Drama is a four lettered word...

[lucidVisionOfLife]

" You didn't get me in trouble... I'm the one who closed the door. And my being grounded isn't your fault either."

Sage scooted over next to Jet sitting cross legged.

Sage laughed at the whispered comment.
" That was her being pleasant." Sage said through a smile in an attempt to lighten the situation.
The grandma subject was one that Sage didn't to stay on for too long. Bob and Raven knew all about the verbal abuse, and general mistreatment, Mrs. Green was guilty of. They were always trying to get Sage to trick her into acting the way she did in front of her father. But it wasn't as easy as it sounded, especially when her father was hardly ever home.

Jet didn't need to know about the mistreatment Sage decided, it would break her secret promise. But she wasn't going to lie to him either, she figured if she played it off like a it wasn't a big deal, he wouldn't press on the subject.
Sage looked down at him, with a smile...He was so handsome, there was not a flaw in his features, his dark eyelash framed eyes were captivating as well as his straight white toothed smile. She still couldn't fathom how a boy so exquisite, could possibly have any interest in a girl like her. But she shoved that in the back of her mind with the rest of her suppressed insecurities. She smiled at him again, with an almost inaudible laugh.
"So, I figured out what we should do. I know we have been walking all day....But we should go for a walk. Sound good?"  

[Tir Malice]

Jet looked at the clock and then back to Sage. "Of course, anything you want." He smiled at her. He knew that they needed to practice tonight, but that could wait, after the day she had, he would do whatever she wanted if it meant the smile on her face.

He sat up and kissed her cheek. "Shall we go then? Lady Sheila?" He took her good and and helped her up, enveloping her in a hug before putting his lips softly to hers again.

Emotions flooded him again. When he backed away he slowly led her to the door.  

[lucidVisionOfLife]

Sage sighed during the embrace and smiled through the soft kiss.
"Why of course Darian dear." Sage said in the voice and inflections of her character.
She let him open the front door for her. The ground was white from the intermittent snowstorms. The air was crisp and refreshing. The cold bit at the skin on her belly. Sage yet again, forgot her jacket. She didn't mind the cold so much. The residual painkillers made it less noticeable. The echos of their foot falls crushing against the snow filled up the quiet neighborhood. Sage held on his hand loosely occasionally caressing the palm of his hand with her thumb, as they walked.

She lead him to no destination in particular, the point of the walk was to be with him, not whee they were going.

"It's too bad we didn't make it to the library, I wanted to show you my thoughtful spot...And I didn't get to play guitar for you either...I guess you won't hear it for a few months, you know after my fingers are useful again."

Sage stopped short, when she noticed she was stating depressing things.Things that would probably make Jet feel bad.

"So, It's kinda embarrassing... but I don't know if we have any other classes together." She lightly laughed under her breath, with she finished speaking.
Embarrassment, Sage decided was a safe emotion to let show through the mask, so she sheepishly smiled at him through her hair. She told him all of her classes, looking at their entwined hands as she spoke.

"Are you in any of those?"
The curiosity was so intense as she waited for his answer. Not being able to see him until drama class was a horrifying thought.


 

[Tir Malice]

Jet draped his jacket over her shoulders, like he had done the night before. It was a little cold, but bearable under the heavy shirt he wore. The snow clung to the rooftops in the neighborhood. He got the impression that they were two drawings sharing an empty page together.

Jet smiled, caressing her hand a little. "Well, for one, I know we share lunch, cause I've seen Raven out there before. Oh, and Homeroom!" He smiled at her at the realization that they had a few classes in which they would share.

He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. "I wish we shared all of our classes together."  

[lucidVisionOfLife]

Sage smiled when she noticed she felt warmer. Jet was so selfless,he would probably give her all the cloths off his body if she needed them, or asked for them. The thought didn't seem like a bad idea, as Sage admired the lean built shape of Jets chest and torso underneath his shirt. She imagined it to be just as chiseled and toned like his features and arms. A light blush tinted her face at the thought of wanting to see his bare chest...the color deepened as she imagined resting her head on his bare chest. Sage stopped the sensual thoughts short. She wasn't used to thinking things like that and they were making her uncomfortable, in more ways then one.

" Me too...We share less classes than I hoped, just two and lunch. But at least I get to see you every morning."

Sage rested her head on Jets shoulder as they walked still clutching his hand.

" I wish Raven hadn't decided to kidnap me tonight. It's not that much longer till six... I'm not really in to shopping. Maybe because every time I've been, it was with my grandmother."
Sage laughed as they turned on to the next block. A thought popped in Sages head that put a excited smile on her face.

"Well, all my stuff is still at your house. So Raven will have no choice but to stop by there after the mall...So... we'll get to see each other one last time before I'm grounded.
Isn't that great?"

Sage leaned in to Jet and snuggled her head on his shoulder.
Sage smiled enjoying herself, she savored the nice moments they were sharing like a piece of gourmet chocolate.
After they reached the end of the block they turned around heading in the direction of home, moving at a slow relaxed pace  

[Tir Malice]

Jet could tell she was lost in thought as her face started to blush. He pretended not to notice to save her some embarrassment. He pulled her close as she mentioned the classes, and how they would be starting the days together. “I can’t think of a better way to start the day.”

He listened as she spoke of shopping with Raven, and making plans to stop by his house. He smiled at the thought. “That would be wonderful . . . “ The thought of having to spend a moment away from her made his heart feel like it was falling out the bottom of his world. He had grown dependant to her presence in the short time they had been together. Parting was not something that he was looking forward too.

“I would love to invite you to dinner again, Raven too if she’ll be there.” Jet hoped that she would be able too, if it meant just a few more minutes than he would otherwise have, he would take what he could get. He wrapped his arm around her waist and leaned in for a kiss. This moment was blissful to him, just spending time together.  

[lucidVisionOfLife]

Before Sage could respond, she was greeted with Jet's mouth on hers. She savored and held the kiss for a long moment before reluctantly pulling away.

Sage was silent for awhile as they walked on towards her street. His invitation caused a conflict, since her dad made dinner plans already. Sage carefully thought out her response, working out a compromise.


"I'd love to have dinner at your house again...I really would. But, I hardly ever get to eat dinner with dad, or see him. He works three jobs a day seven days a week... It would hurt his feelings if we canceled out on dinner with him."

Sage paused to kiss Jet on the corner of his mouth.

" Well, I'm going to have to play the part of Raven's my size Barbie tonight after shopping."
Sage wrinkled her nose, it was apparent she was not looking forward to being fussed over.

"I could probably convince her to do it at your house...I could probably get dads OK to stay out till midnight.
If you don't mind us girlifying your bathroom."

Sage giggled and stole another kiss on the edge of his mouth.  

[Tir Malice]

Jet accepted the kisses happily. “Sure, that would be great, so long as you don’t spray anything too strong in there.” He wondered a little about Raven’s reaction to having to deal with a spectator to Sage’s wardrobe change. Somehow, the role of stylist just didn’t seem to be Raven’s forte, regardless of the fact that she dressed fairly well. Bob however, he could picture filling in as an over the top one rather easily, fake deviant voice and everything.

As Sage leaned in to give him another kiss on the cheek, he turned just enough to take it on the lips. It didn’t turn into a big, deep kiss, but he was able to return it. When she pulled away he smiled. “We’ll, tomorrow I’ll try to be by your side as much as possible, I’m going to make sure that people understand that I am absolutely yours, and there is nothing they can do about it.”

Jet smiled a bright smile. He thought about Lauren. That snake would likely be able to get away with murder in that school with her dad running the show. Somehow he was going to have to find a way to make her understand that she wasn’t going to win. He bet that he would be able to get the help of Bob, Raven, and quite possibly James to help keep an eye on Sage through the day.  

[lucidVisionOfLife]

Sage stopped walking when she noticed they were at there destination.
When Jet mentioned the next day at school, she felt a wave of terror envelope her. Despite his promise to stay by her side, she couldn't help but to think of the worse case scenarios. Considering she wasn't at the school for more than 15 minutes and had to be taken to the hospital, she felt she had every right to be frightened. Of course none of the worry or paralyzing fear showed on her face. All of her suppressed emotions were writhing and twisting around her mind, each movement sent ghost pains down her arms. There was an uncomfortable heaviness in her chest, the pain from it almost unbearable.
His smile, his touch, the caring tone in his voice was all the fuel she needed to keep her from breaking. His happiness was all that mattered.

Sage had a good idea why Raven had panned the shopping trip. It was to get them. To like her...She heard the comments about the way she dressed. Like Jet had warned her in the restaurant, they didn't think she was good enough for him. Her assumptions of what people thought of her were true. They thought she was insane, ugly, pathetic....There seemed to be no end to the list...She was great full Raven cared about her enough to help her ascend from her self neglect. Apparently invisibility had not been the right tactic to protect herself from them. Their eyes penetrated, Judged and prosecuted. And if Jet was going to make them understand that he was hers, Sage would do everything in her power to make it easier for him. She was willing to endure anything, to never have to see the pain on Jets face, anything.

"Mine!" Sage said with a goofy smile. She let go of his hand and tackled him in a one armed bear hug. She cause him to lose his footing and they fell backward into a heap of snow covered leaves.
"Ssorry..." Sage said through a fit of laughter as she rolled off from on top of him and lay next to him on her snow covered front lawn. Well, what used to be a lawn.  

[Tir Malice]

Jet took the tackle in stride. falling into the leaves, cushioning her fall. SHe rolled off of him laughing and he rolled over to pin her down. "Got ya where I want ya now!" he started to smoother her face in kisses. when they were done, he rolled off and stared up at the sky. He lay their breathlessly a moment.

"Hey Sage?" He asked . . . his voice sounding very contemplative. "What did you first think when we met?"

He rolled on his side to look at her. "I mean, what was the impression I gave you when you first met me?" He stood up and began helping her to her feet. His mind was lost in thought, he was thinking about her, and his feelings on her. He knew he lov- . . . LIKED, he LIKED her . . . He fought hard to maintain that thought, and not let it move farther than that. Don't say it, don't admit it, don't even think it Jet thought, his mind fighting to maintain his composure.  

[lucidVisionOfLife]

Sages laughter turned into a giggle of delight as she was indulged by the softness of his lips hastily moving all over her face and lips. Her heart speed up and pounded against her chest in excitement. The familiar euphoria feeling from earlier that morning filled her up. The moment seemed to last for ever as the heaviness in her chest became progressively lighter. When he broke away the heaviness started to push down on her until it was at full force. She lay on her back next to him staring at the slightly overcast pale blue sky.

Sage didn’t answer him right away mostly because she wasn’t sure what to say. She thought back to the day before in front of the bulletin board.

“ That you had on some nice shoes….” Sage smirked at her little inside joke before she continued on…
“ My first impression of you were your eyes. I was thinking about how they reminded me of the color of the earth after a summer rain.“
Her face turned a shade of red, the thought was personal and it was weird to share. She wouldn’t have ever said such a thing to Bob, in fear of being mercilessly teased.
"And your smile….It was so sincere and kind...I was just relived you weren't mad at me for not knowing who you were.”

She didn’t bother asking him what he has originally thought of her, Sage was pretty sure she already knew.
Clumsy, quiet, inarticulate, and depressing…

When she noticed that the blinds in her grandmothers room looked like they were being pried open,Sage led him back into the house back to her room so they could talk more. Sage hoped to got Grandma had not seen Jet on top of her...Kissing her...Grandma would not let her hear the end of it.
The walk had only taken thirty minutes and dinner was still an hour away. When the reached her room she kept the door open, but only a crack, she knew that
was pushing it, but she didn’t care. She sat on the edge of her bed and motioned for Jet to sit next to her.
"Ask me another." Sage said with a smile, after he got his fill of questions it would be her turn.  

[Tir Malice]

Jet thought for a moment. "Hmm . . . " he said, trying to think of something to ask. "Let me think a moment."

He sat back and came up with a few he could ask her in progression.

"Why do you like me?"
"What is it you like most about me?"
"Does the fact that I've had ten girlfriends scare you?"
"Don't let it, you are you're own person, and you are perfect just as you are, I was just curious. So, what's the story behind Raven and Bob, how did you meet them?"
"What would you like to do on our first official date after you get off from being grounded?"

"Umm . . . that's it, I'm out of questions, would you like to ask me any?"  

[lucidVisionOfLife]

Sage lay back on the bed as she answered each of his questions, pausing a moment before answering.
"I like you because, you are one of the kindest sweetest people I have ever met. We'd be here for awhile if I listed them all." Not to mention some of them were embarrassing.

"I can't pick just one! So everything...I just feel so comfortable around you. Like I can be myself and it's okay."

It took her longer than the last two to answer the next question. She didn't know what to say...She hadn't thought on the subject for awhile. Thinking about other girls sharing what she had with Jet bothered her.
"Not scared...Kinda worried like I'm doing everything wrong...I mean ten girlfriends that's a lot of girls to live up to ya know..."

"Raven was in my first hour Home Ec. class. We were cooking partners. We became friends after awhile. We even started eating lunch together. She was kind of concerned that all I would do when she was not eating lunch with me was read. So she randomly grabbed Bob before she left to eat lunch with her latest boyfriend. He was eating at the table next to mine she said 'Make her have a conversation with you!' So Bob asked me the same line of questions I ask you at Gems...And the rest is history I guess"

"Um, how about you surprise me."


"Questions for you....Hmm..."

She had so many...And most of them would be too upsetting for both of them, if she asked them. She sifted through all of them until she found the safest ones.

"How long was your longest relationship?...You don't have to answer if you don't want too, just curious."

"Okay what do you like best about me?"

"What were you thinking when I kissed you during the truth or dare game?"

"Do I make you happy? Be truthful."

"Is there anything that would scare you away?
You know, anything that would change your mind about being with me? And I don't mean anything I'm doing right now, I mean anything I should steer away from. "


 

[Tir Malice]

Jet lay next to her as he thought about his answers.

"The longest? Probably about 4 months. They didn't last long. So . . . I guess, to be honest, you really don't have many expectations to fight against. Just be yourself, and I'll want to keep you around, cause I like your personality."

"You mean what about your personality? Well . . . you are kind, caring. You seem to put others before yourself. You are very sweet. And you make me feel like doing anything I can to make you smile, because your's is soo beautiful."

"To be honest, my mind goes blank when we kiss. Don't worry, its not a bad thing. You kiss really well, I just mean, I get absorbed into it, so I guess you could say, I'm thinking about how much I enjoy it?"

Jet leaned over and kissed Sage on the cheek. "Of course you make me perfectly happy."

JEt remained silent for a long time. "No, I can think of absolutely nothing. Other than turning into a bitter spiteful person, like Luaren." He scowled. "I still can't believe what she did to you . . . " He shook his head. "Anyway, no, I've accepted you and all your good points and your flaws. I will accept them all and care for you just the same."

He smiled. "Anything else?"  

[lucidVisionOfLife]

All of Jets answers made her extremely happy. The heaviness in her chest calmed down until it was increasingly bearable. His reassurances and sincerity were like a machete cutting the weeds down to size. Of course weeds always grew back but for the moment Sage was able the breath again, metaphorically speaking.
She mentally patted her self on the back because whatever she was doing was working.

Jet was happy, with her.

Sage shook her head no at his question, for her mind was still on Lauren.

" I can't either. I can really wrap my mind why someone would hurt another person like that...When you hurt one person, it doesn't stop there. It hurts their friends their family...I don't understand why people don't put that in consideration before they choose to do something like that. It's probably easier for me though. Cause I know how it feels to lose someone you love to such violence...And I would never inflict that much pain on another person. Never. " Despite the subject matter Sage had a smile on her face.


Gary peeked in the crack of the door way.
"I think by open, she meant all the way open Sage..." He didn't say anything about the fact they were laying on the bed, they were far enough from each other for him.

" I know...I'm sorry...You can still see in here though, right?"
Gary let out a deep chuckle.

" I won't say anything...Just don't let her catch you... I ordered the take out and It'll he here around 5:20ish...I'll let you know when it's here...It didn't occur for me to ask what you guys wanted, until after I ordered. Not used to planning dinner."
Gary said with a sheepish grin. Gary left the two alone again. He overheard Sages little speech, he was sad for Sage and proud of her at the same time.