28. Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Liam

I have no idea what's wrong with me, but I might be sick. My palms are sweaty, and my stomach feels weird. It only gets worse the higher the elevator climbs to Sage's place, and it's ridiculous for me to be nervous about this date, so I must be sick with something.

My hand freezes at her door, and maybe it's because I've never been on a date or maybe because I want Sage to enjoy our date, but this is so damn hard.

I hurry up and knock, and I hear her yell on the other side of the door that she's on her way. I look down at the white roses in my hand and fix one that looks weird just as she opens the door.

My eyes land on her pretty smile, and I immediately lean in to kiss her. When I pull away to look at her, I slowly take in her dress. She's in emerald green and the color looks like it was made for her as the dress melts into every last one of her perfect curves.

"You are perfect."

She smiles up at me before flattening my button-up shirt. "You don't look too bad yourself, handsome."

I feel my face heat, and when she looks up at me, her jaw drops at something.

"Are you blushing ?!"

"No, it's hot in here." I hand her the roses and unbutton the first few buttons on my shirt. Sage doesn't say anything else as she smiles down at her roses.

"You did not need to get me these for the date."

I look around her living room, and it's covered with the five bouquets I sent today, plus the fifteen for my be-my-girlfriend gesture. Her house smells like a garden, but I look down at her, and she's smiling around the room. I'll send her twenty lavish bouquets every dayjust to keep that smile on her face.

She sets her roses on her counter, but when her phone dings, I notice her face drop.

"What's wrong?"

She shakes her head, but I close the distance between us and lean down to catch her eyes with mine.

"What is it, beloved?"

When she lets out a sigh, I glance over at her phone and then back at her.

"My meeting didn't go how I wanted." She sounds like she's about to cry, and when I pull her face up to look at me, I realize her eyes are welling up. "She was being so mean and punishing me for taking Vincent's offer, but I didn't do anything wrong."

I pull her in for a hug, and she immediately melts into me. "This was that Florence lady?"

She confirms before telling me she's her boss, and I make sure I remember that name.

"It's gonna be okay; you'll have your way."

She pulls away and drags in a deep breath before putting on a smile, for I'm not sure who. "I don't think I will, but thank you." When she gets on her tippy toes, I lean down for her and kiss her softly.

"What did you have planned for our date?"

"You'll see." I grab her hand, and we head for the door. I grab it before she can, and she smiles up at me, but a second barely passes before her smile drops, and she looks past me like she's seen a ghost.

I turn around and take a step in front of Sage because the girl in front of us looks like a damn lunatic. It looks like she put on five pounds of mascara before dumping her face in a pool. She's in a sweatsuit with stains, and I think she's been wearing this for the last few days. Her hair also looks like she was fighting her brush.

"Do you know this girl?" I mumble to Sage, but when I glance at her, I see tears building in her eyes.

"Sage–"

I shut the door on her face before grabbing Sage's hand. "Who is that? Do you want her to leave?"

She only nods, and when she pulls in a deep breath, I think she physically can't let it back out.

I plant a quick kiss on her forehead before opening the door again, just a bit so she can only see me as I keep Sage covered. "Leave."

The girl looks up at me like I'm the one who shouldn't be here. "Who the hell are you?" I glance at the bruise under her eye before giving her a once-over.

"Who the fuck are you ?"

She pulls in a breath before rubbing her nose on a nasty-ass napkin in her hand, and I inch away from her, although there's plenty of space between us.

"I'm her best friend. I just–"

Sage suddenly swings the door open, and I wrap an arm around her waist because with how quickly she moves, I think she's going to attack the homeless girl in front of us.

"You are not my best friend, and you never have been, Helena."

It suddenly clicks who the hell this chick is, and I let Sage go because this girl deserves to get her ass beat, and my money is on Sage.

"Sage, I am so sorry about what happened. Can you please just let me explain?"

"You're sorry for what happened? " Sage shakes her head, and I hate how hurt she looks. "You mean you're sorry for trying to ruin the biggest day of my career because that's what happened."

Helena keeps her eyes on Sage, and I swear it's as if she's forcing her tears out. "I did it for you, Sage. I was trying to help you, why can't you see that?" She takes a step forward, and I wrap an arm around Sage before pulling her a step back because this girl actually sounds manic with the way she tries to justify this.

"That doesn't even make sense, Lena! You know I'm not one of those models who self-sabotage for attention, and even if those were your intentions, you should've come to me with the idea before cutting a hole in my fucking dress five minutes before I needed to go on fucking stage!"

My eyes slightly widen because I've never heard Sage curse. I like this side of her; I just wish she didn't have to be hurt for me to see it. I realize she has a slight accent that slips as she yells, and I bite back a smile as I watch her.

"I don't even care about the dress. I don't care that it was a Moore show. It was the fact that you did that." She shakes her head again, and I see her lip trembling.

"If it was anyone else, anyone else, I would've brushed it under the rug, but you–" She pulls in a deep breath before trying again. "We started this together. At nineteen, it was just you and me, and then you—I would've never–" Her voice breaks, and I think my heart does too. "I would've never done that to you."

A single tear treks down her cheek before she walks away. Helena grabs her arm, and I grab hers. "Do not fucking touch her." I push her hand away, and Sage escapes for the elevator as I turn to Helena. "If I so much as see you on this street, I'll drag you out myself. Let this be the last time you even think of her damn name."

I shut the door, and she slightly jumps before I walk past her and get into the elevator with Sage. She's quiet until we get to my car, but it's clear she's trying not to cry.

"I'm sorry–"

"Do not apologize, Sage. That was not your fault, and if you want to cry, then go the fuck ahead."

She looks up at the ceiling of my car as she blinks her tears away. "I don't want to ruin my makeup. She isn't worth it."

I give her thigh a reassuring squeeze, and after a minute, she pulls in a deep breath and turns to me.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She bites her lip, and I know she does. "I used to dream of becoming the greatest model to ever walk a stage. I'd dream of winning it all, and every time, in every dream, Helena was by my side, winning with me."

She shakes her head before glancing out her window, and just as she does, we watch Helena walking for her car.

"I loved her like a sister, and she tried to humiliate me on my biggest day."

I glance over at Helena, and she walks with her head held high like she has no shame in what she did to my girl.

"Do you want me to run her over because there's still time, and we can make it look like an accident?" I turn the car on, and Sage grabs my hand before filling the car with her perfect laugh.

"Are you crazy?" She laughs harder, and I lean over before kissing her dimples.

"No, but I'd do some pretty crazy things for you."

Her eyes meet mine, and not a single tear is in sight.

"Ready?"

She nods in return, and I give her a soft kiss before driving off, but just as we pass Helena, I put Sage's window down.

"What are you–"

"Fuck you! Hating ass bitch!"

I speed off, and Sage's jaw agapes. "That was so–"

"Don't say it was mean because she–"

"Funny!" She breaks into a laugh. "Did you see her face?"

The car fills with our laughter as I drive us to our date. I let her play her horrible music, and she dances in her seat with a smile.

When she puts the music down, I steal a glance at her, and she's watching me with an innocent smile. "So…"

"So…" I keep my eyes on the road, but a smile tugs at my lips when I hear her giggle next to me.

"You love Greece?"

I take a slow breath and force myself not to sigh so she doesn't misinterpret it. I told her I love Greece and that was the same card I told her about Shanti…

I asked her not to ask about it, but my last card also said she could ask whatever she wanted tonight, and I appreciate how subtle she tries to be.

"I do." I bring my hand to her thigh before giving her a soft squeeze. "I think I'd like Jamaica or Haiti more, though." When I look over at her, she only nods, her smile still present, and I'm glad she understands that I don't want to talk about it.

She asks about my time in Greece, and as I tell her about it, I make sure to stay away from the topic of who I was there with, but she, of course, asks, and when I cringe, she notices.

"Oh gosh, you were being a whore out there, weren't you!" She laughs, and I'm glad this is her reaction, although I wasn't expecting her to be weird or jealous.

"I was…" I sound like I'm in trouble, but when I think about the shit I did there, I'd probably be in trouble if she knew, and she didn't even know me at the time. "But that's not why I love Greece, and either way, I'm your whore now."

She fills the car with her laugh, and I steal a kiss when we get to a red light.

"Why octopus?"

I kiss her cheek one more time before I continue driving. "I just always thought they were cool as a kid. Three hearts, eight legs." I say with a shrug. "And they only live maybe five years instead of an insanely long time or ridiculously short time. They're cool."

"Five years is a pretty short time to live."

In comparison to humans, I guess she's right.

"Yeah," I pull in a deep breath, and it's not as hard as I thought it would be to continue, so I do. "I always liked them, but I think they remained my favorite animal because my sister liked them. We went to an aquarium, and when she touched one, she lost her fucking shit."

I laugh at the memory. "She kept saying ‘octo' like a broken record. We practically lived in the aquarium that week."

Sage laughs softly from beside me. When her laugh sobers, I steal a glance at her, and she grabs the hand I have on her thigh. She studies my tattoo, and it's dark in here, so she uses the front of her phone for light, but I can see her connecting the dots in her head as she analyzes the octopus tattoo on my hand.

"I thought none of your tattoos had any special meaning to them?" She turns to me, and I offer a small smile as I glance back at the road.

"Those are for my sister. None of the others mean anything, though."

She kisses my hand and then kisses my forearm where my bigger octopus tattoo is, and with how tender her lips are on a part of me that's so special, I never want her to stop kissing me.

The rest of the drive, we sit in a comfortable silence as her music plays.

When we park, she looks out the window, and her eyes light up. "Oh my God! The El Captain theater? I've always wanted to come here." She looks over at me and quickly kisses me. "Are we watching Lady and the Tramp ?"

She sounds way too excited, and my face drops. "No… Do you want to watch that?"

She looks back over at me and her brows slightly furrow. "Oh, I don't mind what we watch." She shakes her head softly, but now I feel like this is ruined. "I just asked because that's what they have on their signs?"

I glance out the window and see pictures of dogs eating spaghetti everywhere. "Because that's what they're showing, but I rented the place out for us to watch something else, but if you want to watch that, I can tell them, and I–"

"Liam." She laughs at something before taking my hand. "It's okay; we can watch whatever you pick."

"Are you sure? Because–"

"Yes!" She laughs again, and I don't know what's so funny, but my eyes fall on her smile before I kiss her.

"Why do you seem so nervous?"

I pull away, and she clearly bites back a laugh. "I'm not nervous. What is there to be nervous about? It's a movie ."

"It's a date… Probably your first real one." She teases, and I roll my eyes before slipping out of the car, and she laughs behind me. I grab her door for her and take hold of her hand as we walk to the theater. I look over at her to watch her reaction, and I can see her excitement growing at the Princess and the Frog theme everywhere.

I had them change their entire theme from the ugly dogs to this because I wanted Sage to have the full experience. I'm glad I didn't just have them play the movie because she marvels around the room like a kid on Christmas.

"This is my favorite movie."

I smile at her.

"Like ever—besides Finding Nemo ."

"I know."

"How?" She asks, as if she doesn't walk around her apartment singing the entire soundtrack, but I reply with a shrug and her smile only grows.

"Do you want to get something to eat?"

She surprisingly says yes, and I think it's because she just wants to get a picture of the Mickey-shaped pretzel, but I make her order some food.

"They only have junk food, Lee–"

"You can have a cheat day, Sage."

She lets out a sigh as she looks at the menu.

"If you want something else, we can order something to come over here."

"No… I don't want to do that." She glances at the menu again, and it's clear she doesn't want anything.

I plant a kiss on her cheek before leaning into her ear. "You don't have to finish it, beloved. Just try something."

She takes a deep breath before forcing a smile and looking at the cashier. "Can I have a hotdog and fries?" She kept her voice light and her smile intact; you'd never know that was a struggle for her.

"Good job, pretty girl," I whisper in her ear before stealing a kiss and ordering my food, along with popcorn for us.

"Is it a four-D movie?" Sage takes the glasses from the lady after thanking her, and when she says it is, she hurries into the theater as if the movie will start without us. A minute or two after we sit, it starts since we're the only ones here, and Sage is recording the live pianist.

"This is so cool."

I laugh at how she whispers when we're alone . She looks like a kid who was told they could have ice cream for dinner with how happily she sings every song and says every line with the characters.

I only ever watched this movie once, years ago, with Shanti, so it's like I'm watching it for the first time, and it's even better having Sage say half the lines and giggling beside me.

"Oh, oh, this is my favorite song." She sings along with Tiana, and I spend the whole time watching her rather than watching the movie.

When the VooDoo man comes on screen, Sage watches with wide eyes as if she can't miss a second.

"When I watched this as a kid, I was amazed that Lawrence kept calling Naveen Sire, you know because that's my brother's name, but then I learned it's what you call a king." She turns to me. "Isn't that cool?"

No. Her brother isn't a damn king.

"Mhm."

She turns back around and tells me this is her favorite part and to pay extra close attention, so I do.

"And I got friends on the other side." She makes her voice deeper.

I lean into her ear. "He's got friends on the other side."

She loses her shit and is surprised I know this part, but it's honestly the only song I know since she sings it all the time.

"Shake my hand," Sage says and holds her hand out to me. "Come on, babe, won't you shake a poor sinner's hand?" She nods for her hand, and I have no idea what's happening, but I take her hand just in time, and she tilts her head back.

"Yes! Are you ready?"

I break into a laugh at how much of a damn character she is. She sings the rest of the song before we sink into our seats to watch the rest.

"Oh, this is my favorite song." She whispers to herself, and she says this about every other song that plays, but I don't tell her that. "Look how she lights up the sky."

The ceilings light up with stars, and one shines brighter than the others, like on the screen. Sage looks up again, and the star rivals her eyes. "I adore you. I love you." She looks over at me and puts her hands up in defense like the frog. "Just translating." She laughs as she says the lines with Naveen, but I physically can't look away from her.

God, she's so pretty. She's literally perfect.

My heart suddenly races as a heat wave washes over me, and my eyes travel along every inch of her face. Her dimples deepen as she sings, and a fist comes around my heart.

"And I love you, Evangeline," she whispers, and when pink spotlights light up the room, she lets out a soft gasp. "Ou, can we dance with them?"

I blink, and when I look at the screen, the frogs are dancing under a pink light. I hate dancing, but she's watching me hopefully, so I rise to my feet, and we dance.

The lights around us change on cue with the movie, and Sage looks like this is all she has wanted in her entire life. We sway softly, and I watch her as she watches the ceiling change colors.

I love her.

I clear my throat and look away from her because it's starting to physically hurt to look at her. I don't know what the hell it's like to love someone, but I don't think I'm supposed to say that shit on the first date. I do know, right now, I never want to be apart from this woman, and I desperately need for her to always have this smile on her face.

The lights cut, and shadows scurry around us. When I turn to the screen, a shadow grabs one of the frogs, and Sage pulls me back to sit down for the rest of the movie.