A Certain Romance (Reimagined)

Sage's Birthday

Arrie reached for the frame, taking it into his own hands. I looked to him with a soft smile as his eyes scanned the photo. I hated the precise moment when I realized myself catching silly feelings for someone because I noticed something small they did. Once, I thought I was in love with Luke because I liked the way he chewed his gum and looked like a total douche that could ruin my life. Another time, I liked the way Michael dragged the pads of his fingers up and down my spine when he hugged me and I thought I was crushing on him. Now, I liked the way Arrie's hand looked so aggressive, but so gentle as he held the frame and I wanted to date an older man for the sake of his hands. The feeling was only temporary though. Just not as I attached my lips to Arrie's and neither of us had the desire to pull away and say this was wrong.

His fingers tangled in my hair and God, it drove me so insane how rough he was with that single action. Arrie knew exactly how to touch me and where to touch me to make me moan into the kiss. Could Ashton ever? I don't know. Screw him, I didn't need him.

I straddled Arrie's lap, deepening the kiss further. And it was just like that, things escalated so quickly, then turned into absolute regret when I lied down in my own bed after taking a shower to rinse away the guilt and dirty feeling I had.

There wasn't much for Arrie and I to say after we were done.We quietly put our clothes back on and parted ways without a mutual agreement on what to do after this. Was this a moment of shit happens? Were these the kind of mistakes adults made? Maybe I needed a therapist and long day of sleep to figure out what all my problems were and how to make things better.

-

Happy vibes were at every corner of the table I sat with Michael and Luke for my birthday breakfast. Calum didn't matter. Ashton and Veronica didn't matter. Sienna didn't matter. Fucking Arrie on impulse didn't matter. The Trifecta was stronger than ever. Sometimes it took a good falling out to rebirth a friendship that was better than before. Luke and Michael were my family, the strongest sense of family I had ever had and I didn't realize that until now. No one would have my back like the two of them. They'd kill for me and I'd do the same for them.

"Are we officially going to Lydia's for New Year's Eve?" Michael held the door open for us as we each exited the twenty four hour breakfast diner, feeling full and happy. On my very own day, I couldn't think of a single thing I wanted to do, but any other day I could think of about ten things I wanted to do in the span of five hours. Sometimes I was stupid.

"I told my mom Sage was going, so she's all for it." Luke hopped into the back seat of the Buick. Luke was strictly unwelcome in the passenger's seat in Michael's car because he toggled with all the knobs and pressed all the buttons and Michael hated to have his music changed in the middle of a nice drive.

"Nothing exciting happens here, so yeah. Why not?" I agreed. The most exciting thing to happen to me all year was last night with Arrie even when guilt was starting to eat away at me. I wasn't that kind of girl, I wasn't Elizabeth or Veronica who just did stuff like that all the time because it made them feel good. I was becoming so toxic.

After breakfast Michael forced us to go bowling. I lost. It was terrible and reminded me of why I hated bowling so much. Then we had lunch that served ginormous burgers and way too many fries for one person to consume. After lunch, Luke wanted to take me shopping so I could pick out my own gifts because he was so lost at what he was supposed to get me if I hated so many things. Everywhere we went the two guys mentioned it was my birthday, so I'd get unwanted attention and many, many discounts or free things.

The evening could creep upon anyone when you were having fun and it did just that to us when we were out. Before I knew it, I was back home, stuffing my face with a cake that Liz had made for me. Who needed to eat dinner first? Not me. Being able to put my pajamas on after being out all day felt incredible. When I was able to remove my socks and et my bare feet touch the cold hardwood flooring of the first floor in my house, I think that was what being in love felt like. Arrie was still avoiding me when I got home and I was still avoiding him, but at some point we would have to talk and put everything behind us.