I have. I also kind of think she’s guessed that and wants to do something special because she’s too sweet like that.
“You told me you can’t stand the silver look, which is crazy because the last time I tried to go icy blonde it cost me a fortune and never lightened up enough for me to pull it off.”
Drinking and talking about this stuff isn’t a smart idea but there’s something reckless in me about our friendship. Like the years of not having anyone at all to speak to or confide in has made me stupid about her softly spoken kindnesses.
I refuse to look at my reflection in the mirror by the door as I answer her, “It’s not about the color, it’s the memories that come with it. I tried dyeing it back to black a few years ago but it never really took. It’s like my hair… rejected it.”
I risk a glance over to where Sage is refilling both of our cups but she’s frowning a little at the concoction of alcohol and sugar she’s devised. “Well, what’s the worst that can happen with the purple dye? If it doesn’t take, then at least we’ve given it a shot and if it does, no more memories about… bad things chasing you.”
The rest of the night is a blur of drinks, purple dye all over my sheets, and standing in the communal showers in my underwear with Sage at three in the morning to wash the shit out. It’s messy and stupid and completely freaking life-saving.
We both wake up a few hours later hungover and desperate for food.
Gabe doesn’t show up to walk me to class and North messages me to say I still have to attend without my scowling shadow, which is fine by me. I get looks and whispers the whole day but the pounding in my head drowns most of it out and I make it through, thanks to Sage’s equally hungover presence.
When classes finish for the day, she glues herself to my side as we walk over to my dorm. The joint assignment we have is basically done anyway but I’ve quickly figured out that Sage would much rather hang out in my pathetic dorm room with me than go home. She never comments on the pathetic lack of stuff I have or how horribly uncomfortable the bed is, she just acts like this situation is completely normal.
It’s vital to my survival.
She’s become the rock for me, the one person who is keeping my sanity tethered because if I didn’t have her, I’m sure I would be a screaming, raging mess by now.
When we get to her car to drop off her extra textbooks, her phone pings and she rolls her eyes at whatever is on the screen.
“Riley? Or that bitch, Giovanna?”
Sage huffs and says, “Neither, it’s my dad. My parents are pissed about how ‘withdrawn’ I’ve become. Because in their world, it’s fine for me to be shunned but totally unreasonable for me to then refuse to go out to any social gatherings. Mom and I argued about it all this morning and now Dad is pleading with me to go to the football game.”
I shrug and hike my bag higher onto my shoulders, “Do you hate football? I could… maybe figure something out and we could both go?”
I don’t want to have to call North, but if this is important to her then I’ll do it. Sage gives me a shy look back. “I actually sort of love football. My brother plays. I miss going there, but I hate being there by myself because sitting with my parents is like torture. My mom still blames me for ruining things with Riley.”
Fuck that. I’m calling my asshole Bond and we’re going, no matter what it costs me.
I hit dial and take a deep breath, preparing myself for the fight this will be, and the cold tone of North’s voice as he answers sets my teeth on edge. “I’m about to walk into a meeting, Fallows, this isn’t a good time.”
Don’t snap, don’t cuss him out, be calm. “That’s fine, I’ll be quick. Gabe has a football game tonight and I’d like to attend it. Sage is going and we’re going to grab hotdogs and bad game food there. I just need to know that you’re not going to send a TacTeam in to grab me from the stands while I’m watching the game.”
There’s a pause, like he’s weighing out each of my words and