SAGE novel Chapter 38

Alora Trevino

As they say, we don't remember the days but we remember the moments.

It's not always the breaths you take that counts but the moments that took your breath away.

Only one person took my breath away in this life and I knew that today I would see that person.

I felt it in my bones that he was here. In the same city as I am.

I could've lived for him. Breathed for him but at the end you do you, right. But I still wanted to.

For a moment in time I fooled myself into thinking it could turn to something more but he made it clear, each time, repeatedly that he didn't see me they I wanted him to see me.

It didn't matter though because it would've never worked. Not in this lifetime at least. He was young yet he had a bone in him of a man.

Yet at the end of the day he was boy who sometimes acted like a man but still a boy nonetheless. I guess that what's drew me in and I hanged around for so long.

It was never meant to be nothing more than a once off thing but he made me love myself through him.

He didn't judge or criticize me. That's another reason why I hanged on for so long.

But the buttom line is, we wanted different things. Eventually I wanted commitment and he wanted me without the promise of one.

I couldn't stick around for maybe he changes his mind. I couldn't.

I made a choice now I will live with it.

At the end of the day I had to do me. He taught me that too.

I won't deny that through him I was a changed woman. A woman who can appreciate herself because he showed me how.

He was patient through it all. He held my hand and taught me step by step how to appropriate myself instead of waiting for someone else to do it.

He made me feel special but at the end of the day there's one man I always have been in love with.

The lines might have blurred for a while but there was no doubt. I was and always will be in love with Axel.

I won't deny that at the beginning it was rough. I never thought he would one day return my feelings.

But he did. Axel reciprocated my feelings.

At first his rejection after rejection almost drove me insane but at last I have him.

I won right. As the end I was victorious.

I looked at the woman staring back at me in the mirror. She looked matured but her eyes went as happy as the woman I saw yesterday yet I felt happy.

I remembered I haven't taken my pills.

I was happy right? I finally had the man I've been gunning for since I moved to Miami.

I looked again and this time I focused on the good things about her. Sage had taught me that.

Don't dwell too on the bad of you can't change it. He always told me. In time I learned to listen and did just that.

Her royal blue dress fitted her perfectly. Axel had chose it for me. He chooses my clothes.

He said the dress complemented my blue sparkling eyes and brought my blond hair to life.

The dress wasn't my fave choice or my second but looking at it now I realise it should have been. I looked very beautiful in it. It is great to have Axel choose my clothes. I trust his judgement.

I strapped my sterling heels and fixed my dress.

It was off the shoulders and it had a spilt from mid thigh.

Axel said it would show my great long legs. Like I said I trust his judgement.

Axel came from behind and hugged me. We locked gaze in the mirror as he looked if my make up was perfect.

He always did that.

He scowlled and shook his head. I frowned because I did not see any mistake.

"The red lipstick is a no no. A nude would look better. And I specially told your glam squad to use light grey eye shadows not dark grey." He complained.

I did not see what he saw but he's the one in the fashion industry so I trust him.

"Baby, don't forget to take your happy pill." He reminded me and I smile grateful at him.

It's things like this that made me fall in love with him all over again. His sweet and never forgets about important things in my life.

About the time I started dating Axel, my mood was always at an all time low and I was always all over the place and emotional.

Axel noticed and advice my to take these pills I like to call happy pills. He buys them for me at the pharmacy and he always has an extra bottle with him for when I forget mine.

Now I can't go a day without them. They boost my mood and without them I will be all over the place and very emotional.

I popped two pills in my mouth and grabbed a water bottle and washed down the pills.

Axel came back with the glam squad and fixed my make up.

The Cotillion was held at One World Trade Center.

One of the most beautiful skyscrapers in New York.

New York used to be home almost five years ago. I always like to think I was more happy here than I was and still am in Miami because when I was still in New York I still had a mother.

At the Centre I followed Axel as he finished his business of over seeing the dresses designed by his fashion house.

"Babes it's almost time." Axel told me and I smiled at him as he lead me to the line.

The announcer had already began calling names when we arrived.

Soon they called us to walk down. I wrapped my hand around his upper arm and he led me towards the stair as the announcer announced us.

"Walking down next is Axel, heir to the Vintage fashion houses and walking down beside him is Alora Trevino."

We started descending the stairs and flashed if camera went off everywhere.

I tried to focus around the room as I sub-consciously searched for one soul in the crowded room.

I knew he was here because I could feel it.

He reached the landing of the stair and immediately Axel want to work. He told me earlier about having to seal a deal.

I went to find a seat while searching for Sage.

I looked around and finally I saw him.

He looked even older in a suit. I thought but he wasn't alone.

A girl sat besides him. Her head was on his shoulder.

I felt a pang of jealous hit me with a force then the whole damn truck poured and my heart roared with jealousy.

I confused myself. Sometimes I couldn't understand myself.

I told him I never wanna see him again yet right now I wished he would look my way. Just once and smile at me like he use to.

Sage pointed at something and the girl giggled. She oddly seemed familiar.

My eyes went where Sage was pointing and I saw Harry and Evernly walking down the stairs.

Harry's hands were on Evernly's lower back.

To say she looked gorgeous would be a complete understatement.

I'm sure if this was a beauty contest she would take the trophy.

Her dress was also stunning but seeing her this close hurts because I still wanted to be close to her. I still wanted to be her friend.

Like we use to. When she trusted me with her secrets.

I would do anything to be her friend again but I'm afraid that our friendship might be too damaged too fix.

After all she hated me now.

Once upon a time I meant something to the Miller sibling yet right now it's like they never knew me.

Axel is the only one who cares. I sighed.

"Still lonely as ever." I spun around to the source of the voice.

Taylor was standing behind me. Age looked stunning as well but I now know she's not as nice as I thought she was.

I sighed again but this time is was out of frustration.

"If you gonna talk crap about Eve, I suggest leave." I deadpanned spinning around again.

"Still defending her after all the humiliation she put you through." She stated coming around. "I don't understand That."

"You don't have to." I know there's no chance Eve and I will be friends again but I can only hope.

I want to be loyal to her. Even if we'll never be friends. I screwed up with Sage, I couldn't help it but that was and will be my only sin.

"I think you're stupid. You don't know her like I do. She's horrible, a monster and aggressive." She argued angrily.

"Frankly I don't believe you." I replied without missing a beat.

"I showed you the marks on my neck. She wanted to kill me. My throat was sore for a week and I couldn't talk. The marks ate still visible." She hissed loosing her cool.

For three damn years I've known Taylor to be cool and calm. I thought she was a good person but that was only a facade.

"And I told you I don't believe she did that and if she did, she must've has hwr reasons." I told her.

Her face went red real quick. She huffed angrily and flounce walking away very fast.

I rolled my eyes and continued stalking Sage and his date.

The night went on as people danced and have fun while I stayed seated wishing I could.

I smiled ad people greeted me, fellow ex-classmates and people I met through out my eighteen years.

I've never felt more lonely than I felt at that moment. I couldn't take my eyes off Sage as he danced the night away with his date.

He was having the time of his life while I wished it was me twirling in his arm.

I watched in envy as she thrived in his arms where I want to be.

They shared jokes and laughed.

I felt jealousy, envy and sadness.

Jealousy that it wasn't me laughing with Sage. Envy because I wanted Sage and sadness because I'm pathetic, and lonely.

As if feeling my eyes on him, he lifted his head and met my eyes.

It was too late to look away because our eyes met and he saw me staring at them.

His brows creased as he looked at me.

I smiled not knowing what to do. The smile was forced. I wanted to do anything other than smiling.

He didn't smile back but he made way way to me pulling his date with him.

He stood a foot away from me.

"Alora, long time no see." He beamed and I frowned at him.

First it's been less than a week since I last saw him and secondly, we were not on good terms and what confused me is how he said that and smiled.

Is he patronising me? I thought bitterly.

I did a once over on his date to find at least one flaw on her but I found none.

She looked perfect and flawless. That made me hate her even more.

"You look a bit lonely." He asked but I could tell it was fake concern.

I bit the inside of my cheeks and pulled my lip into a thin line.

It was too soon to see or even talk to him like nothing ever happened between us.

It still hurt how things ended. His cruelty was still engraved in my mind.