne, and Anne looked back at her with a warm grin. Sasha gave one back, and then looked back forward.

Did I really see her eyes glow blue?