Conflicted Eyes, Confusing Feelings | Complete

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Chapter 78: Before it Ends

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Suicide is the one mistake you won't live to regret

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For the first time in a while, Sage did something he hadn't.

He opened up, to his friends.

It wasn't that he had to or felt obliged to, but his friends had been supportive since his mood plummeted, so what was the harm of telling them the full story? Whilst slipping put a few parts too painful to admit, he received advice from his friends, and one stood out in his mind like a sore thumb. Sage latched onto Nyx's words, letting them echo throughout his mind as he wheeled his bike closer to the apartment complex.

"So ... that's it. How it happened."

His friends were silent for the longest while, and ultimately Vera was the first one to launch from her seat and engulf him in a tight, smoldering hug. The guys weren't as touchy, but Randall offered support by laying his hand on Sage's shoulder whilst Nyx remained in the doorway to their lunchroom, arms crossed, nibbling on the toothpick dangling from his lips. He wore a pensive look, but said nothing even as Vera pulled away to offer unsolicited advice.

"You're better off without him, Cinny. Guys are hardly ever sorry for cheating, and after everything, he really expected you to just sit there and hear him out? What an asshole!" Vera grabbed both of Sage's hands, ignoring how they trembled in her grasp as he curled her fingers around his to offer even more moral support."It takes guts to walk away, Sage. You did the right thing."

"U-un."

Sage looked over her shoulder at Randall.

Normally, he'd jump in at the first chance to disrespect or speak out against Xander, but now, he just sat across the table from them, flicking his phone around in his hands. Moreover, besides protecting Sage alongside Felt and Carter, he didn't say anything about Xander, not then, not now. Vera tapped the table, causing him to look up at them.

"I expected you to say something, Randall. You hate this guy's guts and I see why," she said, sighing. "I'm sorry for blowing your cover that night, Sage. I genuinely thought he was a good guy."

"I don't get it," Randall began, muttering. "I do hate him, but ... I don't know." and that was the truth, he really did hate Xander, and felt crappy for not protecting Sage back then, but at the same time, Randall simply couldn't wrap his head around the reason Xander would put his whole 'perfect boy' image in flames and start even more conflict between all of them and Carlos. What was in it for Xander? Pleasure in seeing Sage get targeted again?

Or for his image?

Or could he really care about Sage? Someone like Xander?

Straight, blindingly attractive, affluent and a catch for any girls who laid eyes on him; Xander had it good. Maybe not the best, but better than most people.

What was in it for him?

The whole thing was dumb. One would commend Xander for making such a bold move to protect Sage, but that wasn't the case for Randall. Without a reason, it was stupid, still dumb.