Usually, I'm capable of making someone talk to me.
I'm annoying as hell when I put my mind to it. I think that's part of the reason Scarlett and I have never gone days without talking. We could go days with our stubbornness, but I just hound her until she caves.
It's a gift.
However, my gift is not working on Chloe. It's Thursday and we have a lab report due tomorrow that we haven't started. I'm getting nervous to say the least.
Thursday morning, I follow a new routine I've developed this week. I hand Graham a bag of toast to give to her since I can't. I try to pester her in Lit 'till she snaps. She doesn't. At lunch, however, Maggie and I are the first ones there, so I decide to take initiative.
"Mags, how do I make Chloe be unmad at me?" I ask.
"I wouldn't know." She shrugs, nibbling on a granola bar. "I've never made Chloe upset."
"Ever?" I find that unbelievable since Maggie is so... well, Maggie and Chloe is so... Chloe.
"I annoy her." Maggie's smile falls. "I annoy everyone, but she just brushes it off or takes a small break from me." This isn't feeling like a small break, but I focus on the bigger issue here.
"Maggie, you don't annoy everyone." I assure her, hating she feels that way.
"Sure, I do." She folds into herself a little. "I don't have a filter, but it doesn't mean I say rude things. I just say what comes to mind. It's almost always at the wrong time or to the wrong person."
This is the first time I've talked to Maggie without a smile. "That's what's so great about you. You're like a bright sunny day. Birds chirping and everything. It's refreshing."
"It's annoying." She snaps. "I annoy all of you guys. Even Zayne sometimes, although he would never say it."
"Mags, I don't know if you noticed but I was going through hell when we became friends." I tap the table.
"I noticed. You looked ready to kick someone's dog and steal Graham's lunch money." She rambles before covering her mouth. "See what I mean."
It's hard not to laugh. "No, you're right. I was an ass, but you didn't annoy me. Even when I was pissed at the world, you made me feel better and we weren't even friends then."
"We're friends?"
"I'd like to think so." I scratch the back of my head.
Her smile grows. "None of Zayne's friends usually want to be my friend. He has so many and he doesn't hangout with a lot of them anymore because I bother them."
I do remember a locker room fight or two started by some of Zayne's old friends bashing Maggie. I didn't know her enough to care, but it gives me perspective. I wasn't the only person who had to find a new friend group this year.
Taking a note from my therapist, I softly ask. "Why do you assume you're always bothering or annoying people?"
She blushes and focuses on the table. "Because I-I annoyed my own parents to the point that they didn't want me. They yelled at me a lot, along with other things I've only told Zayne about and would like to keep that way." Unable to find words, I nod. "Then, I just became too much, and they left me at my Grandparent's house when I was 12. I went to Seinborn for a few years and kids there made it a game to laugh at me. A teacher took pity and said I had the scores to go here so we transferred. Now I'm a burden to my grandparents because they had to drive me here every day before Zayne started taking me."
She blinks back tears, and I hand her the cookie Saffron gave me for dressing normal again. I think my own sister is trying to train me. "I'm so sorry, Maggie. Your parents are assholes that don't know how awesome their daughter is. You're great."
"You think so?" She sniffles.
"Yes." I promise. "Mags, you're set to be our valedictorian. You're scary smart and so nice. Hell, you managed to make Wes and Chloe your friend and sometimes I wonder if they have a heart." She stifles a laugh. "Don't hate what we love about you."
She hugs me and I wish I could punch her parents in the face.
"That's what I tell her." Zayne says, taking his spot next to her.
I forget all about my issue with Chloe. Maggie is my friend and I should take the time to get to know her.
*****
Chloe doesn't talk me in Bio, big shocker, and I don't chase after her in the parking lot. Watching the back of her head move through the crowd of students only pisses me off.
Dropping the twins and Conner off at Sam's house and the girls off at Ronnie's, I glance at the time. It's only 3:30 and I don't feel like being alone.
Taking a shower and disinfecting myself to Melissa's approval, I pick up frozen yogurt through a drive through and knock on their front door.
Uncle John appears, dressed in jeans and a shirt. A step up from his spit-up stained pajamas I saw Monday. "Hands out."
After being doused in hand sanitizer, I take baby Sofia from his arms. "You look like you're getting the hang of this."
"We're trying." He sighs, opening the frozen yogurt. "She won't take her bottle and if she doesn't eat soon, she'll have to be monitored."
"She's not eating?" I clarify.
"We've tried everything."
Making a bottle, I test it on my arm before lightly bouncing her in my arms. Resting the bottle in front of her, I'm about to give up when she starts to drink.
"How did you-" John sputters. "I tried- Melissa, she's taking the bottle!"
"Really!" She runs into the room with Mathew in her arms. "Sage, you're a miracle worker."
"Saffron was a preemi baby and flat out refused to drink. Scarlett learned this trick and it still holds true." I shrug as the bottle is emptied.
Kissing her head, I hand her back to John to be burped. Little footsteps sound through the hall before my favorite little blonde girl peaks her head into the room. "Sage!"
"Hey, Pumpkin." I scoop her up. "How are you?"
Catching John's eye, he mouths, not good.
"Fine." She tugs on my ear. "Do you like dolls?"
"Of course, why don't you show me your room and we can play." I suggest before heading upstairs.
Opening the door to her room, I hold back a swear. I thought Uncle John spoiled us. A four post, canopied bed sits in the room with bedding that looks like a pink cloud and adorable stuffed animals lined up.
"It's very pretty." I offer, dumping her on the bed.
"It feels funny." She grabs my hand and I pretend to fight her.
"How come?"
"It's too big. Too soft for me." She explains.
I force my smile to stay on. Today is just a day of hurting as I realize how badly people are treated. Making a show of getting comfortable, I grab a Fancy Nancy book. "Let's share it."
Skeptically, she nods, and I open the book. Three stories later, I tuck a sleeping toddler into bed and creep downstairs.
"Pumpkin is sleeping, I think maybe she should-" my voice dies out as I find none other than Chloe Hale in their kitchen.
"She should what?" Melissa asks, pouring two glasses of tea.
"See a therapist." I say, watching as Chloe gets the sudden urge to study the kitchen tile. "She mentioned not liking the bed because it was too big and soft. I can't imagine what she's feeling, and she deserves to talk it out with someone besides Uncle John because she'd be scarred for life."
I still can't get over the time he walked in on me and Ella and then gave a family talk.
Mel nods. "I've already talked to Liz. She agreed to make weekly visits and be a helpful transition guide."
The kitchen grows awkwardly silent and I'm almost relieved when I hear the baby cry.
"John took Mathew out for a bike ride, so I'll be back." Melissa explains, turning to Chloe. "Make yourself at home."
The two of us stand there and I shift back and forth. "We have a lab report due tomorrow."
She drinks her tea.
"Will you please tell me what's wrong?"
The silence becomes suffocating.
Getting pissed, I slap the counter. "This is bullshit, I thought you were my friend."
"You thought I was your friend?" She snaps. "I thought my friend was better than taking one look at where I lived and freaking out!"
I take it back; I don't like the Chloe talking to me right now. She's scary.
"What the hell are you talking about?" I demand.
"You!" She stomps her foot like a child. "You let me hang out in your nice, warm, big house full of food and family and laughter and you wonder why I never had you drive me home."
She stops, her eyes glazing over with unshed tears. "But I decide, Sage Rhodes isn't a selfish asshole. He wouldn't care where I live. So I let you drive me and what did you do?" A ball settles in my stomach. "What did you do?"
"I left you." The words taste like poison in my mouth. "God, I'm a horrible friend."
She glares at me, "Damn straight, but we're no longer friends."
Chloe heads for the door and I run after her, "There's so much you don't know."
Scoffing, she doesn't glance back as she storms outside. "What don't I know? That I'm your charity case."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Now I'm pissed off.
She whirls around. "You make an effort to be my friend. You give me food and force me to eat dinner when I'm at your house."
"That's not why I do it."
"Bullshit!" She heads for the sidewalk.
Grabbing her arm, I snap. "That place isn't just your house. It used to be mine! That was my home! It's the place I took my first steps in! I have so many memories in that stupid white house I wish I could burn it to the ground so I could forget!"
"What?" She finally stops trying to run and I pull at my hair.
"My grandparents bought that home in the 90's. My Abuelo had a heart attack in that kitchen. My dad asked my mom out in that upstairs bedroom that he and my uncle John shared. The same bedroom I shared with Scarlett. My parents lived in that house with my Abuela. Scarlett, the twins, Saffron and I all came home from the hospital and lived there. We took our first steps there. We didn't move into our own home until after Saffron because my dad was too proud to turn his back on the West Side. So we lived in a too small house and made big memories. I took care of my Abuela in that small living room until the day she died."
My chest heaves. "I've done everything in my power to avoid that place. So, yeah, sorry if I found it difficult to process the fact that someone who has become such a strong friend in my present life is tied to the biggest reminder of my past."
There, I said it.
"I'm sorry." Chloe offers.
"Why are you apologizing?" I sit on the curb, resting my arms on my knees. "You were right. I left you and it wasn't the right thing to do without explaining."
She joins me, knocking my chuck with her boot. "I shouldn't have ghosted you for a week."
Semantics, I understand her reasoning. Watching a car pass, I wave to a woman pushing her baby in a stroller. "I don't give you food because I feel bad for you."
Chloe begins to play with her necklace. "Then why?"
"Well, no one leaves my house without being offered food. My sister raised me better than that." I smirk. "But, I worry about you. So I don't do it to make you feel like less than me or to rub in what I have. You were right, I have plenty of food and I want to share it with you."
Pursing her lips, she looks at me and for once, I can see Chloe for what she is. A scared teenager with trust issues. "I only said that to piss you off."
"I know." She's very good at pushing my buttons. "How was your week?"
"Okay." She nods. "I was missing my friend so that sucked."
"Funny, I had the same issue."
Shoving me, she fights a smile. "Please, you went out and found yourself a new girl."
"Not my girl, just a person I kissed who I'm now friends with." I clarify.
She frowns. "Why do I have the feeling when you say friend, you mean actual friendship."
"Because I do." She gives me a blank look. "Alex is cool, but I don't think I want another relationship right now. Especially not one with a total stranger."
"Fair enough." She nods in approval.
Standing up, we brush the dirt off our asses. Before she can head for the house, I hug her. It's funny because I have to almost bend completely over to do it and her arms are rigid by her side before awkwardly wrapping around me.
"Why?" She demands.
"We're friends, Chlo-bear, get used to it. I even hugged Maggie today." I wink and she rolls her eyes. "Now let's hurry up. We have a lab report to do and my family should be here for dinner in two hours."
"I call dibs on Sofia." She runs for the house and I let her. There are two other kids I can love before my siblings show up.
*****
Pulling down a street I know all too well, I stop in a driveway I used to decorate with chalk and spray paint once. Even now, it makes me laugh to remember the freak out dad had until mom told him it was basically wet chalk. Then he drew a rather vulgar image on Uncle Ricardo's driveway and Abuela hit him with a wooden spoon.
"Thanks for the ride." Chloe says.
"Thanks for understanding."
She hesitates before giving me a poor attempt at a hug. "I appreciate our friendship."
"So do I." I say as she gets out. Rolling down my window, I add. "You suck at hugs."
"Then stop trying to make me a hugger."
"Practice makes perfect!" I call before driving home.
*****
Hi, LiH and ITE are both getting their second updates today! LiL was postponed due to needing to know where the story was going before putting a potentially scrapped or altered chapter out. It sucks and not what I promised but I need Ashlett to speak to me and the lines a little fuzzy rn.
I start online school tomorrow's and have a a project and homework to do so I'll see you tomorrow for Life in Between. I hope you all are ready for a snippet into Mel and John's life