Life in Color ✔️

6~Say Cheese

Thursday night I'm sitting in the bleachers, a blanket wrapped around me.

Watching the twins play their final round of districts, constantly shivering since the cold November weather finally decided to show up.

I wore black leggings and a red cropped sweatshirt, hoping my blanket would be enough to keep me warm. Ella's teeth chatter nonstop from the cold. She freezes in the summer time so the winter months are pure torture for her. Saffron sits in her lap, offering up as much warmth as her tiny body can offer. Stella's on the other side, sucking on a lollipop, completely unbothered by the freezing weather. I suppose with a soul of steel nothing can bother you.

The game is tied in the beginning of the third quarter.

I never did anything about the boys coach, knowing that no one of importance would take me seriously enough to do anything about it.

"Where's Ashton and Sage?" Ella asks, wanting to know when her personal heater would arrive.

I roll my eyes at the thought of my brother and personal annoyance. They had an extra practice tonight before the big game tomorrow.

Sage and I made up almost immediately after our fight. Tuesday morning he made me breakfast in bed and packed the lunches, offering me an apology. I understood why he was upset but I don't regret my decision. I also never told him about my attack that night and I have no plan to. Somethings are better left unknown. It was a minor one.

"Speaking of Ashton, when are you two going to date?" Stella asks, taking a lick of her lollipop.

I choke on my hot chocolate. "What?"

The pair just stares at me in complete seriousness.

"I mean come on, Scar." Stella starts, "He's literally all over you."

"So not true." I counter, but I think about the past few days. Sure, we have five classes together. He walks with me between classes, even the ones we don't share. He still sits with us at lunch and constantly rejects Avery's advances.

Thank God.

But he's still Ashton. He winks at girls in the hall and acts like he's a God among mortals. He continuously finds new ways to push my buttons, today it was learning how long he could say the word boo before I got annoyed. I lasted five minutes.

"So true and you don't even mind it." Ella states.

He's nice.

It's nice to have a person who has no knowledge of my past. I'm not damaged or a freak with Ashton. He makes me laugh even though he annoys the ever loving crap out of me.

"You guys are crazy. I give mister big shot two weeks before he's dating some mindless brat." Half the girls in our school would love to date Ashton and the other half would be ok just doing other things with him. Gross.

"Or he's dating you." Ella mutters as she points towards the two boys walking towards us.

She's wrong. No one stays around after they find out my baggage.

"What are we talking about ladies?" Sage asks, taking a seat on the bleachers behind us. Saffron gets up from Ella and moves into my lap, allowing the two to be alone. Ella leans back into Sages warmth, his head resting on her own.

Gag.

Ashton sits down beside me. "Me, hopefully."

Yes. "In your dreams, McClain." I shoulder bump him, ignoring the glances of Ella and Stella.

"Come on, Sweetheart, You know I'm pretty amazing."

I roll my eyes. "Pretty arrogant, now be quiet I'm watching the game." I hush him. Saffron lets out a round of giggles at our conversation, his attention falling on her.