I took another drink of the beer, letting it slowly warm my body with the much needed anti-health I needed.

"So Cor just dumped her?" Sage asked, raising his eyebrows. My lilac eyed boy.

I pointed my finger at him and shook it. "No..." I trailed off. "Cor saved her."

He looked up, trying to figure out what I was saying when it was all laid out. "I don't... I'm not a girl I have no clue what you're saying."

"Lucas was there." I said, slapping my forehead. "Lucas wants Gem gone? He wants his son to be in the clear to live? It's obvious what happened."

Sage stood up and ran a hand through his hair that had gotten longer than it normally was. It seemed to bug him, but I liked it. "What exactly happened?"

I rolled my eyes. "Boys are so stupid." I mumbled, earning a tired sigh from him.

"Yes. Boys are idiots. So explain it better to me. Because, as you know, I'm an incompetent man." He said.

"WOAH!" I yelled, laughing. "Big words for a a drunk girl." I giggled. "No... no... what was I saying?"

Sage slapped his forehead, patiently taking deep breaths. "Lucas and Cor."

"Ah! Yes!" I took another drink, savoring the gross taste. "Lucas told Cor to dump her and he'd spare her. Duh."

Sage's mouth rounded into an O as realization struck him like a cord. "So why didn't you tell your distressed friend that we should get help for because clearly she's suffering."

I scoffed. "Please. Even Aris would agree with me on this. Cor would always protect Gem. If he's doing this, then the stakes are high. This is the best way to protect him and her." I rolled onto the couch, crawling onto his lap. "Now... we should make this night much more exciting." I laughed, biting my lip.

He smirked. "As much as I'd love to, mi amor, we have school in the morning and—"

I stopped him there. "A week." I slurred.

He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against mine. "I know. Don't think about it."

I shook my head. "I think we should all think about it more. Why ignore the problem and live normally when you can embrace the problem and live your last week in fun." That was my thought process.

Parties. Beer. Sage. And friends. That's what I was focused on. I couldn't care less about school, or grades, or rules.

I was going to live it up.

"You are ignoring the main problem, babe." He pushed some hair behind my ear. "What if one of us makes it?"

I was hypocrite to my own method. Even drunk self knows this. "Either we both make it or we both don't. There is no other option." I poked his nose and then smiled. "How about that fun?"

"Goodnight, Ari." He kissed my forehead and stood up, sliding me off his lap. "You can sleep over or whatever, but I'm cansado."

"You're... a canned auto?" I tilted my head, furrowing my brows.

"Oh dang. I meant tired. What the hell. I totally just... okay I need sleep. Goodnight." He chuckled, walking to his bedroom.

I called Gem overdramatic. Because Cor dunked her and she cried and cried and cried. Over a boy.

But I just said I'd rather die than be without him. Come on. After this short time?

I knew things were different in this time than it was all those years ago, back when people could love whoever. I knew we truly only ever loved one person, until the day we died.

But feeling this way this early on? Maybe Gem was being overdramatic.

I closed my eyes and realized that sleeping next to Sage this time might be the last time and followed him to his room, fitting snugly under the covers.