Party Animals

Friday

 Ethan

"You're just an idiot," Rhea said, snatching the chocolate milk off my tray. I rolled my eyes at her and she smiled at me sarcastically.

"No," I grumbled, "Mr. Reece is just an asshole."

She shrugged back at me as we weaved through the tables, saying hi to people we saw along the way. "He's nice to me."

"He's probably a pervert. And a biased one at that."

She shook her head at me as we arrived at our already loud lunch table, taking her usual seat beside Grayson. I looked at my brother he looked over Rhea the same way he always did, in complete desperation and shot a look at my best friend. Rhea ignored both of us, and I made a mental note to bring it up when we were walking to Marine Science.

I sat in between Aaron and Sage, reaching across the table and stealing the chips off Elizabeth's tray while she wasn't there to hit me. I could see her and Alex across the cafeteria getting silverware and napkins, pointing towards something and laughing.

I took the opportunity to corner Sage. "So," I said, "how are things with your hubby?"

Sage simply looked up from her plate and looked all around her, struggling to find something. i could feel the confusion slide onto my face when she finally looked at me. "Sorry, I was just trying to find who it was that you were talking to because I don't even have a boyfriend, much less a husband."

I chuckled at her, "You do realize that we can tell when somethings up, right? You and Alex have been being even more distant than usual. What's wrong?"

Sage shrugged, "Nothing is wrong, Ethan. Alex is probably pissed that he saw me flirting with Brandon Arreaga in fourth period." She rolled her eyes in distaste. "He knows how I am by now, and he chooses to ignore it. I'm done trying to knock it in it his head that I don't want a relationship."

I stared at her while she initiated conversation with Rhea instead. I loved my friends to death, but times like these frustrated the he'll out of me. It was obvious that Sage was in love with Alex just as much as he was in love with her, but she profusely refused to acknowledge it.

They'd had this, whatever they liked to call it for two years, yet the outcome was always the same. You'd think that after enough heartbreak to last him a lifetime, Alex would have stopped altogether, but love was a powerful thing.

The table shifted in conversation as Jack sat one the other side of Rhea and greeted everyone. Seconds later Elizabeth came and took her seat next to Jack, and Alex sat on my left, completing the group.

"Where the fuck are my chips?" Elizabeth said, looking directly at me. I smiled sweetly at her as I finished the last one, and folded the bag up neatly, handing it back to her.

"I despise the day you were born." She said, throwing an apple slice at my face.

"Don't we all?"" Grayson sighed, looking at me in mock disappointment.

"You were born on the same day, idiot." Alex deadpanned, and Sage laughed at Grayson's face as it fell.

"Oh yeah."

As if hearing Sage laugh reminded him of whatever was going on between them, Alex glared sharply at the dirty blonde beside him. She stared back just as venomously, and I swear to god I just fucking felt the ice in the air.

I looked between Rhea and Elizabeth because most likely, they knew the issues that the noncouple was dealing with. The girls were watching the interaction almost nervously, just like the rest of us, because Sage had always been unpredictable. I think they worried she'd say something hurtful, because that's how it always worked between those two.