ANGEL'S POV
"Angel, I forgot to tell you. Sage was here about an hour or two ago looking for you," Carlos spoke. I shot up from my bed where I was laying.
"What? He what?" I asked frantically. Terry giggled.
"He was looking for you."
"What did you tell him? Wait, what did he say?"
"He asked if you were here, I said no. He just wanted me to let you know he stopped by. Then he left. It was two minutes."
"Why would he be looking for me? I mean, these past two weeks, I've been trying to see him, and his friends kept making up excuses as to why I couldn't. And now he wants to see me?" My mind was awry.
With my thoughts racing, I huffed, tugging on my shoes and leaving the room abruptly. I was in such a rush that I didn't even think to put a coat on.
Outside, I was on an aimless walk. I somehow ended up in town, stopping when I saw an antique store. The items inside were a blur around me, my attention elsewhere.
I left the store and walked until I came across a bench. I sat down with a sigh, taking in my surroundings. A tap on my shoulder brought my attention up to Jonah, a classmate of mine.
"Hey, Jonah." I moved over to let him sit and he waved softly.
"Hey, I saw you walking. I just wanted to say hi and invite you to my birthday party in a few weeks." I smiled softly.
"Your birthday? How old are you turning?"
"Twenty-one." He was barely containing his grin and I laughed softly.
"That's exciting. I'll be there," I promised. He stood.
"Oh, and you can have Terry and Carlos come, too. I know you guys are kind of a package deal," he added, and I laughed.
"Okay, thanks. I'll see you around, Jonah." He smiled and bid me goodbye before continuing down the sidewalk.
I sat on that bench for a while, only thing on my mind being Sage, Sage, Sage. I stared blankly at the trees around me for hours, until the sun set and the air grew cooler. With no destination in place, I started on my walk again, soon pulled from my thoughts by the vibrating of my phone in my pocket. I pulled it out to see Terry's name lighting up my phone. I turned off my ringer and stuffed the phone back in my pocket. Carlos called only moments after, yet I couldn't bring myself to answer. I needed space.
Instead, I thought about Sage. Indescribable couldn't begin to word the conflict I was at. On one hand, I felt like I was falling in love. On the other, I couldn't help but doubt that he felt that way.
But then, what about the pancake mix? No, that didn't mean anything. My head and my heart seemed to be in this never ending argument, my heart using emotion and my head using reason. It gave me a headache.
Growing frustrated with the incessant calls Carlos and Terry began to give, I shut my phone off completely.
I found myself heading towards the football field, the stadium lights shining on the field smoothly like frosting. I wandered to the center and let myself lower to the ground, mind scattered.
•
SAGE'S POV
"So... You guys are like, a thing?" I echoed Ben's words, attempting to wrap my mind around them as I looked between my roommates, Leo's face red as a tomato. They had just gone over how they had been slowly developing feelings for each other, until it escalated to... this. Whatever this was.
"Yeah," Ben muttered, almost like he didn't want to say it, as if he was afraid. Is he afraid? Skylar looked between the three of us, shock plain as day on her face.
"For how long?" I inquired, easing myself onto the foot of Ben's bed.
"Only a couple weeks," Leo admitted, speaking for the first time. His face was contorted into one of discomfort.
"Okay... Is that why you went to see your family randomly?" Ben fiddled with the bed sheets.
"Well, I was telling them that I... that I'm bisexual, but-but not about Leo. That was before me and Leo." I nodded slowly, taking everything in.
"So... Are you okay... with this?" Leo asked. My gaze softened.
"Okay? I'm... more than okay. I'm happy for you guys. I'm a little surprised, sure, but... I'm really, really happy for you guys." They grinned, relief settling in for everyone.
Skylar called a nearby pizza shop once we'd relocated to the living room, ordering two large pizzas and a two liter of soda. After no more than ten minutes, there was a knock on the door and my sister and I exchanged glances.
"Are they always this early?" She wondered as I grabbed my wallet.
"Never, actually. They're usually always a few minutes late." I opened the door, not looking at the pizza guy, instead finding Terry and Carlos, eyes flooded with concern and apprehension. "Hey," I began slowly, unsurely.
"We can't find Angel," Carlos said quickly. My heart dropped.
"What? Where was he last?"
"He was at our dorm a few hours ago, but he just up and left."
"Did he say anything?" They exchanged a look before shaking their heads.
"We came here hoping he'd come to see you, but clearly, he didn't," Terry said softly.
I bounced on my foot for a moment.
"Okay, you guys come in, you can sit in the living room with Ben and Leo and my sister. I'll go," I pulled my coat on over my sweatshirt, shoving my feet into my sneakers. "I'll find him." I nodded softly, pausing for a moment. "I'll find him."
The first place I checked was Rosie's Cafe, with no luck. I looked around an antique shop I thought he might like and asked the employees if he'd came in. After giving them a description— "Honey eyes that kind of sparkle, fair skin, brown curls, about ye high." — they informed me that he'd been there but it was a while before. I'm on the right track, I assured myself.
When I came across the football stadium, I shook my head softly. I thought back to the time he told me he wasn't really into sports, leaning more towards books and movies. "He wouldn't be here." I was about ready to leave when I just barely saw a small figure in the distance, in the center of the field. Narrowing my eyes, I tried to make out the subject.
As I approached them, there were those curls, and a breath of relief slipped past my lips as I sat beside Angel.
"Angel, are you alright?" He didn't answer. Instead, he stared at the sky. "Is your phone dead?" I inquired. He was still unresponsive. I lie down as well and glanced at the boy next to me, close enough to see the goosebumps on his skin. I tugged my jacket off and covered him with it. Seconds later, he turned to lie on his side, facing me. I did the same, looking at the sweet boy in front of me.
"Where have you been?" His voice was barely above a whisper. I swallowed, not allowing myself to turn away from his gaze.
"I needed a little bit of time... away from everyone. I had a lot on my mind." He nodded slowly, keeping his eyes on mine.
I scanned his face, taking in all of his features. His eyes were large, shockingly so, and his eyelashes were long, accentuating that honey gaze. His lips were blush pink, his cheeks taking on the same tint in the nipping air. I glanced at his neck as he swallowed before my gaze returned to his eyes.
"You can't do that," he spoke, turning back onto his back.
"Do what?"
"Look at me."
"I can't look at you?" I echoed.
"Not like that." My heart did this boom boom thing that shook my body and I looked down, my eyes now on his chest.
"Let's get you back. Your friends are worried about you." He sat up with a sigh and stood. Holding my jacket out to me, he met my eyes. "Wear it," I told him. He shook his head.
"Just take it." I took it slowly, very slowly; his eyes were blank and sunken, like he was exhausted. I draped the jacket over my arm, in case he wanted it later. We walked in silence, Angel a few feet ahead of me, his movements aimless and effortless.
When we finally got back to my apartment, Terry and Carlos hurried to Angel, enveloping him. After they parted, Terry pushed Angel in the shoulder, hard.
"Ow," he complained, cradling his shoulder.
"Good! You can't do that to me, Angel. I almost lost my mind worrying about you!" Terry snapped, her eyes just a bit glassy. Angel's face immediately softened and he pulled Terry in for another hug, holding her securely.
"I'm sorry, it's okay. I'm okay." He glanced up at me as he held her. "I was in good hands," he said calmly, looking directly in my eyes. My gaze was glued to his, and my heart jumped in my chest. "Thank you for letting them come here and be with people. I really appreciate it," Angel thanked my friends sincerely when he and Terry separated. Ben and Leo both smiled and patted him on the shoulder before saying goodbye and disappearing into Ben's room. Skylar had fallen asleep in my room, not getting a chance to meet Angel, which I was a bit grateful for, afraid she'd embarrass me.
Terry and Carlos began to leave, stopping when they saw that Angel wasn't following them. Instead, he was just standing in my living room, eyes locked on mine.
"You coming, Angel?" Carlos asked.
"Yeah, just... Give me a minute?" Carlos and Terry looked between us before nodding and going to the foyer to wait.
"I just... I wanted to say I'm sorry," he admitted, and I raised my eyebrows in surprise.
"Sorry? For what?"
"For being so... chaotic." He waved a hand beside his head and laughed weakly, as if trying to make it lighter, then looked down at his feet sheepishly. "I feel like I've been causing a lot of trouble for you recently. I mean, ever since we met, I poured a drink on you, then the next day you fixed up my head. Then Mr. Hensley, and now this. You keep doing all these things, and having to help me." He furrowed his eyebrows at himself. "Well, no, you don't have to, but—"
"I want to." His eyes met mine. "You're allowed to need help sometimes. And... I'd like to be that help, if you'll let me." I paused, eyebrow quirking. "And, by the way, that thing with Mr. Hensley was not your fault. It was his. And everything else, I offered to help. Because I wanted to." His eyes were welling up, darting every which way, so I stepped closer and pulled him in for a hug. He melted into my hold, letting out a shaky sigh as he squeezed his eyes shut, cheeks coating in tears. I sighed, resting my chin on his head.
"Thank you," was what he whispered. "Thank you so much, Sage."