30. Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Sage

" W here's Hazel and V?" I give August a hug, and while I know I didn't do anything wrong, it feels wrong hugging him, knowing what Liam told me last night. I haven't spoken to him all day, but he sat outside my door all night and tried to talk to me this morning before I left, but I told him I needed space. I don't know when I'm going to talk to him, but it's not now.

August kisses my head before pulling away. "Hazel is down on the boat releasing an otter for work, and I think Sire mentioned something about Vidia having a meeting at work, but he sounded weird about it."

Before I can question him, Lis comes up beside us. "Is this the Grammys or an AA meeting?" She takes in my outfit before pulling me in for a hug, and I let out a soft laugh.

"We're going somewhere after this, and I just wanted to wear my outfit now." It's a cute dress, but I also wanted to spend the rest of the day with Sire. This way, I won't have to leave to change for the rooftop place we're going to.

Today's Sire's one-year soberversary, and when he came by to tell me earlier, I literally screamed. He's been working so hard to get to this, and I'm immensely proud of him. He also told me what happened between him and Vidia and why they broke up back in college, but I'm so glad they're officially working on getting back together.

"Where are we even going because you're being all top secret about it, and I don't like those bougie ass places you always take us to," Lis complains, and I laugh at her.

"She's just accustomed to the trenches."

I turn at the sound of Sire's voice, and all of us break into a laugh before I pull him in for a hug.

"We were neighbors in those trenches , asshole."

"Maybe, but which of the two of us made it out first?"

"Because these idiots adopted your pathetic ass, don't make me go there." Lisette points at Sire at the end of her threat, and surprisingly, he doesn't bother her anymore.

The two of them grew up on the other side of town from August and I, and it definitely wasn't the best part of town, but we all went to the same school, which is how we met.

I let my eyes focus on my brother, and when he smiles, my chest suddenly feels heavy. "I'm so proud of you, Sire." I pull him in for another hug and squeeze my eyes shut when I feel them stinging.

"Oh my God. She cries for everything. Sage, stop; we said there won't be any crying today." Lis sounds annoyed, but Sire immediately tells her to leave me alone, which I appreciate because I didn't agree to this no-crying deal, and I'll definitely be shedding a few tears.

"I love you, Sage." When we pull away he plants a soft kiss on the top of my head before wiping away a single tear that escaped. "Seriously though, no crying."

I laugh softly and blink away my tears. "Fine!"

Our parents trickle in soon after, and the meeting starts.

"This next chip is also for three hundred and sixty-five days sober."

I start recording since this is Sire's sponsor on stage now.

"I know I shouldn't say this because it might boost this man's already huge ego," The crowd laughs, and when I look over at Sire, he rubs his eye while not so discreetly flipping off his sponsor.

"But I'm most proud of you. People in your position usually throw money at their problems or ignore them completely because they have that privilege, being that they're wealthy, but you put in the work, and I think the teenage version of yourself would be most proud so keep doing it for him."

There's no use stopping the tears now, and when I steal a glance at Sire, he blinks rapidly as he keeps his tears at bay.

"I now present this bronze chip for one year sober to Sire Griffin."

I'm still recording like a proud mom as Sire walks up the stage, and the family stands to clap for him. He looks so content, almost like this is just another day, and he couldn't care too much, but I know how hard he's been working to stay clean this last year, and I know he's proud of making it.

The minute I get the chance, I make everyone give him his gifts, mainly because I love gifts and want to see what he got.

"Socks?"

Lisette smiles proudly as Sire holds up the gift he gave her.

"What do they say on it?"

"Sober AF." Lisette still has a smug smile on her face, and Sire burst into a laugh.

"You could've done worse. Your gift is going to be easy to get now."

"No gift is worse than socks."

"There's always worse." They share a laugh, and I have no clue why they gift each other bad gifts for their soberversary, but I love all of their inside jokes.

"Okay, open mine."

Sire takes my gift, and I wait excitedly as he unboxes it. When his eyes land on the snow globe, he immediately looks over at me.

"Sage, I said we couldn't cry."

I fight my tears to stay at bay, and he clearly does the same as he tries not to look at his gift.

"Look at the picture."

He turns his head to the side, but I urge him to look at it. When he does, a smile creeps onto his face before he pulls me in for a hug.

"What is it?"

Sire lets August take the snow globe as he keeps his arms around me.

"This is a picture from the first time you made a year sober?"

I pull away to wipe my tears and smile down at the picture.

We look like babies in this. We were eighteen, and Sire and Lis were just sixteen. We threw the biggest party the first time Sire made a year sober, and he begged me not to because he doesn't like the attention, but he deserved to be celebrated. It was also Lis's soberversary and she almost didn't go to the party, but Sire dragged her to it since he had to be there.

"It's the perfect gift, and it'll be perfect for the collection." Sire kisses my forehead before taking the gift back from August.

Snow globes have become our thing. It started with the first one I gave him on Christmas when we were kids. I felt bad that he had fewer gifts than August and I. We hadn't adopted him at the time, and our parents didn't know he was going to be spending Christmas with us. He only had a few gifts, so I gave him a snow globe I got for Easter, and he loved it so much; he said it was his favorite gift ever, and since then, I get him snow globes whenever I have the excuse to.

"Okay, at least open my gift before you say hers is perfect."

We laugh at my twin's jealousy, and Sire opens August's gift. It's a pair of very expensive headphones, and it's a nice gift since I know Sire mentioned he wanted these. I think mine is still better, but Sire nor I mention it.

I spend the rest of the day with my siblings, and it only makes me realize how much I miss them. The boys spend way more time together than with me and it's mainly because they're literally neighbors, but it makes me miss being young when we all lived together and didn't have our own lives.

When we make it to the rooftop place I booked, Liam calls me so I slip to the bathroom to answer.

"Hello?" I keep my voice hushed, although all of the other stalls are empty.

"Dory, hey." He lets out a small breath as if he was informed I was harmed and he needed to hear my voice. "Where are you?"

"Why do you want to know, Liam?" With my phone connected to my headphones, I put my phone down as I apply more lipgloss.

He's quiet for a second before he says, "I miss you."

I shake my head before rubbing my lips together to spread the gloss. "You saw me this morning."

"Well, I still miss you. I don't like this space stuff."

"I don't like being lied to and made out to look stupid. Have a good night." I try to hang up, but he quickly stops me.

"You know I didn't get with you out of spite, right? I wouldn't do that to you, Sage, I swear. I wanted you for you."

I focus on myself in the mirror as I think of his words. I give myself a once over, and no matter how much my brain tries to pick me apart, I know those weren't his intentions.

"I know, Liam. That doesn't take away from the fact that my brothers don't like you."

"So you're going to break up with me because of them?"

I can hear the shift in his tone as he gets upset, and I chew my lip in thought. I know they fought a few months ago, but I have no clue how much my brothers truly dislike him. They clearly don't hate him since I haven't heard about it.

"Sage," he calls when I don't answer.

"No, Liam, maybe not, but you didn't need to lie and loop your friends in on it." I haven't spoken to Jordan, but Moon has tried calling me. I forgot I was mad at him, so I answered, and he told me that he told Liam to tell me. He said, "It's not my fault he's a liar," which I guess is true. It was Liam's job to tell me, not Moon's.

Someone walks into the bathroom, and I offer them a bright smile as I grab my phone. "I need to go." I hang up before he can respond and head back to my siblings.