Racing Down Sunset Boulevard

Chapter 8

Gage' POV

I need a new phone. Not because I found mine to be outdated or slow, fancying myself to be some pretentious cosmopolite that only truly lives through elaborate Instagram posts and finds it ludicrous to jump off the trend train. No, it's because I had thrown it into my wall slightly too hard for it to pass as functional any longer. It's funny how she manages to ruin yet another thing in my life.

First, my performance as a player, my disposition, and when that wasn't enough, material things. Having come back from practice, I had expected her to text, like she had every day for 10 months. Not since last week though. I don't know why today of all days it seemed like a good enough reason to throw something into a wall. It might have been the argument I had with Jones, whom the coach has named team captain. Prompted of course by his smug smile after eavesdropping on the coach curtly telling me he'll forcefully bench me if I didn't start giving him results and sending me home early to think on it. I won't allow some lovesick loon costs us the championship. Of course, it was her fault. It always seems to be. And what drove me over the edge? I can't find it in myself to resent her.

I don't even know how I got here. But I do know why I chose this one in particular. Of course, If I get asked why I drove 40 minutes to the other side of town, instead of walking to the other mall, I would probably go on about how the variety was larger or some other shit. And they'd probably nod along out of politeness, despite both of us knowing it's not true. No. The grass isn't greener, and technology isn't more performant here. But it has a smaller chance for me to bump into Ari, or any of her friends.

But just as Murphy's twisted Laws dictate, there she is. The flowery dress she's worn for me on our very first date, white Air Force, lace socks. Fuck.

Ari's POV

Have you ever found yourself surrounded by people, yet feeling unbearably and crushingly alone? And so, so cold. I never brought a jacket to the movies, despite knowing the AC would always be at full blast to ward off the heat of August. Because Gage always made sure I was warm. But that wasn't why I was shivering. At least not entirely. It was the dreaded lack of warmth coming from my very own pack. The patch of cold and fear only settled in the pit of my stomach and grew outward, As I replayed the almost imperceptibly shorter hugs, and the almost clipped hello's and how are you's.

Don't get me wrong. The conversation still flowed, jokes were still made, chortles still followed, mindless and slightly sexist remarks made by the boys didn't cease. Yet it somehow seemed muted. Like a gradual withdrawal. The deadly silence before a summer thunderstorm. I found myself looking over to Kay, if only to make sure I wasn't going mental. It only took a glance at her grim face in the bathroom mirror to tell it wasn't all in my head, and a shake of her head to know she didn't understand either.

Yet weirdly, it didn't seem to affect us all. When interacting between themselves, nothing seemed to be any different from a month ago. It was us two who were problematic Sticking out like weeds in a flower garden. And although I didn't want to admit it, I knew what, or rather who had caused the widening rift I had hoped with all might we'd be able to avoid. Zariah. Whose only assets were her shameless nature and limitless ego and fabricated innocence but had somehow seemed to get them all bewitched.

First, it was Seth and Malik, who first tolerated her, then started enjoying her shameless flirting slightly too much. Then, it was Skylar. The one who only hung around for as long as it suited her, before moving on with the crowd. Lacking her own judgment, always influenced by the more conniving.

And of course, where she went, so did Anna and Mateo'. But I closed my eyes and prayed for it to be temporary, and for them to come to their senses. Where Kay was raging but somehow detached, I stayed quiet and believed that something unvoiced wasn't truly real. But was something I could see and hear real? Judging by the stony look etched on Kay's face, I have no other option but to say yes. But if they won't stop hanging out with us, I will keep on going as if nothing had happened and persuade Kay to come along. Because I wasn't ready to voice it yet. I wasn't ready to let my pack go yet.

I found myself almost racing out of the cinema as the lights turned on, desperate for some warmth, to stop myself from shaking. One of the few things still in my control.  Breathe in, breathe out. I can still taste the popcorn I just had, and I focus on the lingering foreign taste of salted caramel. A hand on my shoulder makes me slightly relax. Calloused, and big enough to swallow both of mine with ease. And painfully familiar. Urging myself not to tense back again, I forced my eyes open and upward, looking past him and at my friends. At Sky and Anna making kissy noises in the background, the boys each giving me a thumbs up but seeming slightly out of character, and lastly Kaylah.

Damn. If looks could kill, Kay would classify as a top-notch serial killer. The thought brought me some comfort I know for a fact that Gage felt her stare, as it only prompted him to turn and give her his good-natured smile and a small wave, to which she remained impassive. This time, I didn't feel like reprimanding her for it.

"I thought you had practice until 8." Of course my words held a small tremble and came out too quickly to sound casual. Smooth Ariana. But he didn't seem surprised, and weirdly, not in the mood to argue.

"I got off early today because of the big match on Saturday. Coach sent us home to rest" he said it evenly, calmly, as of explain something to a child. Despite his zen exterior, I could tell something wasn't right. Just as I could tell he had just lied in my face. Gritting my teeth as if to stop myself from calling him out on it and starting the argument I knew was brewing, I found an unexpected wave of shame roll through me, as I went through all his texts I had cruelly dismissed with vague answers this past week. But before I could make a fool of myself by stumbling out an apology, he pinned down with a look that seemed almost hopeful, eyes blown out and pleading as he asked me to come to see him play on Saturday.

"You can bring whomever you want along. I know I normally ask you to come alone, but that isn't fair to you, is it?" he paused, looking for the right words "I'll need my good luck charm this time".  I felt myself nod my head and murmur a meek "Of course." And then he was off. No kiss on my temples or my cheeks, not even a caress.