“Well, well, well. Look what the black cat dragged in.”
The familiar voice causes me to stop in my tacks and look up. I catch a pair of blue eyes sitting a few feet in front of me on one of the fire pit seats. Someone I’ve been anticipating running into. Except now, he’s not wearing my brother’s fucking mask.
Sage and I were never really friends. He’s a year older than me and just like everyone else in this town, he moved on to MCU after high school. I don’t know much about him. I just remember one day my brother came home from a game pissed that they’d lost and he was blaming it on some blue-haired kid who kept distracting Evrin, who was the team’s tight end at the time. No one else has ever had blue hair so I always assumed it to be him.
There were a few times I did get to interact with him, and he seemed pretty normal. And nice. Nice enough to not ever be involved with the likes of someone like Trace. Trace wasn’t as harsh as he seems to be now, but even so, he was never really one for friends. I think the closest people he ever considered his friends were those of the Cutthroats. I obviously know he still has contact with Evrin, but Deck is dead and rumor has it the Banks and him had a falling out a while ago. But I’ve been proven that rumors are just that . . . rumors.
But I also know that Sage and Evrin are a thing so maybe that explains it but not enough to validate the fact that he has something that doesn’t belong to him. And what the fuck did I ever to do any of them for them to agree backing Trace in his apparent task of torture?
I could avoid him. I don’t want any more problems. But I do want answers and maybe something he sayscan jog my missing memory. So I finish closing the gap between us, making my way over to him.
Sage looks down at the ground, his arms hanging lazily over the tops of his knees. I think the last time I saw him was at my brother’s funeral. Or maybe it was Seren’s. We had four funerals in the span of two weeks so they all kind of muddled together. But we didn’t really talk then. So I don’t know what to expect from him when I approach.
“I want my brother’s mask,” I say bluntly as I finally stop in front of him, cutting to the chase.
He finally brings his eyes back up to mine, a devilish smirk strewn across his face. His hair hangs in his eyes as the reflection of the flames lights up the darkest parts of the blue in his them.
“Sorry, it’s not mine to give,” he says with a hint of trouble in his tone.
“Well, it’s not yours to have,” I counter, keeping my arms crossed over my chest as I stare down at him.
He grins.
“Touche. But I don’t have it.” He clasps his hands together before turning his eyes back down to the ground.
“Well then, where is it?” I ask, not backing down. I want what’s mine so I’m going to get what’s mine.
Sage looks back up to me, slightly annoyed at my persistence.
“Your boyfriend has it.” His answer is short, and my brows turn up in confusion. “My . . .Jensen?”
He chuckles, sounding almost offended. And then he speaks to me in a condescending tone. “Trace. But it’s cute you still consider that idiot to be your boyfriend. Trace won’t be happy to hear that.”
Idiot? I mean, sure, I’m not very happy with the guy right now but what’s the name calling for? Jensen hasn’t been anything but nice. Unless of course, they have problems that I’m unaware of. But I don’t care about any of that. Not when I feel like I’m being messed with and I don’t know why. And not only that, he just admitted that he really is a little sidekick for Trace.
“What do you want?” I ask, putting a little more aggression in my tone, though I’m too cold and my teeth are chattering at this point.
“Honestly,” Sage starts as he stands up. “I’m going to cut the theatrics. Hangin’ around a bunch of macho psychos makes a person feel superior, am I right?” I look up at him in confusion as he steps up to me. “I’m just here to help out a friend. That’s typically what friends do, Olivia. Stick together even when times get a little messy.”
I roll my eyes when he says this, knowing that he’s intending to make me feel bad. Confirmation that he likely was told something by Trace to paint me negatively but how can I even know what was said if no one will fucking tell it to me straight?
“I know we don't know each other that well, and maybe we’ll become friends at the end of all this but just remember that everything happens for a reason. Nothing is by coincidence, Liv.”
I tilt my head, hating that he’s leaving me to decipher his words instead of just speaking clearly like a fucking adult. What does he mean by that?
“Hey everyone! Time for truth or dare! If you want to play, meet over at the main fire pit in ten!” Ilook over to see Jensen waving everyone over toward where the main fire pit is; where we were last night.
I haven’t talked to him since our little argument, which I appreciate because I don’t think I can handle any part of him right now. Now with this impending feeling of doom hanging over me on top of the unknown that comes along with my masked stalker and his pals.
Sage turns to walk away.
“Wait!” I reach for his elbow to stop him. “What are you here for?”
Sage turns his head my way but doesn’t look at me. Instead, he squints his eyes out in the distance behind me. And then he nods his head while he whispers, “Ask him.”
I turn around to see what he’s talking about, and to my surprise I find Trace. Unmasked. Out in the distance. Watching from beyond the trees.
Everyone starts to make their way through the trees, walking past us. I let go of Sage’s elbow who doesn’t say another word before following everyone else.
