CHAPTER 20: I'm Bad at Math but This Doesn't Add Up

"So you're telling me that all this time, you've known Kaye Montgomery was co-captain of the soccer team, and you didn't tell me?!" I shouted, not because of anger or anything. Dax's parties tended to be loud. Louie and I were only at the doorway and we already had to yell at each other.

"Everyone at school knows that!" he replied.

"I didn't know that!"

"That's because you don't bother talking to anyone other than me, London or any of the girls you want to sleep with."

"Dude, you could have told me sooner."

We both made our way to the kitchen. Louie was getting nods and pats on the back. Meanwhile, I was just tailing along. I almost forgot that he was one of the school supremes.

"Why?" he asked, as we stopped by the counter. Beers were lining up like tin soldiers beside the fruit punch. Louie took two of the former and passed one to me.

"The mystery girl," I reminded. "She plays soccer, remember?"

"I thought she played FIFA 14."

"Same difference," I scoffed.

Louie snorted back laughter, choking on the beer he was consuming. "No, it's not. FIFA 14's just a video game."

"So? It's virtual but it's still like the real thing."

"Yeah," he said, shrugging, "but that's like saying we're the same because I'm on the varsity basketball team and you play NBA on your console. I mean, if GTA: San Andreas won't make you a gangster, why should FIFA 14 make you a footballer?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. Louie didn't even look threatened. He had a point but he didn't have to gloat about it. So I shook my can of beer, opened the lid and sprayed him.

Louie kept his eyes shut. When the alcoholic drizzle stopped, he wiped the liquid off his face. "You're an asshole."

"Right back at ya."

"Yeah, I guess that's why we're best friends," he chuckled. Louie grabbed a dish cloth and dabbed the beer off his face. "I'm sorry I didn't mention it before but I really thought you knew." Then, he added, "You gotta socialize more."

"I socialize."

"Fucking around doesn't count," he commented.

"Why the hell not?"

Louie rolled his eyes. He scanned the room and then his eyes landed on a specific girl. A blondie by the couch, giggling with her friends. "Melissa," he said, squeezing my shoulder and pointing at Mel. "You've slept with her."

"Uh-huh."

"Tell me what color her eyes are." He crossed his arms.

I tried to steal a glance at Mel, hoping that even how far away she was, I'd be able to catch a glimpse of her eyes. Louie was kind enough to block the view. The asshole.

"Brown," I blurted out.

He narrowed his eyes. "Lucky guess," he stated. "What's her favorite color?"

"Uh... also brown?"

He smirked. "Point made."

"Point taken, asshole."

Louie chuckled. "Her favorite color's blue." He patted my shoulder and made his way towards Melissa.

"How do you even know that?" I called before he got drowned by the crowd.

Turning back, he flashed me a grin. "I socialize."

I could only chuckle to myself. What a Lou-ser. Seeing that Louie was doing some skirtchasing for the night, I went to go on a search of my own, too.

I was on my way back to the living room when someone body slammed into me. "Shit," I hissed, feeling cool liquid seeping through my shirt.

"My punch!" the klutz whined over spilled drink. I didn't even recognize her at first. Her blonde hair was a fucking mess and her face was all puffy and red. Either she'd been crying, drinking too much, or a little bit of both.

"Dewirth?!" I exclaimed, peering closer at her face. My God, she looked like a hobo!

Of course, Sage ignored me. She was too busy lamenting over her now-empty cup. "There was an apple wedge in there," she whispered wistfully. I could only stare at her as she continued, "It was a nice apple wedge. Now it's gone." She sniffled.

"Fucking hell, my shirt is soaked!"

"My apple's gone," she whimpered.

"What the he--"

Sage's shoulders started shaking. She kept her head down but I could hear her sob. What in the actual fuck?

People started looking. Some were shooting me dirty looks, giving me disapproving scowls. I could only flash a sheepish smile back. I didn't even know what I did!

"What's wrong with you?" I went closer to the sobbing hobo. I wanted to push the hair off her face, but when I got near her, she hugged me.

"I just wanted the apple wedge!" she wailed in between sobs. "Nothing's going right."

An awkward laugh escaped my lips as I tried to wiggle out of her embrace. I could handle drunken girls. But weeping, drunken girls? That was just a step too far. Sage tightened her hold even more.

"Sage? You're killing me. My bones are gonna snap." She could barely reach my neck but her hold was strong as hell. "Hey," I called again. "Sage, I'm serious. I can't brea--"

"Oh, my God! Sage!" another girl called, rushing towards us. She moved quickly to untangle the drunken mess that is Sage Dewirth from me. Only when I got separated from the shortie that I realized... it was Kaye.

I couldn't help but let a grin creep up on my face.

Days rolled by without her at Westmont High. I've forgotten how blue her eyes were. How perfectly her brown locks framed her face. She and Sage were at the same height, same built. Kaye was slimmer than the passed-out patsy, though.

"Oh, God! I'm so sorry," Kaye apologized hurriedly. "I didn't know she'd get this drunk." Sage lumped against her best friend's shoulder and Kaye tried her best to support the weight.

"No, that's okay," I replied, going in to take Sage's other arm. "Here, I'll help."

Kaye flashed me a grin from behind all of Sage's damn frizzy hair. "Thanks."

"She seems pretty out of it," I remarked, hearing Sage snore. "What happened?"

Kaye groaned. "Just some stupid drama about a boy," she answered dismissively. "She's not always like this, you know." Oh, yeah, I knew. Usually, Sage wasn't that quiet. "It's just that she's gone through a lot of crap lately."

I nodded. "Where should we put her?"

"I asked Dax permission to put her in the master bedroom," she said, looking straight to the stairs.

"The master bedroom?" I asked. An opportunity! Score! "I'll help you carry her!" I offered a bit too willingly.

Kaye shot me an amused look.

I cleared my throat. "I mean, I can. If you want-- need. If you need... someone to help you."

Kaye bit on her bottom lip, staring at me bemused. Kaye was a nice girl and I knew deep down that she was holding in a fit of laughter. As if to prove my hunch on the spot, she snorted.

And there goes the last bit of dignity I have left.

"That'd be great," she said with the sincerest smile. Damn, that made me feel better about my word vomit.

We reached the top of the stairs. With two people carrying, Sage wasn't really that heavy. I got to the master bedroom without breaking a sweat.

I pushed the door open. Dax's master bedroom was spacious with a couple of purple, velvet, carpeted steps between the portal and the water bed. Kaye and I dragged the snoring blondie towards it. Literally drag. Her feet were trailing behind us. Sage was plain out wasted.

"Turn her around," Kaye instructed. "So she sleeps on her back. She's more comfortable that way."

I smiled. Kaye was just as great of a friend as Louie is to me.

We circled around and approached the bed backwards. We lowered Sage onto the crib. Her body lolled forward faster than we anticipated that we got dragged to the soft water mattress along with her. Kaye was pulled forward and thrown off balance. She landed on my chest with a solid oomph!

I caught and steadied her with Sage lying down in between our knees.

"I'm sorry!" she apologized, pulling herself away. God, she's frazzled.

"It's alright," I said with all the breeziness I could muster up. Inside, I was flaring up.

She giggled. "Thanks for helping out," she said, pink lips curving up into a shy smile.

"It's no problem." I cleared my throat. I had my chance. I could ask her now. The diary was in my jacket pouch. I mindlessly traced the bump of it. If only I could think of what to say.

"You must really like her, huh?"

"What?" I blinked.

Kaye nodded her head towards Sage who was laid spread eagle on the bed. Charming.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw you hugging her earlier," she teased like a third grader worrying about cooties. "And you're missing the party downstairs to help get her to bed."

My brows scrunched up. I looked at Sage snoring all but ladylike. Then I turned back to Kaye and scoffed. "No," I dismissed. "We're friends."

"Riiight," she stretched out and winked.

"No, really," I urged. "I actually came because I have something to ask you."

"Me?" She pointed at herself.

"Yes, you," I said, pointing at her just in case she still didn't get it.

"What?"

"Uhm," I delayed. Subtlety, Trevor! Don't fuck it up this time. "Did you happen to lose a diary?"

"Uh..." Even with the dim lights, I could see her expression twist in confusion. "No?"

"No?" Now, it was my time to get confused. "Was that a question?"

"No."

"So, you didn't lose a diary?"

"No." She shook her head.

"What?!"

Kaye flinched away at the sudden rise of voice.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," I said and I could feel the word vomit coming up again. Oh, no. Oh, shit. "It's just that I found this diary a week or two ago. And it belonged to one of the girls I-- you know, slept with. Not that I slept with a lot-- Anyway, I was trying to find her. You know --" My voice cracked. Dear God, help me! "-- to return the diary. I checked with the other girls and the diary didn't belong to them. The only girl left on the list is you. So I figured it's gotta be yours, right? I ha--"

"Whoa! Whoa!" she stopped me, signing a T with her hands. "Me? I'm on the list?"

I shrugged. "Yeah."

"The list of girls you've slept with?"

I nodded. I'm so confused. I thought Kaye was the smart one.

She laughed with disbelief. "I-- I've never slept with you."

"What?" I blinked.

"Trevor, I've never slept with you," she said, trying to add in a laugh to lift the tension. It didn't.

"What do you mean you've never slept with me?" I asked, sounding offended. Hell, yes! I was offended! What the hell?! Your dream girl forgetting about your night together? Fuck, that's a huge blow to the ego.

I studied her to see if she was kidding. There was no smidge of humor on her face. Only expectance for me to understand.

"Come on, you remember. It was at Louie's lakehouse. Their team just scored another win against Clearvale?" I recalled, trying to jog her memory. "There was a wild party going on. Kenny Driver swung from a vine to the lake? Honestly, it was the best lay I had, hands down."

Kaye held one hand up. "I really have no idea what you're talking about."

My hand reached up to brush the tusks of hair falling on my forehead. And it stayed there.

What?!

"But you're the only girl left..." I trailed off. "I'm so confused. I mean, I know I'm bad at math but this doesn't add up!"

"Well, maybe you need to recalculate," she said, her eyes looking sorry now. "But, Trevor. I never slept with you. You're just..." her voice fell.

"Just what?" I asked, prompting her to continue. I had a bad feeling about it, but I urged her anyway.

Her eyes darted corner to corner. "You're just," she paused, sighing, "not my type."

I'm not what?! I was getting ticked off. What the hell?! Why was she saying those things? I'm not her type? That certainly wasn't an issue when she slept with me. "And what is your type?"

Sensing the patronizing tone in my voice, Kaye rolled her eyes. Oh, now I've annoyed her when she's obviously just playing dumb.

"Girls," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I like girls."

"Oh," I said. She wasn't playing dumb... "Shit."

PLLLLLOOOOOTTT TWWWIIIIISSSTT.