Sage would never admit it out loud, but she was slowly realizing she actually liked school.
Before she just tolerated it as something they had to do to blend in with the humans, but recently... Sage found that she didn't dread the idea of it.
Don't get her wrong, Mondays still sucked ass but now they sucked less.. 'cause she knew she'd spend the whole time trading underhanded barbs with Rosalie.
Even art, a class she'd found a little mundane, was more interesting now she worked with the Cullen's.
Though she'd kill you if you told them.
Sage was trying to convince Emmett that she didn't like him. She had a bet with Rosalie to see how long it would last and Sage was determined to win it.
"Ugh, you guys are so good at art it's literally unfair" complained Iniya, her black hair swept into a long French braid that ended mid back. Today she was wearing dungarees with a comfy green sweater, which oddly complimented her take on Van Goghs Sunflowers. Her painting that she was currently scowling at.
Sage looked at her own painting, a reimagining of the Starry Night done in oils on wood, and then over to Jasper who was doing a clay piece of Goghs Chair. Even Emmett was doing some delicate work, with an incredibly detailed mixed media of Goghs Wheatfield with Crows.
Sage smothered a smile. It was unfair. Herself, Emmett and Jasper had been doing art for well over the 10,000 hours that people liked say it takes to be a master.
In fact Sage wouldn't doubt that her and Jasper were probably closer to several 10,000 hours.
That being said, Sage thought Iniya's art was very good, and she'd definitely be outclassing them if they didn't have the advantage of time.
"Your painting is also good Iniya" Sage reassured . "I still struggle to get so much depth with Watercolors".
Iniya looked at her work, then at Sage's and pouted a little. "But yours looks like a photo realistic painting of the Starry Night, which is like?? How did you manage that".
Sage's painting wasn't even half done but it did, in fact, look like a photo. Perhaps she should be trying less in this subject.
"I like to work on it out of school" said Sage with a weak attempt at an explanation. Iniya seemed to buy it, or at least she just assumed Sage spent her entire weekend painting. However Jasper arched an eyebrow in a way Sage was learning to mean mischief.
Last year, before Sage had taken this particular class, she had just assumed Jasper was a melancholic vampire who enjoyed piercing the depths of some poor teenager's soul with his gaze.
But now she spent at least one hour a week stuck at the same table with him; she realized he was a little bit of an agent of chaos.
Not in the way Emmett was an agent of chaos, who loved chaos like bees love flowers. No Jasper was subtle, with little sly jabs and jokes.
Not dissimilar from Rosalie, even though she wasn't his real twin. Sage was actually debating on if they'd managed to form a twin bond without knowing -simply because they were so alike.
Rosalie's jokes were a lot more pointed though.
But Sage would never discount on how Jasper's mischief snuck up on you, so when the vampire in question said; "Oh. Did you practice on the painting long then Sage?"
Sage narrowed her eyes. Sometimes she was so sure that the Cullen's had figured out what she was, purely because as fairies, they couldn't lie.
But then other times Sage was beyond convinced that each of the Cullen's had IQ's so low it was actually worrying, because she never really hid what she was and she couldn't fucking lie.
So now it was about deciding if Jasper was asking the question to try to help him figure out what she was, or if he was gonna set her up to make a joke. Or both?
"Longer than your average student I'm sure" replied Sage calmly as she continued to paint away at the Starry Night.
Jasper hummed noncommittally, his hands never ceasing their intricate work on his sculpture. "I'm sure you've been practicing for much longer.. decades even yes?"
Sage's paintbrush stilled in her hands and she cut her eyes at him from where she sat, which happened to be directly in the seat next to him.
He had asked a Yes or No question.
Sly Sly Sly melancholic vampire. Did he know? Had he figured out she couldn't lie. Was he just messing with her.
Sage squinted at him, trying her hardest to see his angle. Maybe he was just asking because he wanted to know her answer. But then again, he hadn't lowered his voice to a level humans couldn't hear, so in doing that he'd cornered her a bit, surely she would have to answer now.
So then that led Sage to wonder had he figured out she couldn't lie?
She was beginning to thinking in circles.
Did Jasper feel her confusion? Was this a scheme? Was he just playing with her to see what questions got a rise out of her and then from there try and use that information to figure out what she was?
Not that vampires couldn't know they were fairies.
More along the lines of the Hallow's liking their privacy and their "long and rather unpleasant murder filled past with vampires" having some say in it. Family stuff.
Better to just keep to yourselves and the tribe down the Rez .
Iniya laughed, her voice light and completely unaware of the intense staring (glaring) contest happening between Jasper and Sage.
"What a weird question to ask" she giggled, momentarily stopping her painting. "Sage is the youngest of us, she's just talented, it's why she's in so many AP classes. I honestly think she's like a prodigy"
Sage couldn't help but role her eyes fondly. "Thank you Iniya, but I can assure you I am no prodigy".
" I second that" piped up Emmett cheekily. "Rose says you do nothing in English... besides distracting her that is".
Sage gasped, pretending to be offended. "Get back to your glue sticks and glitter Cullen".
"This is a masterpiece Hallow, show some respect" shot back Emmett, equally mock offended.
"You wouldn't know what a masterpiece was if it crawled out your arse and sat itself down right in front of you" snarked back Sage with an arched eyebrow.
"Your painting looks like it crawled out of an arse and died" muttered back Emmett, mock offense slipping away into something a bit more real.
Sage scowled, Jasper rolled his eyes and Iniya stiffed a snicker.
Yeah.. Art was definitely more interesting now.
*
"Hey?".
"Hi... Is this a bad time to call? I need to rant"
Leah's voice was just as distinct to Sage's ears, even over the phone.
Sage had been lounging on her forest green bedsheets as she often did after school, simply doing nothing but watching the rain hit her windows and the tall trees outside.
But then Leah had called.. and well she couldn't ignore it.
That would make her a bad friend.
They'd never called before so Sage was a little surprised when her phone rang, but her apprehension did not stop her picking up after half a ring.
"No this is a fine time" replied Sage hastily, sitting up on her bed as she did so. "Are you okay? Is everything okay? Are you okay?"
Leah said nothing for a moment, (Sage had no idea what she could have been thinking) before Leah responded "I'm fine but .. well, it's Sam".
Sage frowned but said nothing.
Leah continued, her voice a mix of concern, anger and hesitancy. "It's just.. he's been sick. He was sick. For like a week. But now he's just gone.. I've not seen him in two days".
Ah. Sage winced.
Her mother had mentioned that some of the boys down the Res were showing signs of shifting (most likely due to the extended stay of the Cullen's) and the elders had assumed Jake would be the first to shift, being the Alpha's direct descendant. However, it was now clear that Sam had pulled the short straw.
Sage did not envie the utter confusion he was undoubtedly going through at this very moment.
But what to reply to Leah? She knew where Sam was, or at least had a very good idea (somewhere off in the woods idk? He grows fur now) but she couldn't tell Leah anything because that was tribe rules and subsequently part of the treaty rules between the fairies and the Quilietes.
Despite Leah being the daughter of, not one but, two council leaders she wasn't Imprint and therefore she wasn't to know about the tribe secrets. Though, Sage doubted her parents would be able to hide any of it from her is Seth shifted.
But they'd burn that bridge when they got there.
"Oh" Sage manged to choke out, sounding halfway towards casual and halfway towards something Leah couldn't quite make out. "Did you say days?"
"Yeah" clarified Leah. "It's been literal days and no one seems to care he's gone".
Leah let out a sound of frustration that was twisted with hurt, and across the phone, it almost sounded like the begining of a storm to Sage. "I tried to ask my mum and dad for help about it all, but they both got so weird. My dad said he went over to Sam's place yesterday and insisted that Sam was fine.. he was just sick and not seeing anyone.. not even me".
It was very clear that Leah pissed, and rather upset. No matter how much her anger tried to mask it.
And Sage had no idea what to say. Because she didn't feel like gaslighting Leah into thinking Sam was just ignoring her and that she was being clingy.
Especially since Leah noticed how sick he was before his 'disappearance'. Leah was smart. Sage could probably write an essay on the intelligence hidden, softly lurking, in Leah's gaze, if she thought it would get Sue and Harry to tell Leah the truth.
But who was she to judge parenting skills.
"Days is not good" said Sage after a beat. It was a very nothing statement. The perfect type of statement for fairies in difficult conversations. Almost like when an MP says 'Yes that was a good question '.
"But maybe if your dad says he's visited, then Sam is just sick?" Carried on Sage after a beat.
Leah sighed again, this time it was all storm and rage. "That's the thing. I went by Sam's place this morning cause he doesn't live with his parents and I didn't want him to be sick all alone... And no one was there. The place was empty".
Well, what to say to that.
"That's weird" Sage managed to mutter out. This was one of the moments Sage really wished she could lie. Just a little tiny winy lie. So she could reassure Leah that Sam was fine. Just sick, maybe he'd fallen asleep at home with the curtains closed and that he'd be back before she knew it.
But Sage couldn't say that. Because she knew Sam wasn't home. In fact he was probably not fine either. He would most likely be lost in the woods, confused, in a little bit of pain and lonely. And a lone wolf was not easy to rangle back into control.
Leah seemed to accept her answer anyway. Allowing it to vindicate her feelings as she replied "Yeah it is weird. It's fucking weird but no one seems to care that Sam is missing".
"They do care" assured Sage softly. She just knew that Sam would be topic number one in the next ten council meetings. Oh they definitely cared, just not in the way Leah was expecting. "Of course they care about this. They might even be trying to sort it all out quietly and calmly so as to not raise any panic... Your parents are council members right?"
Leah sighed, soft and deflated, like she had sagged all her weight into her sofa or onto her bed. "Yeah they are... Maybe it's being dealt with. I just.. then why the lies? Or maybe my dad did see Sam yesterday and he was just out this morning.... But then why is he ignoring me?.. I just-"
Leah groaned again, sparks of her previous anger flaring through the phone line. "I just feel like I'm missing something...".
Missing several things really.
Sage flopped back onto her bed, spread-eagle on her duvet. "Maybe you are" she breathed out.
Hinting didn't break any treaties, but it was definitely the closest she had gotten.
"And maybe you just have to have a little faith and trust in your parents that everything will be fine... That Sam will be fine" she carried on, because ultimately Sam would be okay.
Leah sighed again, it was short and sad. "Yeah. I guess...if something was really wrong my parents would probably be panicking more than me.. but.. I don't know... This whole thing is driving me crazy".
"Well I'm always here if you need to rant again" smiled Sage, it was a soft fickle thing that crossed her face. "I'd offer more but I really don't know what I would do if I was in your situation".
Leah let out a strangled giggle. "Thanks Hallow. Sorry for calling you all random.. Emily didn't pick up and I didn't know who..."
"It's fine" reassured Sage. "You can call me whenever you need to".
Sage didn't see how Leah smiled but she heard her response.
"I'll keep that in mind".
*
Hello! I'm having issues with my account right now so sorry about random updates please bare with me!
Please comment what you think of the story and theories, queries, general thoughts lol.
Fun fact of this chappy, I just think it would be really fun if Emmett has a master's in fine art and he did it all in collage.