Sage

Chapter Twenty Four

"Hello, who's this?"

Silence followed.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Chelsea."

"Sage," Chelsea uttered in surprise, "Oh my God, I've been trying to get ahold of you. How are you?"

This stunned Sage, "Really?" After many attempts to reach her friend, she gave up but thought of trying the number again as she knew it by head.

"Yes. What happened to your phone?" Chelsea asked.

Sage sighed, with relief more than anything else, "I lost it..."

"Why didn't you call me any sooner?"

"Um... I did but," Sage started.

"I'm sorry," Chelsea spoke.

"Me too," Sage said almost immediately.

The line went quiet, a lot of words waiting to be spoken between the two.

"I..."

"Well..."

They spoke simultaneously then giggled.

"I apologize for not confiding in you Chels, I was ashamed," Sage said lowly.

"Sage, listen," Chelsea interrupted, "As mad as I was, I handled the situation wrong, and I shouldn't have ignored you."

"It's okay, what matters is that we're talking right now," Sage reasoned, she didn't want to dwell on the past.

"I miss you," Chelsea admitted, with joy that she was in conversation with her best friend.

"I miss you too," Sage confessed.

The bedroom door opened and Letoya walked in with an overnight bag that she threw down at the foot of her bed. She peered at Sage before getting under the covers.

"We have a lot of catching up to do," Chelsea stated.

Sage nodded her head in agreement, "Yes we do, but not right now."

It was late and Sage wanted to sleep plus she wasn't comfortable with talking in Letoya's presence.

"Of course not," Chelsea tittered, "Are you allowed visitors?"

Sage changed her sitting position and laid down facing the ceiling. "Yes, you want to come all the way down here?"

"Yes," she sang.

Sage lifted her legs off the bed, "When?"

"I wish I could say over the school holidays but mom is making me attend some camp," Chelsea groaned which caused Sage to laugh, "How about your birthday weekend?"

She thought about it for a second, "I can wait another month," she said.

"Great, I'll let mom know and book a flight as soon as possible," her friend jabbered, "What are you doing for the holidays?"

Sage had no plans for the next week, she had nowhere to visit and it was a short break with only ten days, "I don't know hey."

"I'm sure you'll find something, anyway, I have to go. Is this your new number?"

"Yes, save it!" Sage instructed.

Chelsea gave a short laugh, "Okay, I love you."

Sage smiled, "Love you too, bye."

The line went dead.

...

"I got the guy! His name is Brutus," Darius, a tall very dark chubby guy announced to JP, Junior, Marcus, and Trae who occupied a lounge in his house.