"I'm not," she says. "I don't want to do your laundry."
"See you in psych. Remember what a terrible liar you are."
Maybe I'll make her wear my jersey next time. I haven't been able to look at it in years, but I haven't gotten rid of it. I think I'd like to look at it on her.
24
prey
Saige
"Idon't even feel like dressing up this year," I tell Nolan, tossing the purge mask back into the bin.
"Come on, yeah, you do," Nolan says. "You love Halloween."
The guys decided to have a Halloween party. It's usually my favorite holiday, but I don't know. I guess since my own life resembles something of a horror movie now, I'm not feeling so festive.
The last few weeks haven't been so bad, though. I still can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched and followed around campus. Sometimes, I'll just be sitting in the library working, and the hair on the back of my neck will stand straight up. I can write it off as a manifestation of my internal anxiety, but I can't make myself believe it. Even though the texts have stopped, I still don't think it's over. I'm afraid they're regrouping after not getting their desired effect.
I felt him the other day when I was at the rec center with Elias, which we've been doing about twice a week, but he assured me there was nothing there—that it was allin my head.
And then he told me it was okay to admit I was making it up because I'd grown fond of our arrangement and just like living with them, which is far from the fucking truth.
I still miss having my own space. I miss walking back from class without looking over my shoulder and around every corner. I didn't gut a squirrel and leave it in my own bed.
But I love being with Dax and Nolan. I don't think I've ever felt closer to anyone than I do to Nolan, and I've never even held him or felt his skin on mine. I don't need to; I know it's real.
And Dax might be my favorite person on the fucking planet, but I'll never tell him that. He doesn't need the ego boost. I'll leave that to everyone in his comment section.
I have to admit—but not to him—that I'm actually having fun playing hockey with Elias. The second time, he taught me how to shoot and let me hit him with the puck a few times, which was incredibly satisfying.
And he laughs a lot. He seems to be in a better mood overall.
Dax grabs the mask from the bin and pulls it over my face. "This is actually a good one for you, Saige. Kind of captures your lived experience, doesn't it?"
"Dax…" I rip off the mask and playfully punch him in the stomach.
"Careful, baby. I wouldn't want you to shatter your fist."
Nolan laughs as I shake my head. "It's not funny."
"I like this one." Dax grabs the skull printed ski mask from the wall and pulls it over his head before turning back to me, and I freeze. Suddenly, it's like someone sucked all the oxygen out of the room, because I can't fucking breath. I can't swallow the lump in my throat.
"What's wrong, Ripley?"
"Not that one," Nolan says, pulling it off of him.
"What? What's wrong with her?"
"It's the same onehewears."
"Oh…" Dax turns to me. "Really?"
I nod. "Yeah…"
"Well, fuck him. I'm going to fucking kill him."
"Saige!" Kira calls from the other side of the store. "Come over here."
