Forever is a Strong Word

Chapter 4

I put my hood over my head "Just remain calm." I keep telling myself. Why is Sage on this side of town? Who's apartment is that? Why are they doing that to her? All of these questions are going through my head at the speed of light. As much as I think nothing adds up right. What is going on? Sage fumbles a little, but regains her balance and runs up to the slammed door. She swallows hard. I can almost feel it, you know, the feeling were you want to cry but you know it won't help you at all. It's like trying to swallow a bowling ball, or shoving an anchor through a cheerio. It hurts... alot.

"Creg. Please open the door." she says softly as if she's trying to be strong. But for who? There's no response. I see her let out a sob.

"I don't have anywhere to go! It's the middle of October. Please I-" she stops to cry.

I know that feeling too. The bowling ball wasn't big enough. She slowly sinks down to the ground, and cries into her hands. It is at the maximum of 48 degrees and all she was wearing was a Victoria's Secret sweatshirt and shorts. I can't reall describe the feeling I had in my chest. It was like... a knife. A knife that was so hot it felt cold, piercing into your chest through your mouth. I almost throw up just at the thought.

I walk around the fence. As I get closer Sage looks up and  starts to scoot away. I walk just a little closer, she backs away more.

"Please don't" I hear her whisper.

I take my hood off "Sage it's me." I say.

"Alex?" she asks "What are you doing here? what do you want" she says with tears streaming down her face.

I smile breathlessly even though it's a completely inapropriate time. 

"Well I don't know Sage." I say nonchalantly "I was came here to get my dad's wallet from our old apartment. But I came to find you sitting here. On the ground. But I think the real question is what do you want?"

She gives me a look, it's nothing like the look she gave me just earlier that week. This look is more of the "I hate you right now, and don't want to talk" look. I start to think "Maybe she isn't completely over what happened." I turn around and start walkin away "Good bye Sage." I murmur.

"Wait Alex!" she says with a scratchy voice.

I turn around. She gets up from the corner were ahe was perched. She walks toward me with a limp in her left leg. My eyes move down to the leg to fiind a GIGANTIC gash on it.

"Who did that to you?" I ask.

She nods her head towards the door that she went flying out of. I shake my head slowly. "Hell no!" I whisper and try to go to the door. But her small hands come up to my chest. I can't deny those hands.

"Don't" I hear her whisper. I nod my head.

"Do you mind telling me what is going on?" I ask.

She looks down, "Please just get outta here." she says. I feel her push at my stomach in sign to go away. I fight back slightly.

"No." I whisper just a few centimeters away from her face, "I'm not just leaving you here."

There's a moment of silence. And it happens again. When we fall into eachothers trances. It's like there's no world around us, and we're just standing in space.

"Thank you." she says slowly, breaking our trance.

"Do you need somewhere to stay?" I ask concerned.

She nods her head slowly still keeping eye contact.

"Come on." I say slowly backing away from her.

We start to walk toward my car apartement and then i remember her leg. I quickly turn around to find her limping tords me. I smile and pick her up.

"Thanks." she says calmly, but clearly grateful.

My smile fades to a grin and I look at her. "No problem."

I was suprised by how light she was. It was like picking up a 12 year old, but she's 17. She probably weighs no more that 106lbs. She rests her head on my shoulder. I feel my body tingle up again, but this time I like it. I set her in my car and I quickly grab my dad's wallet. On the way back to my house I look over to my right to find her looking at me. I grin "What?" 

She smiles for the first time that night, "It's nothing. It's just when I look at you in this car I remember all of the times in Sophmore year when you were trying to get your driver's lisence and you hit it."

I let out a small laugh. "Ya, when it came to driving I wasn't the best."

When we got to my house, my dad was in SHOCK. He couldn't believe that me and Sage were together.

"Hi Sage." he says confused "what are you doing here?"

"She is going to stay with us for a while dad." I respond.

"OK!" my dad replies too enthusiastically.

I nod and she smiles, and we both start going towards my room. Before I can catch up to her my dad pulls my arm

"Don't break the bed." he whispers.

I roll my eyes "Shut up." He laughs.

When I get in my room I find her sitting on my couch. I sit across from her. We sit there just looking at eacother for minutes. It amazes me how we can do this without it being awkward.

Breaking the silence I say "So where do you want to sleep?"

She tilts her head "On your bed."

I raise an eyebrow "But thats where I sleep."

She  giggles "Chill out it's a queen. And besides it's not like we're gonna have sex."

I almost coughed at the thought as she climbs onto my bed.

I look down "Hey can i ask you a question?"

"Ya." she replies.

I crawl on my bed "How long does love live?"

She grins, "As long as you live it."