He glances over his shoulder, pushing a button to pause his game.
“Look what the delivery guy brought, D! I had to hook it up right away. I haven’t played this shit in years. I forgot how fun it is.”
It sends a sting through my chest that my brother has been so busy with work that there was no point in investing in a gaming system because he never had time to play it. I really hope wherever he ends up for a new job appreciates what he brings to the table and doesn’t work him to death like his last place.
“Is that Mario Kart?” I ask in surprise, finally realizing what’s on the TV screen.
“Yeah, come sit down and play.”
I smile, actually excited about it. I used to watch Sage play this and other games all the time when I was little. Sometimes he’d give me a controller so I could pretend I was playing, until I got older and that didn’t work anymore. Then our mom forced him to teach me how to do it.
“Let me shower first.”
He bounces slightly on the couch, un-pausing the game. “Okay, okay, hurry up.”
I stifle a laugh and grab what I need from my room, shutting myself in the bathroom. By the time I’m out, Sage is vibrating with even more energy and acting more like he’s sixteen and not twenty-six.
But I have to admit, it’s more than a little nice to see this side of him again.
I take a quick shower, toss on my clothes, and brush my teeth before I join him so I’m ready for the night.
Plopping on the couch, I take the other controller.
“Let me finish this race and I’ll switch to two player,” he promises, his tongue sticking out as he races around the track.
It’s a few minutes later when he wins that he switches things over, allowing me to pick my character and race car.
“I’m going to whoop your ass,” I tell him with a laugh as the countdown shows on the screen.
He snorts. “That so, Weed?”
“Oh, yeah.”
We both know it’s a total bluff. I never win. For some reason I could never really get the hang of how to play, but winning isn’t what matters. It’s all about having fun.
We spend the entire evening playing different video games. It’s some of the most fun I’ve had with my brother in a long time. Around one in the morning he forces me to go to bed since I have school. It’s pointless since it’s not like I usually get a full night of rest anyway, but I don’t protest since I know he’s only trying to be responsible.
“Night, Herb!” I call out before closing my door.
“Goodnight, Weed,” he says back. “I love you.”
“Love you too.”
When the door closes, I lean my back against it, letting my eyes drift shut.
Fear crawls up my spine, I don’t even know what triggers it in this moment, but I know without a doubt if he finds out about Lachlan and me, he’ll hate me forever.
Chapter Fifty-Three
Before I know it, it’s February. Valentine’s day to be exact. The lockers are decorated with sticky notes, some project proposed by the student council to leave positive words for people today. It makes no sense to me, but I guess they don’t want single people to feel bad
?
“Yo, Meadows!” Ansel calls, catching up to me as I make my way to the art corridor. “God, you walk fast.” He blows out a breath, slowing his steps beside me. “This is for you.” He holds out a single yellow rose to me. “Don’t freak out, okay, Meadows? The florist said yellow roses mean friendship. I even got one for Sasha. I’m not a total ass.”
I take the rose from him, stifling a laugh that he knows me so well. I was definitely questioning the meaning of the flower.
“It’s beautiful.” It’s the picture of a perfect rose, the petals large and curved. The yellow is vibrant, like sunshine … like a dandelion. I sniff it and the scent is heavenly. “Thank you.”