roommates • why don't we #WATTYS2019

10

sage -

"i told the guys that you had an emergency and that we'd meet them at home" corbyn said walking out to his car. i followed him and he opened my door. he got in and started the car.

"im sorry" i said playing with my fingers.
"sage don't. it's completely okay. i sat there until you stopped shaking. i didn't know what to do other than tell you i was there and rub your arms." he said looking at me.
"do you get them often?" he asked stopping at a red light."
"almost every night. i have medication but i haven't taken them"
"you have to take them sage." corbyn said, putting his hand on mine.
"i know but they make the nightmares worst. they don't help me at all" i said letting a tear fall. no one has ever seen me have a panic attack during my sleep. i used to record myself sleeping to show my doctor but they thought it was fake. corbyn let out a breathe and pulled over.
"i understand that you think they don't help sage. i think mine don't either. but i still take them. i could sleep in your room if you want. or you can sleep in mine. like ill sleep on the floor."
"the guys would probably think something" i said shaking my head.
"everyone knows im with christina. they know i would never cheat. she knows that too" he said griping my hand. i nodded and wiped my tears.

"thanks corbyn"
"you're welcome. i have a feeling we are going to be really close" he said flashing me a smile and turned back onto the street. we drove in silence for the rest of the way.

—

when we got home, daniel was on the piano, jack and zach were harmonizing.

"you guys just rehearsed for 12 hours. take a break" i said kicking off my shoes.
"what's a break?" daniel said
"literally" jack said laughing. corbyn grabbed my hand and we went into his room. i sat on his bed and he sat crisscrossed on the floor.

"tell me your story"
"corbyn you're tired you need to rest."
"no. we have a free day tomorrow. no interviews, no rehearsals. im fine."
"fine.. it's long."
"im listening."
"it started at the beginning of freshman year of highschool. i was bullied. for no reason. people called me names, shoved me, threw food at me. there was one time when i was almost shoved down a flight of stairs. that's when the panic attacks started. they weren't so bad at first until junior year. that's when the nightmares started. ive had a few relationships but they never worked out because they didn't know how to deal with someone like me. i only had one friend. alexis, she stood up for me sometime in sophomore year. we stayed friends until she moved the beginning of senior year. im the only child. mom and dad always busy. i was alone most of the time. ive done some stuff to try to forget everything but that never worked. after highschool i immediately went to college. i got accepted to FIT the middle of senior year but no one knew. and now here i am. sitting in a house full of boys that i barley know. but it's nice, not being so alone." i said wiping my tears with corbyns sweatshirt. he was now sitting next to me, hugging me so tight.
"you got me sage. you have all of us. you have christina. tate. gabbie. all the sisters too and other siblings. im sorry about your past. it sucks. but you're here now. and im proud of you" he said as someone knocked on his door.

"syds coming over, is sage in here?" jack asked from behind the door. corbyn yelled back a simple yeah and jack walked away.

"we don't have to tell anyone anything. this could be our own thing. sydnie is jacks sister. she comes over once in a while. you up for meeting her?" he asked pulling back from the hug.
"yeah let me just go wash my face." i said getting up and walking to the boys bathroom. zach was in the hallway and saw my puffy face.

"woah sage you okay?" he asked putting his phone in his pocket.
"yeah yeah it's my contact. i fell asleep earlier and they're bugging me" i said making something up.
"now i know that's not true. but if you don't want to talk about it thats fine. but im here if you need anything" he said moving from blocking the bathroom door. i have gave him a smile and he smiled back. i shut the bathroom door and took a deep breathe.

"what did you do corbyn?"
"what do you mean man?"
"sage was crying. what'd you do" zach said raising his voice.
"back off zach it's none of your business."
"you back off corbyn, she looked really upset. what ever you did, you better apologize."

i wasn't trying to eavesdrop but they were raising their voices. i washed my face and took a minute to collect myself. when i heard the doorbell ring i jumped a little and took a deep breathe. i walked out and walked downstairs to where i heard everyone's voices.

"there she is. syd this is sage. she's our new roommate" jack said introducing us.
"hi nice to meet you"
"sage, i love that name. you're really pretty. nice to meet you." we shook hands and i thanked her. we all did our own thing and i went up to my room and layed in my bed. corbyn walked in soon after with his space blanket and a pillow and made a makeshift bed next to me.

"goodnight sage."
"goodnight corbyn"