Life in Hiding

13 ~ Laughing

"Peanut butter and jelly."

"What?" I ask Zayne as he joins me in the halls.

"You strike me as a peanut butter and jelly type of guy." He reasons. "Personally, I'm more of a Nutella fan myself."

"Oh, no. El–" I stop myself, hating how natural the words are. Ella hates peanut butter. "I like both."

"I respect a man of variety." He nods, not mentioning the slip up if he noticed at all.

"Why?"

"Because we're talking about taking a trip to a cabin the weekend after Thanksgiving break and Maggie likes to plan ahead." He reasons. "I had to know which you'd prefer."

"Why?" I ask again, no more informed than I was minutes ago.

"Because you're coming with us."

"Really?" I ask in disbelief before realizing something. "I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?" He protests. "Sage, I swear if this is some lame ass anti-social attempt to avoid hanging out with us it's too late."

I'm not anti-social. "Maybe if you gave me more than three weeks' notice we'd be having a different conversation."

He snorts, clearly knowing this wasn't a possibility three weeks ago.

"I have a wedding shower and then we're going to Alabama to watch Ashton play." I shrug. "My plans are non-negotiable."

"Sounds fun." He doesn't call me a lair, which I appreciate. "We'll definitely be going again, and I expect your ass to be there."

"Sure thing." I grin, genuinely meaning it. I've never gone anywhere with a group of people that didn't include my sister.

He ducks into class and I wander down to AP Bio, fighting the urge to share my news with Scar. Be cool, Sage, they just invited me on a trip. Nothing to flip my shit over.

Finding Chloe in my seat, scribbling down blurred thoughts into her notebook, I move her.

"Don't do that." She says as I force her chair over.

"I need the leg room." I say, making myself conformable. She glares, clearly unimpressed and I offer her a wink. "Peanut butter or Nutella?"

"Do not ask me that question." She forces her book shut.

"Something tells me Zayne wasn't the one who asked you."

"No, it was Maggie and I'm ready to shove a sock in her mouth." She complains. "Beer or vodka? Lunch meat or frozen meals? Extra blankets or a heater? Do you like s'mores? Maybe we should do s'mores."

She groans, resting her head on the table. "Someone sounds annoyed."

"I am." She blows a strand of hair out of her eyes. "But she's Maggie so I can't get annoyed."

"Why not?" I ask and instantly she sits straight up, interested in her pen. "Chloe."

"Maggie has had it rough. Worse than most and she's obviously a little..."

"Easily flustered?" I offer.

"Sure, I would never snap at her." Chloe admits, drawing a spiral. "So I deal with her obsessive worrying."

"You're a good friend." I inform her. That's the type of thing Scarlett would do. "How long have you been best friends?"

"We aren't." She shrugs. Doesn't seem like that to me but maybe that's how she prefers it. "Wes and Zayne are friends. Through Wes I met Zayne and through him I met Maggie. She annoyed the ever-loving shit out of me with her smiles, but I suppose everyone needs a little sunshine."