Life in Search ✔️

22 ~ Party

"Do you know where they are?"

James pretends to not hear me, shooting a basket. He goes to chase the ball, but I grab his arm, I've already asked the question three times. I'm starting to get annoyed.

He groans, "Look, man, they're allowed to take a day off every once and a while." 

They are, but I know they were up at their usual time. Sage sent me three videos of vine compilations, one just of the merry Chrysler vine on repeat. Scarlett also responded to my good morning text and didn't mention anything about skipping.

Why do I get the feeling he isn't being honest? Ella and Stella gave me a generic answer too, claiming they were just running late.

Late my ass.

"I promise you, you'll see Scarlett's pretty face soon enough." He teases, chucking the ball at me.

"Sage isn't here either." I protest, but even I admit it falls flat.

He laughs, "Please, I heard about your stalking incident in the library."

I drop the ball, that little shit. "It's not stalking if I was supposed to be there."

I was just admiring her from a distance, without her knowing.

"Right, I saw the video, just keep telling yourself that." He shakes his head, like he didn't spend my first three weeks here doing the same to Stella.

If anything, his was true stalking.

We go to get changed and I don't push James on the topic, making it to Spanish with the hope she'll be here. She isn't, so I take my seat in the back and try to pay attention.

Halfway through class, I'm about to die with boredom as the door opens, Scarlett walking in to hand the teacher a note.

I perk up as she walks back, trying to notice if anything's wrong. She seems fine, her eyes are a little red but mainly fine. Black jeans and a gray sweater tucked in, the top hanging off her shoulder.

I've never understood to dress code rule about shoulders but damn, if it doesn't distract me.

I smile as she takes her seat and she returns it. I'm dying to ask her what happened, but she focuses on the lesson. Of course, she's probably dying to learn about what she missed in Lit too.

So I spend the remainder of class trying to keep my mouth shut, and for the first time in a while, I succeed. But as soon as the bell rings, I'm out of my seat.

Waiting till we're in the hallway, I'm about to ask when I notice she's shivering. "Scar, you okay?"

She nods, "Y... yeah, just a chill."

Throwing an arm around her, I swear. Just a chill, she's a human icicle. She feels like she's spent all morning outside. "Hold on."

I stop us, not caring if I piss the people behind us off. She eyes me quizzically as I reach for the back of my hoodie. "Ash, I'm fine."

Bullshit, she's going to get sick. "I didn't ask you."

Pulling it over my head, I hand it to her. "Here."

She shoves it away, "I don't want you to get cold."

My eyes almost bulge out of my head, me get cold. Now that I can get a closer look at her, her nose pink. Knowing she won't say yes, I shove the hoodie over her head.

"Ashton, stop it." She protests, but I don't. Instead I reach for her arm to pull it through. Snatching her arm away, she lets out a huff. "I can dress myself."