Worth

       Laughter echoed throughout the dimly lit yard as the little orbs slowly turned, passing each teen by without a care in the world. Slowly, the laughter died down as the rustling of the grass came to a stand still and whispers flooded the girls senses. Tensing quietly, the brunette inhaled sharply behind the thick brush she was hiding behind.

       “Where's Sage?” There it was. Hazel eyes hardened as she heard her name being mentioned in their do-or-die game of hide-and-seek. “No one knows? We need to find her!”

        Quietly, as the rustling of footsteps could be heard crunching beneath the grass and dirt, she giggled. Sage thought she was a goner when she heard her ginger-blonde friend laughing next to her, but they only caught her friend luckily. Now, it was her turn and she knew it, although she had to give it up to herself for not being found yet amidst the veil of black.

        Suddenly, she could hear one person's voice she never wanted to hear. Why did it have to be Tristan?! Yet her giggling persisted and suddenly a hand was stuck out into her face. Seeing the outline she was most familiar with- short black hair; tall, lean build and a glimmering smile- she almost fainted. Luckily, her body acted on its own and reached out to take the hand, scrapping her arm on the branches a bit from the brush but she did not notice.

        “Found her! Games over, everyone!” he shouted, releasing Sage's hand as he spun around staring back at the group before them. Her friends giggled as she walked back to her ginger-blonde friend and brunette junior. Smirking, Sage waved at her friends, before lecturing Lily.

        “You almost gave me away, Lily! Your laughing fit almost got me picked out first!”

        “Ah, come on. It was fun and besides, you still won!” Sage had to agree with that and laughed before seeing her junior flailing about like a fish out of water next to Tristan. Her crush was obvious, and she hated the way Tristan acted: like it was nothing.

        “I'm worried about Amora; he's known about her crush for months now, yet he does nothing!” the brunette hissed, looking at the boy with distaste yet sorrow. Lily nods glumly, agreeing silently.

        “He just doesn't want to hurt her. . . Amora's fragile, Sage. You should know best,” Lily explains in an even, almost unsettling tone and Sage nods. She can't help it that's she talked to Tristan and he found out, although he said he was skeptical the way she has acted the past couple of months. Sage and Lily nod before taking off, grabbing Amora and gossiping away; anything to get her mind off Tristan.

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        Later on, Sage notes, that Tristan has been trying to spend his time more often with her. Maybe because she's one of the few that won't kill him? No, she shakes her head, he knows better. Then, staring through his hand-made, carefully crafted telescope she reaches a certain level of understanding as Tristan goes on about Jupiter having sixty-three moons (they can only see four). He likes her.

        After all this time, two years of trying to get over him and move on he likes her, or at least seems to be. After all, he acts like she's the only one that can understand him for who he is and why else would he invite her to his house for stargazing. Stargazing.

        Silently, she smiles and laughs a hollow, dreadful laugh that passes him by as he continues to rant on about not being able to see the rest of Jupiter's moons. It's something small, but Sage wonders herself why they can't see more of the moons. Still, the thoughts persist in her mind as Amora stares at him silently next to her, hanging on his every word.

        Is it worth it?

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        Two weeks. Two weeks already and here he is texting her to come to a movie. Really? Replying, she texts that she's not going; she knows that Amora will be there anyways. Again, he persists inviting her to a movie the next day. The reply is the same.

        Still, she hears the familiar ringtone. It's for tomorrow, you know, it reads. No reply, it's useless. She has to end this ticking timebomb after two years, it needs to explode. Explode and get over with, destroy whatever has been carefully crafted. This “liking” has become too much.

        Sage realizes this as she ignores the purple-black phone. It is useless, she needs to let it go and let the rubble become dust. Only then, she can move on. One more thought lingers in her mind before she puts on her headphones.

        It is not worth it.