thirty

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"Yes, mom

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"Yes, mom..." I trail off in a whisper as I listen to my mother give me a thousand different warnings because she's worried something bad will happen during the trip. I know it's just motherly instinct but she was never the kind to express this much emotion, especially over the phone. Well, besides anger.

My mother was never good at keeping her angry thoughts to herself. It's the one thing I hate about her but I instantly forget the moment she shows any tiny bit of care for me. "Text me every hour-" I hang up before she can say anything else. I'll deal with the repercussions later. For now, my mind was focused on finishing the last two days of our trip with nothing but fun and excitement.

Sage and I spent the whole night holding one another talking about absolutely nothing. I know it's a regular couple thing but something about it felt so end-like. The way she spoke, the way she pulled me closer and refused to let go. If this were any other time I'd just let it pass but something is up with her. I would never push her to tell me anything she doesn't want to but it's clawing at me and it has been since that day in my room.

"Are you okay in there?" I call out to her as I see the shadows of her feet moving through the small space at the bottom of the bathroom door. Her feet stop and I wait for an answer but nothing comes. I step closer to the bathroom and once I'm close to the door I call again hoping for an answer.

"Hey, are you okay" I'm cut off by the door swinging open to Sage with a smile on her face. "Yeah, I'm fine." She squeezed past me and the door as she looked anywhere but at me.

"What were you doing? You were in there for a while." I stand from the door watching as she walks around the hotel room.

"I can't find the scarf I bought at that stand have you seen it? You know the one with the designs on it?"
The disregard for my question doesn't go unnoticed and I take in a long deep breath. My worry was quickly growing into frustration and I hate to argue with her but sooner or later I'd have to say something.

"I haven't seen it." I shake my head. "Maybe check the bathroom? You spend a lot of time in there." She turns and looks at me for a second.

"Not now, please." She sounds annoyed and tired. My eyebrows raise and my mouth drops before I can comprehend everything. "Excuse me?" She walks past me and to the bathroom without another word. I stand frozen in my spot as the bad aftertaste of her words settles in.

"Not now?" I turn to face the door. She's standing in front of the mirror tying her scarf around her head. She looks like she's not even registering anything I'm saying, or even acknowledging that I'm there.

"Yes, not now." She sighs. "Can we please just enjoy the day without you insinuating there's something wrong with me? There's not. I'm the same person I was when we first met." Once again I'm left dumbfounded as she walks past me without another word. I stand there watching as she walks around the room trying to find something to say to her.

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