The Truth Is.

Chapter 8

SADIE

     "What if we started a company, n' we called it Sadie and Paige's company." She broke off into a howl of laughter.

A few empty beer bottles surrounded our woozy bodies. I'd lost track of how much I drank, but I knew I wasn't as drunk as Paige. Her eyes swirled, and her laughing never stopped. When she drank, it slipped out of her mouth.

My hands wobbled and wiggled as I reached for more beer. The sneaky bottle kept sliding its way out of my grip, or maybe it was my hand, it didn't really matter. My voice joined in Paige's laughter.

"Maybe then we can be rich!" I exclaimed.

"You're already rich." She pointed out.

"Oh, yeah."

We burst into fits of giggles on the patio. Our limbs and laughs settled as we stared at the stars. Smiles slowly fell from our faces.

"It's not that fun." I mumbled, lifting the bottle to my lips again.

Her eyes shimmered with tears from laughing so hard. "Bein' drunk is sooooo fun." She slurred.

"Not that." We giggled. "No, I meant being rich."

She took the bottle from my hand, tilted it, and missed her mouth by half an inch. "Being poor ain't much fun either."

The bottle tipped back to the cement, and I finally took it from her hand. "Better stop. We don't want you black-out drunk when Alex comes back." I set the bottle away, my own limbs swaying as I did.

"If, he comes back." She corrected, picking at her nails.

"He'll come back."

"Not once he knows I'm a Scant."

I sat up on my elbows, peering down at her. "I'm not going to tell him."

"I know, but it ain't exactly hard to tell."

"Alex is dumber than a rod, he won't find out."

A wild fit of giggles possessed her body. She folded over, coughing she was laughing so badly.

"Sorry," I chuckled. "That was too honest."

Her smile was gentle, and sweet. The nasty Scant I'd seen hours ago turned into someone I could call a friend. Who would've thought, I'd be drinking with a Scant.

What's happening to me?

The cold air bit at her, causing her to shiver. She pulled that jacket taut around her shoulders and whined. I liked the cold, the numbing sensation calmed me in a way. Sometimes I forget people don't like that.

Freezing until your numb. That's what happened to me.

"Where did you find that jacket." I rubbed the scuffed and frizzing denim. "It's nice.

Her face fell into one I'd seen in the mirror many times. Guilt tainted her eyes. The denim jerked from my fingertips.

"My brother gave it to me when I was a kid." She mumbled.

Oh God, did something happen to him? Guilt gnawwed at my chest. What if he's dead? I just brought up her dead brother.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry."

It took her a moment to register the horror on my face. She broke off into a howl of drunk laughter.

"He ain't dead or nothing. We just got into a fight today."