Chasing Blue

Chapter Ten

"MOM," Sadie practically screeches, her blue eyes enlarging to the size of saucers.

                 I guffaw. "Mom, you know they're not actually dating, right?"

             Mom has met Braden only a handful of times — we didn't meet until our freshmen year, to be fair — but from the first time she set her eyes on him, she has claimed that Sadie and Braden are destined to be together. Me? I think imma bullshit. Braden doesn't date. Hell, he hardly ever glances a girls way.

          "Great things come to those who wait," she tsks, before clapping her hands. "Grab the streamers, KB, will you? And hang them up by the door?"

              I lean forward and grab the two packages of streamers — one gold, one blood red. The twins favorite colors. The gold is Jess's — he's always been so oddly obsessed with winning, winning, winning, so it only makes since that he favors the color of first. Drew's, red for the Saint Louis Cardinals, who he swears he'll play for one day, maybe even taking over for Yadier Molina himself.

As I put up the streamers, I listen to mom and Sadie's steady stream of conversation.

"— she's just been acting different," Sadie's saying, "I think she's seeing someone and just hand my told me yet. Though I don't know why not. I'm her best friend for fucks sake!"

"Maybe she's afraid you'll judge her."

Sadie guffaws. "What would I judge her for? Greer was an ugly nasty piece of shit, I'm glad she's moving on."

My hands still where they are. Indigo. They're talking about Indigo. About how she's acting strange. About how Sadie thinks it's because of a guy.

It takes me a second to realize: I am the guy.

              "Because it's only been a month," Mom says as if it should obvious.

             I bite my tongue to keep down a rude retort. Who cares if it's only been a month? Indigo's a fantastic girl. I wish I had realized the extent of her fantastic-ness earlier. Then we wouldn't have to suffer through this terribly awkward dance. We could fuck, and we could date, and then I could take her on dates. And we could fuck. Maybe. If she wanted. Whatever she will give to me I will take. My life will not be complete without the beautiful enigma that is Indigo Brown. All of her seriousness, in all of her drive and ambition, all of her, no matter the form, I will take.

"So? I went out with that one Perrie guy two days after that Jalal kid."

I can practically see mom roll her eyes, "You hadn't dated Jackson for two years before you and Preston went out."

"Jackson and Preston?" Sadie says, "No wonder it didn't last, they sound like douche canoes."

"Sadie Heather!"

• • •

Indigo Marie Brown will be my undoing.

Indigo Marie Brown in running shorts and a sweat shirt tow sizes too big for her will be the beginning of my undoing.

It will be my undoing for a few things. One being that her legs are so long, and so pretty, and so tan. Two being that she just looks all snuggly. And three being the very simple, yet very dangerous fact: the sweatshirt Indigo Marie Brown has on her perfect little body is mine. I'm used to seeing Sadie in my clothes. Or Jess's. Or Drew's. Or Braden's. Or Colton's. Or Reid's. Or dad's. The list of men she's stolen clothes from goes in for miles — but Indigo in my clothes? A never before seen sight. I wonder if she knows it's my hoodie? It says Calum Football in big black letters, so surely she put two and two together, right? Right?