Secrets of the Deep [Wattpad Featured Story]

Chapter Sixteen

"Then you're upset about getting suspended."

"It's not that either."

Sage sighed. "Well, it has to be something. What is it?"

I stared at her for what seemed like minutes. There were dozens of answers: I recently found out that my Mom never really died—she only disappeared before leaving me a secret message in an underwater cave. Then there was the fact that I'd developed some crazy and insanely abnormal features like gills and seeing underwater. Plus, my best friend from Newland was slowly slipping away from me, and there was nothing I could do about it except watch as she replaced me with some dream guy.

Sage blinked. "Well?"

"Like I said before, nothing's wrong." I continued walking to the locker room.

Sage groaned and jogged to catch up with me. "Fine—if you don't want to tell me, then you don't have to. But..." She paused, a strange look crossing her face. "Just know that I'm here for you, okay? We're friends, and friends help each other out."

"Thanks." I smiled as we headed over to our lockers and started undressing. "It's just that it's personal," I added. "Some crazy things have happened over the weekend."

"Oh." Sage frowned and glanced away for a second. "Does it have anything to do with...Luke, by chance?"

"Luke?" I started, but caught myself in time. "No. Why?"

"No reason," she said quickly, looking away. I felt my pulse pick up.

"What about Luke?" I pressed. "Sage..."

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then turned to face me. "I'm not supposed to tell you this," she admitted, "but he texted me last Friday night, telling me that he had some big plans for the next day. Are you following?"

"Yes..."

Sage gave me an undecipherable look. I had no clue why she was acting so strange all of a sudden. "Look, Rayne, please don't tell him I said this—but he was going to ask you out."

"He what?"

But Sage was silent. I didn't know whether to shriek in excitement or blush like a fool, so I did both. "Oh my gosh, Sage, are you serious?" I gasped. "He's really going to ask me out?"

She gave me a wry smile. "I knew it. You do like him."

I blushed again and looked down at the floor. "Yeah," I admitted, "I guess I do."

"What a bummer. He was going to ask you out."

"What do you mean? Is he okay?"

"Oh, he's fine. Just suffering from a broken heart," she said melodramatically.

My head was spinning. "Okay, you lost me. What are you talking about?"

She gave me a disappointed look. "If you can't figure it out, then don't bother asking me. But I suggest you have a nice, long talk with him in tutoring today."

I gaped at her as she finished dressing and headed out of the locker room. I was completely, totally lost. Sage wasn't one to beat around the bush, and she certainly gave me more than enough hints for whatever she was trying to tell me. But for the life of me, I couldn't figure it out. And was she actually serious when she said Luke was going to ask me out? What could have changed his mind?