Lifeguard

twenty four

It's the morning that we're leaving and my friends and I have finished up packing.

I bring my suitcase downstairs where Hayley and Jasmine are sitting next to their luggage.

"Are you excited to go home?" Hayley asks me as I sit down next to her.

I shrug, "I guess."

"People will be happy to know that the old Sage is back." Jasmine smiles slightly, "You were a star."

I sigh, "Yeah..."

"Look." Hayley puts her hand on my leg, "Deep down, you knew it was never gonna work with Wesley. Think of that fight as a way to make leaving... Easier?"

I nod, "Yeah... So how long has Gabby been saying goodbye to Daniel?"

"About thirty minutes now." Jasmine answers.

"How'd he get here?" I ask, "He doesn't have a car."

They both go silent.

I then get it, "Ah... Wesley drove him... So I'm guessing that Wes is outside now, waiting for him?"

Once again, silence.

I look out the window, "It's alright. I don't think me saying goodbye to him would be the best idea anyways."

Hayley takes my hand and squeezes it.

"So, are you gonna say bye to Tanner?"

She grins timidly and says with an awkward chuckle, "Fuck buddies don't say goodbye."

I smile, "Hm. Is that like, fuck buddy code?"

She giggles, "Yeah... Yeah I guess so."

"Come on." Jasmine stands up slowly and looks down at her phone, "Let's go pack our stuff up in the car. It's eleven, and the drives about five hours. We'll get back in time to chill for a while, then go to the welcome back party."

"There's a welcome back party?" I ask curiously.

"Of course S!" Jasmine smiles, "The same frat house always hosts a welcome back party on the second Saturday of spring break! We went last year!"

I laugh, "Well, alrighty then!"

We all grab our luggage, and right as I open the door, I'm greeted by Wes, who's just about to knock.

We share eye contact for less than a second before I look down.

"H-hi. I was wondering if Daniel was close to finished with Gabby. We um... have a thing."

"Would that thing be... work?" Hayley asks with her arms crossed.

He looks everywhere but at me, "Just... Can you go tell him to hurry up? I'm sure you guys wanna be heading out."

"I'll go get him." I volunteer just to get out of this situation.

I nudge past my two friends gently and head towards the backyard.

I open the slider to find them kissing. Not making out. Simply innocent, love-filled kissing.

I stand there for a few seconds before knocking on the glass next to me.

They both look up at me.

"It's time to go Gab." I give her a small smile.

She looks sad, but nods, "Yeah, I'll be right out. Thanks S."

I nod, and slowly head back.

I see that Wes is helping them load the bags, including Gabby's.

I keep my head down and walk toward the car. Right as I'm reaching for the handle of the passenger seat, I hear his voice in my left ear.

"Sage..."

I chew on my bottom lip and stare down at my hand what's on the door.

"Sage." He repeats.

I squeeze my eyes shut for a second before turning around and looking up at him.

He stands there awkwardly and sticks his hands in his front pockets, "I um... I don't wanna leave things like this."

Before I can respond, Gabby and Daniel walk out.

They approach the car, and I watch as they stop next to it and kiss quickly.

"I'll call you when I get home." Gabby says as her hands are holding his face, "If your working, call me back later, yeah?"

Daniel smiles, "Yeah."

She joins him in his smiling bout, and their lips lock once more before she separates herself from him and joins Jasmine who's in the backseat.

I then open the door, and once again, Wes calls out, "Sage... Please. Let's not part ways like this."

One of my feet are already up in the car, so I turn my head around and give him a pained smile.

"Don't worry about it Wes. No hard feelings between either of us. It was really nice spending my spring break with you. I wouldn't have wanted to spend it with anyone else."

I then fully pull myself into the car and shut the door.

He runs up to the window and knocks on the glass until I roll it down and just stare at him.

"I can't let you leave when we're in the middle of a fight."

I stick my hand out of the car and place it on his cheek, "Consider this fight over. Goodbye Wesley Thompson."

And with that, I take my hand back, roll up the window and tell Hayley to drive.

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a/n: good day friends :) guess who's been on a plane for six hours with SIX MORE TO GO! anyways, it's been a fun vacation for me. i hope you're all having a wonderful summer break as well! ily

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