The Older We Get

Chapter 12

"I remember that's what I always loved about eating here." I twist my fork to consume a mouthful of spaghetti before reaching for my water. "You'd always have music going."

"Moms idea." Chandler easily speaks the truth, and I dart my eyes to William at the thought that this little prick said that just to hurt his dad. Gosh he's...despicable. At least I think.

Upstairs he had me going for a moment, actually considering he's telling me the truth, but now he's back to being a brat. Moron.

"Yes. Gina was always keen on that idea. Playing whatever would come on. We still have the old record player she liked to use, but the CD was something I found in Chandler's things. 50 Shades Of Grey."

I knew I recognized this song.

"Mm." I nod awkwardly. "The Weekend."

"Earned it." Chandler smiles behind his glass at my knowledge of the soundtrack, the ice causing a watery glaze on the outer surface, while I try to eat some more but hit my knee on the bottom of the table at the feeling of someone's shoe trying to play footsie with mine. "Whoa!" He examines the surface. "You ok Sage? What's wrong?"

"Are you ok?" William joins.

"Uh-huh." I sound like I'm dumb. "Yeah. Yeah. Just...I think-nothing." Ow my knee. Ow.

"You never used to be clumsy." Chandler remarks while I glare at him.

"You never used to be a brat!" I grin my face off to make that seem as playful as possible, but I can feel the fork making an imprint on my hand by how hard I'm squeezing it.

I said that out loud, and I'm wishing I didn't, but it's completely true!

"You used to always believe me." I spot Chandler's competitive gleam.

"You used to always tell the truth."

"You used to always forgive me."

"You used to not need to be forgiven!"

"You used to talk to me!"

"Guys!" William shuts us up before I begin to clutch at straws without revealing too much of what's been going on behind everybody else's backs, my foot tapping a bit when Chandler shuffles some air around in his puffed up cheeks. "Hold on. What's wrong?"

"We're just messing around." Chandler lies his as$ off. "Hey Sage, tell me about what you've been up to since I left. Anything great? Win any Olympics?"

"Oh yeah. You used to be big into that." William chimes while picking up a bottle of Lemon Tea. "You taught Chandler some things. So how's that going for you?"

Strangely enough, this is one subject I still don't feel too excited to talk about. Especially knowing how my mom feels about it. "I'm not really doing sports anymore."

-Chandler's P.O.V.-

"Not your style, huh? I thought you'd grow out of it one day. Guess I missed you turning into a young woman." My dad laughs while I stare at Sage's mock genuine smile, her eyes closed while I begin to feel pissed off with how suppressed she's keeping herself.

From the moment I waltzed back in, it's been so apparent to me that everyone is fvcking overlooking her. And she's letting them. I know dads trying to get back to the way things were here, but this really isn't the best way.