Back To Amphibia

Chapter 12

So... I'm alive! Or at least, I think I am. Sorry for the long wait, I kind of forgot this thing existed. No excuses for not publishing though, I will admit that I have been procrastinating a lot. Probably won't be updating this as often as before, but I'll still be uploading. Also, someone please tell me how this story's read count has almost doubled since the last time I was online? 

———————————————————

Sasha

...

I begin walking away from the secluded spot and back towards Wartwood, heart pounding.

Wait, what? 

I didn't mean to eavesdrop on Marcy's conversation with River, that's for sure, but now that I have...

Can I trust him? Can we trust him? Sure, I only heard him say the he was a spy since the rest of the conversation was muffled, but still. I guess my past is finally catching up to me, huh? I'm probably overreacting, 'cause Marcy trusts him, but even after all the times I've spent trying to improve myself, I still have trust issues. Those same issues that turned me into the manipulative control freak I was all those years ago.

You're pathetic. So much for being Strength.

No, no no no no no. I am not going back to that mental space. It's taken me years to come out of it, and I am not undoing the progress that has been done so far. It not for my sake, then for the others. I don't deserve them or their kindness, yet they still give it to me. I can't let them down.

With me being so caught up in trying to keep myself from reaching my breaking point, I didn't notice the footsteps approaching me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Marcy approaching with a worried-looking Anne following her.

My first instinct was to get away from them, to shield my emotions so that they didn't have to worry. But then again, hiding emotions is what got me into this mess, and it's not going to get me out of it. You can do this.

"Sash? You doing okay? We noticed you were gone, and we got worried. Are-" Anne stopped Marcy from continuing as she noticed the small tears streaking down my face. Wait, tears? When did I start crying..?

I breathe a small sigh of relief. At least the tears are a healthy way to get some of the emotions out of me instead of bottling them up. We know each other better than having to talk about this kind of stuff, so I sit down and the other two repeat my action.

We sit there in silence for a while, before Sprig comes up behind us. "Uh... Guys? Sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but it's getting late. You probably remember what Amphibia gets like at night, right? Of course you do, never mind. Forget I said anything."

Before Anne could protest, the pink frog had already left, leaving us alone again. I look at the others.

"You know, we should probably get moving now."

Marcy hums in agreement while Anne looks at me carefully.

"Are you sure? I mean, I'm fine with it, but are you really, truly okay now? We don't need to know why you're sad, but if you want to stay for a bit longer..."

You don't deserve them.

Pushing my negative thoughts to the side, I smile at them. I don't want either of them to feel bad because of me. Not again.

"Nah, it's fine. Don't worry, I'm fine. It was just... emotions getting to me." I throw them a smile and they let me off the hook. Oh, how lucky I am to have people like these as my friends. Almost makes you wish they were something more.

"'Sides, aren't we all just a bunch of traumatised thirteen year-olds at heart? I'm pretty sure that it's my role to support you guys, not the other way around." Anne gave me a friendly push and throws a comment back at me. I've missed this banter.

———————————————

This is a short chapter, sorry! I've gone from knowing what to do with the story to just winging it at this point, but I do know what I want to eventually happen in this. Sasha did hear parts of Marcy and River's conversation and she does have questions, but she doesn't want to hurt Marcy's feelings so she doesn't bring it up. Also, that was not the Core talking to Sasha, that was her innermost feelings about herself. She has some pretty low self esteem.