The Fall

Chapter 27

Sage

"Definitely the pink one," Nessa laughed from the cocoon of clothes she was surrounded by on my bed. Today was Family Day and I got to use my phone privileges to call my mom to check in. She, of course told me that her and Dad rented a house for weekend visits. But that's not why I'm panicking with clothes thrown across my room. He's here. Kade's here and most likely will be involved in the family session. I'm not ready for that.

"I don't know that blue cropped sweater is cute with leather pants," Lindsey said, from inside my closet. We've gotten pretty close and Vanessa, or Nessa as everyone calls her here, has turned our duo into a trio. I haven't had real friends in like forever. Sure, Erin is my best friend, but it's always been a surface level friendship. Tucking my hair behind my ears, I pick up a gray cropped shirt and black ripped jeans.

"Cute," Nessa claps and climbs over my clothes towards the mess of shoes on the floor by the foot of my bed, "you could pair it with those blacks boots or those furry gray ones."

"It's not like we're going outside," Lindsey yawns and hands me my gray vans. I didn't know mom packed those for me. "Comfortable and cute." She winks at me and picks up my button down shirt with long sleeves, her face a scrunched up. She'd woken up this morning in a mood and slammed the bathroom door, not that I'd blamed her. Turns out the good Senator couldn't be bothered to show up at the appointed time slot for their therapy session after breakfast, so there Linds sat, stood up by her own father.

Now, she's dressed in a flowy, cream dress with long sleeves and tights underneath with my ballet flats on. Her hair's pulled into a half up, half down bun and curled. She doesn't look like Linds in the slightest and I can't help but shake my head in disappointment for her.

"So tell us about this hot as fuck brother of yours," Nessa interjects as she sprays Lindsey's perfume on. Ever since I showed her a picture of my brother last week, she's developed a crush on Kyle. I make a gagging noise and throw my pillow at her back. "Thats gross on so many levels!"

Nessa giggles, her raven hair falling over her shoulder as she turns back to me, "Come on, Sage. I went to Lancaster for a few years and we played Penhaven all the time. I've seen your brother around and that boy is beyond fine," she fans herself and falls on top of Lindsey's bed.

"You idiot," Linds nails her in the face with a pillow before her gaze flicks to me and she smirks, "she's right though, he is man meat and the bitches here are going to eat him alive."

"And his yummy friend, too," Nessa sighs, propping herself on her elbows. I stiffen at the thought of Kaden. More specifically, the thought of anyone looking at him, touching or going anywhere near him. He's mine, but not really. I mean he has a girlfriend, that's definitely not me. I sat there, with white, hot jealousy flowing through me and a need to protect Kade.... for his sake, I rationalize.

"Anyway, I'm off to play pretend with my father for an hours or so. See ya at dinner!" Lindsey salutes as she stomps out the door.

"How are you doing, by the way?" I asked Nessa as I began sorting through my outfit ideas for later. Her parents weren't coming to family day and while everyone is aware of the rumors about her family, as a friend, I'm not about to buy into them.

"Sometimes I wish I was born into a different family, you know? I haven't spoken to my parents in almost a year and you'd think I'd feel sad or guilty or anything like that," she smiles faintly and my heart breaks for her, "But all I feel is peace. I never wanted to play tennis, you know? I was just good at it and my parents, of course, are opportunistic assholes who took advantage of their daughter's success."

My mouth gapes open and tears well in my eyes. My parents weren't around a lot, but they let my brother and I pursue our own passions, to an extent, but the kind of pressure Nessa endured is just heart breaking.