Blaze
She moved out that night, but she only took what she could fit in her car.
I felt betrayed by my sister who'd helped her move, but I also didn't blame her. She loved Sapphire and I could see why she'd help the woman I loved and the sister she'd always wanted.
I tried so hard to get her to talk to me, but she wouldn't answer my phone calls or my messages so I just drank a lot and went back to the same old shit I used to do which was raise hell. I didn't sleep and I lived off of energy drinks and coffee again.
Her smell was still lingering in the townhouse and she'd left her soaps and shampoos. Fucking lavenders and cherry blossoms, sweet peas and violets..... She left the desk, but she'd taken the camera. The townhouse was hers, but she didn't care. She thought I'd take it from her which I would not have. Ever.
Her dress was sent to us and I wanted so badly to look at it, but I messaged her to let her know it had arrived and she texted me to give it to Star.
She'd started parking in the front lot so I wouldn't see her in the mornings and she'd moved to the opposite side of the room in history class. When I tried to sit next to her, the teacher told me to move to the back of the class. My little lioness had her own connections now.
She looked different, still beautiful, but so empty. I'd dimmed the light that was in her and now I didn't know how to turn it back on.
I hadn't slept in days so when I was sent to the office for continued insubordination and tardiness, she didn't even look up at me.
I would see her with Brent and other people she knew, some were guys I knew thought they could get her in bed. I noticed more of her stuff was missing from the townhouse every time I went back. She was slowly moving out without having to see me.
We had a pep rally for the end of school and she'd sat on the other side of the gymnasium taking photos for the yearbook. She wasn't using the camera I'd bought her. I'm surprised she found me in the sea of students, but when she did and her eyes met mine, she turned away.
I knew she was living with Opal and the kids again and it pissed me off. She should have stayed at the townhouse and I would have just moved in with Greg. Hell, I would have had Star move in with her just to help with rent. She wouldn't have let me pay it any longer.
Evelyn and Peter would stop by every now and then. She'd apparently baked them a pecan pie and brought it to them right before I gotten home one day. I'd just missed her. They were sad to see us split up, but even Peter told me if it's meant to be it will be.
Sapphire
I avoided him at all costs.
We'd pass each other in the halls and I'd feel his hand brush mine, but I wouldn't look back. I knew he wanted me to. I'd been picked on relentlessly since we split up and he didn't know it. So many assholes at the school wouldn't let me forget what had happened. I stopped going to the cafeteria for lunch and so had Melissa. Greg wasn't happy about it and he'd been looking rough, too.
I felt bad for them. Whatever they had going on seemed like it was taking off at one point.
I stared at my prom dress for the longest time as I settled in for the night. Opal and Em had told me I should go stag or go with Melissa, but I didn't feel like going. I'd even asked my Mother to make the dress a dark green because it was Blaze's favorite color. It was such a beautifully crafted piece of art.
I always had dreams about him. I'd been so naive to think I'd actually found love. I was in the wrong, too, but I was so crushed that he'd done it anyway. I knew in my mind what he was doing, but my heart held out hope.
I cried so hard when I got into the car that night with Star that I thought I was going to have a breakdown. I realized I'd lived without Blaze Baxter before and I could do it again.
Right?
Blaze
I couldn't even stand to look at myself. I hated the way she avoided me. I hated the way I could still smell her perfume when she'd walk into the room and I hated the way I found myself crying when I'd go home at night.
I'd been drawing like crazy, but they were mostly drawings or paintings of her. I couldn't think of anything else and I didn't want to.
Dad was weird about it. He and Brenda had been having issues and I tried to tell him about the other guys, but he didn't want to listen. He told me that if Sapphire was the one it would happen, my Mom didn't contain her emotions and I was reamed a new asshole when she showed up at the townhouse the following day after Sapphire and I split up.
I let her yell. I didn't care.
I drove over to Eddie's and talked to Kenny who was surprised to see me.
"What's happening, Baxter?"He leaned over the counter. I knew I looked like shit and I didn't care.
"I need a favor,"I told him, "I need you to take Sapphire to the prom."
Kenny straightened up, "Wouldn't you be the one to take her?"
"Don't act like you don't know and don't act like you don't have feelings for her," I leaned against the counter and he backed up, "I know if I hadn't have interfered, the two of you might have hit it off. Hell, maybe you still will."
Kenny swallowed. Of course, he liked Sapphire. I'd told him to fuck off that day we brought her car in, but I needed her to be happy.
"Who says she'd want to go with me?"Kenny asked.
"Just ask her, bro, it's all I'm saying,"I tapped my fingers on the counter, "Just don't hurt her, OK?"
"Why does this matter so much to you?"
"Because I love the hell out of her and she was looking forward to wearing that damn dress,"I told him.
Kenny nodded. He'd do anything for her and I could see that. They'd been friends for a while, but then I came along and fucked that up.
"OK,"he said, "When is prom?"
"About two weeks from now,"I told him. Damn, it had been a month since she'd been in my arms.
"OK, I'll see what I can do, man,"Kenny nodded.
I slapped the counter and walked out.
He'd make her happy.
Sapphire
I'd gotten a call from Kenny about prom and I knew Blaze had interfered, but I didn't care. I said yes.
I wanted to wear my dress and Kenny was a nice guy. At least he'd be good to me.
I just felt like I was in a daze when I was walking around the school anymore. My grades were fine and so was my job. I had to run some errands for the paper and yearbook so there were occasions when I had to interrupt a class, but the teachers were so over the school year that they didn't mind.
I waved to Mr. Blake, who just happened to be Blaze's math teacher. I had just finished the quiz in mine and was able to leave, but I needed some information about Blake for the yearbook and he'd told me to stop by.
He waved me in and I could feel him staring at me, but I kept my composure and sat down in a seat next to Blake. We spoke quietly for a few minutes and I wrote down some notes. Thanking him for his time, I started to leave.
"Miss Soper?"
"Sir?"
"Congratulations on that internship in Florida!"He exclaimed, "Miami, right?"
"Yes, sir,"I smiled, "Thank you."
He nodded and I looked up at him for a brief second. He, Jesse and Greg were glaring at me like I'd hurt all of their feelings or kicked their dogs or stolen their trust funds, but I didn't care. I left and didn't look back.
Blaze
I fucking hated gym class.
I just wanted to sleep and forget about everything. I couldn't forget her though.
Matt and his crew were in the locker room, but so was mine and this is when Matt and I usually rumbled. I didn't feel like it today and I'd actually avoided going or dressing out since the split.
I walked in and headed to the back of the locker room. Damn, I remembered when Sapphire had me back here. She was a spitfire, a feisty, little lioness playing me at my own game.
Before I could even pass Matt and his group, I heard him:
"What's Sapphire up to these days, Baxter?!" Matt chuckled, "I hear she's free for the taking and I'll tell you what, she's hot as fuck."
I stopped walking, but I didn't turn around. Greg and Rob both stood up and stared down Matt.
"Erica just isn't my style,"he was saying, "But Sapphire? I like the way she looks in those tight black jeans she wears. I can only imagine what that pussy feels like."
Before I knew it, I was clobbering him. I could hear some muffled shouts and hollers, but my vision was off and I was just seething as I bashed his head into a locker, but he did the same to mine. I was on the ground now and he was pummeling me until I punched him in the ribs, causing him to roll off and I straddled him wailing on his face until someone pulled me back.
Matt laughed and stood up with the help of his friends, "I can do this all day, Baxter." He knew we both could. We were the same build, height, it didn't matter. We'd done this before.
"I don't need her though and a fucking baby," Matt wiped the blood off his lip.
"The fuck?"I asked, Greg putting an arm out like that was going to stop me if Matt even said her name again.
"Oh, you haven't heard? Looks like you left the little lady with a little Blaze in the oven,"he chuckled, "Or so I've heard."
"Lies,"I muttered, "You're a piece of shit."
"I'm not the one who hurt her."
And there it was. I was worse than Matt the Douche.
Greg let me go and I stepped to Matt again. We were nose to nose until the locker room door opened and two of the coaches came busting in.
"Break it up, boys!"
I was already heading out.
Fuck gym. I needed to find Sapphire.
Sapphire
I was standing at Eliza's locker when he came around the corner. I averted his eyes, but he stopped right beside me, breathing down my neck.
"We need to talk," Blaze said pulling me away from her before I could react. Her face scrunched up, and she tried to intervene, but I just shook my head and held up my hand, letting her know I was OK.
"What do you want?"I asked him, as he pulled me into an empty classroom. He was so close to me that I felt myself wanting to bury my body into his, but I wasn't going to give in to that temptation.
"Is it true?"
"Is what true?*
"Don't play games with me, Sapphire!" He didn't look mad, he looked scared.
"I don't know what you mean," I said, shifting my bookbag, "I can't read minds, Baxter!"
"Are you?"
"Am I WHAT?!"
"Pregnant?!" A few people had stopped to watch us outside the classroom. I mean, it was Blaze Baxter and everyone needed to know his business. Blaze slammed the door..
"Are you?"
My mouth had to fallen off my face with the way he looked at me. I was flabbergasted.
"Who told you that?" I shook my head, "I'm not... "
I glared at him.
"Matt."
"Well?"
"No,I'm not pregnant. And if I was, why the fuck would Matt know and not you?" I scowled, "I guess if I keep something like that from you, you'd have to ask me if it's yours, too?"
"Sapphire.. "
"Why do you think I'd keep something like that from you?" I tried to push past him, but he grabbed me, pulling me into him and for a moment I could have died right in his arms "Why do you still think so little of me?!" I don't know why, but I choked on my own words. I broke free from him and stormed out of the room.
"Sapphire! Wait!" He was at my heels in no time. People in the hall had stopped to stare and I noticed Rob and Greg in the distance.
"Leave me alone, Blaze!" I couldn't recognize my own voice. He took a step toward me and I threw up a hand.
"If you care about me, you'll let me be."
He froze and I watched him as Eliza and I hurried away from the scene.
Once we were hidden away in the bathroom, I sobbed.
I was so tired of all the lies.
Blaze
I fucked up again. I was so scared that she was pregnant and that she'd graduate and take the baby with her without telling me. I thought it might not even be mine or that she'd get hurt and something would happen to her and our child, especially with all the stress I'd put her through. Every damn thought came rushing through my head when I was on my mission to find her. I couldn't even understand why I was sad that she wasn't pregnant. I wasn't ready now, but if I had kids, I'd want them to be with her.
I should have known it was a rumor, especially coming from Matt, but my mind was everywhere.
I'd heard she accepted Kenny's offer to go to prom, but I didn't invite anyone. I decided to go stag.
I wasn't going to hurt her again by showing up with another girl on my arm.
I had bought a black tux adorned with a purple tie with green stripes on it because that was how quirky she was and those were our two colors combined. It was cheesy, but it's something I thought she'd like. She never told me what the dress was going to like and I was way too excited to see her in it, even if she was on the arm of another man.
Sapphire
"You look amazing,"Opal snapped a photo of me in my dress as Emerald and Ruby stood by with goofy grins on their faces.
Mom had made the most beautiful dress for me. It was a green, off-shoulder ball gown with little pearl beads adorning it. She'd made it so I did have a hint of cleavage and my sisters took notice.
"Such a slut,"Ruby joked.
"Black flats or heels?"Emerald asked.
"I don't like heels," I told them as I slipped into open-toed flats, "And I painted my toe nails!"
"No!"Opal ran to her room, "Just at least wear my black wedges. They're open-toed. Are you wearing hose?"
"No," I told her, "Hose make me hot."
"Oh, so easy access for Kenny?" Ruby the perv was taunting me.
Emerald shook her head, "You look good. Earrings?"
"Mom's pearls," Opal handed them to me, "And her pearl necklace."
"A little makeup?" Em asked.
My God....
"I've curled your hair at the ends, let me give you some color," Emerald ran to get her makeup bag.
"Contacts!" Opal reminded me, "And you can use my black purse,-"
"Ha!" I shoved my hands into sewn in pockets, "Mom was clever!"
I was nervous about going for various reasons, but mainly because I knew he'd be there. I guess I was a little nervous about Kenny, but not to the extent that I was for Blaze.
When Kenny showed up, they took pictures and ogled us for what seemed to be an eternity. He looked handsome in his grey tux and had bought me a corsage. I knew Blaze was giving him details, but I didn't care. I was going to try and have some fun tonight.
Blaze
"Lamest fucking party ever," Rob was saying as we sat on the bleachers in the gym. The theme was something about Enchanted Forest or Starry Night or some shit.
"It's prom, bro," Jesse told him, "What do you expect? Besides, you got Allison tonight."
Allison was a cheerleader Rob had been eyeballing since the beginning of the year and had finally asked her out. She seemed all right and Rob enjoyed the fact that he had a date.
Greg was brooding, Jordan was hanging around with Rachel and Erica and even though Matt had said those things about Erica, he was with her tonight. Typical.
Most of our other friends were dancing or mingling. I was waiting for her to arrive.
Jesse nudged me and nodded in the direction of the front entrance.
My world stopped. My heart stood still. I could barely breathe.
She was more than beautiful.
Words couldn't describe her. No words had been invented yet.
I watched her make her way into the gymnasium with Kenny. My anger was out of control, but I hoped he was treating her well. She looked happy, smiling from ear to ear.
I was absolutely miserable without her.
Both of us had said prom wasn't our thing so it was weird that we were both here. I'd hoped whoever she got with after me would be a good man. Kenny was a nice guy and I knew he liked her. I never told her he was trying for months to get the courage to ask her out. Then I butt in and fucked that over.
Kenny understood his role. He'd worn a green bow tie and her corsage was as I told him, a fucking sunflower. Her favorite fucking flower.
Sapphire wasn't stupid. She knew I'd told Kenny, but she didn't care. She didn't want me anymore.
She found her friends. They knew Kenny and they accepted him with open arms. Only a year out of school, he knew some of the seniors so it wasn't a surprise when Sapphire allowed him to mingle while she did the same thing. I hated him for touching her, caressing her lower back and running his hands down her arms like that.
She didn't even flinch when he put his arm around her shoulders. I'd been glaring too long. Greg snapped me out of it.
"Let her go, man."
I cleared my throat and took a swig from the flask I'd brought. Let them catch me. I didn't give a fuck.
Sapphire
My heart was pounding through my chest when we entered the gym. Kenny was such a gentleman and we had so much in common. I was OK with him finding some of his buddies because I huddled with the girls and took some pictures.
Eliza's date was some guy named Tom from her science class. He was quiet and nerdy, but so was she so it worked out. I liked how he blushed even more than she did. Star waved to me as she danced with her date, a new guy at school by the name of Brady. He worked at the library with me and seemed nice. Lourdes and Maddie came together for the hell of it and Melissa was miserable because she'd been staring at Greg all night.
"Go talk to him,"I told him.
"After what he did to you?"
"HE didn't do it to me, Mel," I smiled, "You should give him a chance."
"Oh?" She pursed her lips at me, and I understood her, but I just couldn't do it. I wasn't going to play games anymore.
Kenny offered to get me something to drink and I joined him at the refreshments table.
"Thank you for this," I told him.
"Anything for you, Sapphire," He said to me as I downed my punch.
It was getting too hot in here.
"Wanna dance?"
"S-sure,"I took his hand as he lead me to the dance floor, "I will tell you that I have two left feet."
"Same so maybe we'll end up with the right ones," he joked.
"That was so corny,"I didn't feel the same as I did when Blaze put his hands on my hips and I didn't feel the same when I looked into Kenny's eyes or when I wrapped my arms around his shoulders.
But I was going to make the night magical—even if it hurt me.
Blaze
Maybe I'd drown in the punch bowl.
It's all I wanted to do after watching her dance with him...laugh with him....flirt with him....
Hell, even Melissa walked over to Greg while we were sitting there and asked the fucker to dance with her.
And I had a feeling Sapphire told her to. I could hear her saying, "Give him a second chance." or whatever she would say, but she didn't want to be hurt and I didn't blame her. I wanted her to give me a second chance, though.
I saw Heather and decided to go for it. I'm not even sure who she was here with, but we danced a few songs and I caught her out of the corner of my eye. She was watching me. After all this time tonight, she was noticing me and I spun around to smile at her, but she lowered her gaze and walked away.
Sapphire
It'd been a nice evening, but I'd had enough of watching Blaze dance with other girls. He needed to move on and so did I. It had been a little over a month and I hadn't had time to get over him.
I told Kenny I was going to get some air and not to worry about me. If he needed anything, just call. He was concerned, but I told them that it was a little warm in the gym and I just needed a moment. He let me go.
Once outside, I paced the sidewalk that lead out to the track and field areas. The stars were so bright and so was the moon. I could hear the music echoing from inside the building and I wondered if the stars looked the same in a tropical place. Did the moon look the same? What did the ocean sound like at night? I wondered if Florida was going to be good to me. I wanted so badly for it to be good to me.
I don't know how long I was outside, but I didn't want to hold Kenny up any longer so I pulled my phone out to text him to meet me in the front so we could go, but I stopped when I heard the doors open.
"Spooks?"
Blaze
God she was like a dream standing there in that ball gown underneath the stars.
I had scoured the gym looking for her when Kenny told me she was outside. He knew what I wanted to do and he told me to do it. He told me to go to her.
She didn't move or try to run away when I approached her, but she didn't say anything, either. She just stared at me as if I was no one.
"Blaze."
I was never nervous around women and she was making me terrified. I moved slowly towards her until I was at a safe distance.
"You look stunning,"I said to her. I'd not even realized I'd been wringing my hands since I got closer to her.
"Thank you," she said, lowering her gaze, "You're very handsome this evening."
Before I could speak, though, my feisty lioness came out, "Is there something you want or someone you're looking for because I have to get back to my date." She was staring right through me.
"Sapphire, I need you to talk to me."
"Why? So you can lie again to me?"
I closed my eyes and sighed, "No and I'm sorry I lied to you. Yes, what I did was wrong and no, I can't take it back. I can never take back what I did to you, but I fell in love with you. I fell in love with everything about you. I fell in love with how you make me feel. I want us to be together. I want to make love to you and feel your body wrap around me again. I'm an asshole, Sapphire, and I don't deserve you, but I want to make you happy."
She barely flinched. Had she moved on already?
"Say something, please?" I was groveling. I was willing to get on my knees and beg her to come back to me.
"I don't have anything to say," she said, her voice cracking, "I wanted this to be real, Blaze. I wanted to love you forever, but I don't even know what to believe. I hear rumors every day. I've got people still telling me that you,-"
"I don't care what those people are saying!"I let loose, "I want you to stop listening to them. Do you still love me?"
She didn't answer me. She turned away from me and shrugged.
"I have to move on, Blaze."
"That's not what I asked you," I was flush with her now and she tensed up when I put my hand on her shoulder. A slow song started playing through the sound system. Of all the songs, it just had to be
"Can't Help Falling In Love With You."
"Dance with me."
"What?" She turned to me, "I have a date and I can't just,-"
"You know damn well he knows I'm out here,"I stepped closer. I could smell her perfume, I could practically taste her, "One dance and I'll leave you alone."
She sighed and nodded, stepping into my arms, but we stood at arm's length for most of the song, swaying slowly to the rhythm. I wanted so badly for her to look me in the eyes like she'd done a million times before. I needed her to look at me with love and adoration, feeling and want. I was happy just to touch her again.
"I love you, Sapphire,"I told her, "I don't want anyone else and I don't ever want to hurt you again. If you need time, I'll give it to you. I'll give you all the space you need. I will do what it takes to make this right. Do you still love me?"
Sapphire
I loved him.
I loved him so much that it hurt, but I'd been blindsided by so many people in my life that I couldn't trust my own heart. I couldn't be with anyone. I'd given myself up so many times for people and I was exhausted, but I could see he was exhausted, too.
I needed time for me, but I was dying inside without him. Every day I wanted to believe he was telling the truth. I wanted to believe he wasn't playing me anymore. If he was trying to destroy me, all he had to do was damage my heart one more time and then he would have won his stupid little game.
I didn't want to be played. I wanted to be loved and I wanted to spend the rest of my life being loved by him.
His eyes stared into mine as if he were searching for an answer to his question. Perhaps that he'd find love for him in my orbs and have a fleeting chance with me, a glimmer of hope.
I didn't answer him, but I pulled myself deeper into his arms and placed my head on his shoulder and my arms around his neck. His body was so warm against mine and he embraced me, placing one hand on the back of my head and one on my back. I felt his breathing increase and his heartbeat was loud and heavy. I knew mine was, too.
I couldn't live with him or without him.
"You have to give me time, Blaze," I said, softly, "I don't know what I want."
When the song was over, we didn't separate. We stayed in each other's arms until I knew I had to get back to Kenny.
"Tell me," he said, cupping my face, "If you tell me you don't love me, I'll never bother you again. I'll let you go so you can be happy in Florida or Hawaii or wherever the hell your heart takes you."
I couldn't contain my tears as they slipped like little raindrops down my cheeks.
"Blaze, I haven't stopped loving you, but I need time to trust you again."