Rejected At First Sight (Spinoff Series)

14

So sorry this took so long! I'm starting my full time job (part time with full time hours and part time pay - typical) in the next few days. Thank you for your encouraging comments! Stay safe everyone. Let your voices be heard!

Slightly important: I did a whoopsie in the last update and Ash names Jay when Sage and her are arguing, so I just changed it to "them" instead. No need to go back and read it through. Jay is still mostly anonymous to Sage right now. Thanks again!

Ashlyn Jesse

Sage and I focused on our chemistry work, neither of us speaking a word of what happened in the parking lot. I had lead Sage to my secret table, unintentionally, and once I had realized what I had done, I had immediately started to regret it.

"I didn't even know this place existed." Sage had said, looking down at the cafeteria through the window.

I refused to talk to him anymore about my life, but found that I could barely focus on my chem homework. Sage feverishly sat with me, either tolerating or ignoring my bouncing knee. He carefully explained what he was doing and how he got the answers and when to plug them in to the formula.

Even though my attention span was short, and my tongue held no restraints in lashing out at him, Sage kept calm and continued his detailed explanations.

Time seemed to ease by, and noise had started to fill the hallway outside the library. I sighed and leant back in my chair, stretching my arms above my head. The pain was brief but sharp and intense. A whimper leaves my lips before I could stop it.

Sage's eyes flick over to my face as I lower my arms, then they flash down to my hips. "Are-"

"Shut it." I say, sounding harsh but with a lighter tone than I had previously been using. "I am fine. Can you stop asking about it now?"

"Ash." Sage protested, "If you're hurt then let me see-"

"I never said that I was hurt Sage." I rolled my eyes and we began packing our stuff away.

I knew that Sage didn't believe me for one second. But he went along with it. For the time being.

I looked back at him over my shoulder. "Are you going to walk me to History?"

Sage nodded. "I didn't think you would actually invite me to, though. You didn't even acknowledge me yesterday."

"Okay, you were practically stalking me." I say as he comes to my side and we begin to walk to my class.

"What was I supposed to do after I found you and Adam like that?" He whisper-yells.

I shrugged. "Leave me be?"

"As if." Sage huffed. After a moment he spoke again, "Are you going to tell me who it is?"

I sighed, knowing that this was coming. "Can you tell me why this is so important to you?" I ask softly.

"Why do you want to know that?" Sage asked, as if surprised by my question.

"I could ask you the same thing." I retort.

Sage groaned. "This is going nowhere."

"I realize that." I say and turn the corner, my class in sight.

"Ash just please tell me who it is." Sage begged.

I sharply turn around, causing Sage to bump into me. "How am I going to make you drop this? Why do you want to know so bad?"

"Who is it? Ash please, I'll drop it once you tell me." Sage said.

I opened my mouth to reply, but a wave of body heat behind me stopped me short. My eyes widened and my nerves bristled, even though I couldn't seem him, I knew exactly who it was. The person who I couldn't figure out. The person that I had stopped trying to figure out.