The Perfect Balance

Chapter Twenty

"If he likes you and you like him, I don't see why you guys are making things so difficult," Nate responds before grabbing the remote. "But then again, what do I know? I'm just the younger brother."

Nate's words follow me until Saturday when I'm sitting in the car with Sage on my way to her house. Diego is trailing us on his bike but he's going to take a left soon to go back to his house. Sage managed to find a party for us to go to, except this one is smaller and was described as more of a kickback. I stare at him in the rear view mirror as we come to a stop and he surprises me by waving. I narrow my gaze at him and he shakes his head and returns his grip onto the bike.

"Should I say something?" I break the silence as I turn to Sage.

"Uh, you just did?" she replies in confusion.

"To him," I clarify as the light turns green.

"What do you mean?" she asks for more information and I sigh in frustration as I watch him turn in the mirror.

"Should I try to get him back?" I wonder. "As his friend, do you think it's worth it?"

"Honestly?" she asks as she risks a glance at me before returning her gaze to the road.

"Yes," I press with a strong urge to know her thoughts.

"I think he needs to see what he's missing first. You can get back with him and he'll get insecure and retract again eventually. He needs to realize that he's good enough for you," she responds.

"And how can I do that? This friend thing isn't working out," I elaborate.

"I'm not advising you to, nor am I condoning it, but I think getting closer to Roman may be helping," she discloses hesitantly. "But maybe let him know that you still like him so all hope isn't lost, you know."

I stare ahead and sigh. "Why does he have to be so confusing?" I exhale in exasperation.

"I don't know," she admits with a quiet huff.

'+++

We arrive at the party and I already feel exhausted. Trying to come up with a good plan to get Diego back on top of helping Sage through a midlife crisis while getting dressed was not easy. We find Quincy, Webster, and Diego waiting outside for us and I want to sigh. I'd much rather be at Sage's house or even Diego's so I'd be able to talk to him without the pressure of a party. Regardless, we enter the house together. Within the first twenty minutes, Quincy darts off in the direction of a girl he's been flirting with and Sage excuses herself to talk to a girl that winked at her.

Before Webster can pardon himself from the awkwardness, I spot Roman across the room playing beer pong with his friends. He seems to have noticed me, too, because he nods at me and waves me over. I turn to the two guys I'm with to tell them I'm going to go talk to him for a second. However, they're already eyeing Roman with slightly narrowed gazes.

"I'll be right back," I mutter before squeezing my way through some people to see him.

"Well, hello," he greets me with a large grin. "I see you over there with your boy."

I tilt my head back and sigh. "Awkward, everything is so awkward," I grumble with a disappointed head shake.

"He's glaring at me so hard that I feel it burning through my body," he tells me with the same large smile on his face. I peek back and find Diego staring at Roman with an irritated look on his face. "Come on. Let's go to the kitchen."

I follow behind him with hopes of obtaining a soda. As I push through people, I risk a glance at Diego to see him staring at me with a curious look on his face. I quickly turn away and trail closely after Roman. "Do you want something to drink?" Roman asks as he opens the fridge.