Chapter 3 -

While getting out of the car, I stopped Aunt Tess in her path. "Aunt Tess, what were you saying when I spaced out?" The anxiety was killing me, I wanted to know more about Gage, and I had a feeling she said something really important back at the store, if that's not awfully weird. But he seemed intriguing.

"Oh, I was just saying that Christian and Gage were cousins and that Christian looked swell in his haircut. I always said that I need their mother to come over and talk to me about the schools funds." My aunt kept going and it got me wondering how long I blacked out back there.

"I got it, Aunt Tess." I smiled a genuine smile and walking up the stairs to her house. So Gage was Christian's cousin. Well they did look quite similar to each other now that I think about it.

Aunt Tess opened the door and let me in. "Sage, come over here." My aunt wavered towards the spot next to her.

"Yeah, what's up?" I said while walking towards her.

"Well, it's been 2 months, , and I already admitted you." My Aunt spoke with poise and uneasiness. "It just seems as though you've gotten so much better today, I mean yesterday you were mourning and then Steffen's friends come and you just get better and you're okay. What I'm trying to say is, I think you should start attending school from tomorrow, I mean you are a Junior, and your attendance is very important this year."

I knew if I told her I wasn't ready she'd be upset and I figured how much absences would affect me. I nodded and smiled agreeing.

"Yay!" My aunt jumped. "Well, I was hoping you were going to say that, so I have one more surprise for you."

She led me down the hall towards the living room, and I felt fluttering in my stomach, it was unusual and when I walked in to the room and saw Gage sitting in the same spot he sat in before, the butterflies got even stronger. I couldn't even control it, they were just there.

My aunt walked to the corner of the room, while I just stood at that same spot, the butterflies getting even stronger when Gage turned to look at me.

"Hi." I said which came out more of a whisper.

Gage smirked and turned around back towards the T.V.

Aunt Tess walked back to me, "here it is!" My aunt handed me a key and a box wrapped in...Christmas wrapping.

"Aunt Tess...why? You bought me so many things." I said sincerely.

"Just open it!" She shrieked.

Gage let out a low laugh, which my aunt didn't seem to hear. I already figured he was your regular popular jerk.

I opened the wrappings and found a phone, and not just any phone an iPhone. I've been wanted one forever, but my mom never got me one.

"You're the best," I gave her a genuine smile and hugged her.

She nodded and turned to her contact to Gage. "Gage, where's Steffen?"

"Oh him? He went to take a shower." He smiled. "If you would like me to leave...?"

"No! No! Don't leave." My aunt jumped as if he were asking for a divorce. "Stay. Sage, why don't you go sit with Gage so he isn't alone?"

The butterflies leaped, causing me to not being able to speak. "Alright." I mumbled, the words just scraping through as I sat on the other side of Gage. We sat silently for about five minutes, until he started asking me if I liked sports. I wasn't really into anything but lacrosse. Then he asked me if I was into swimming, and I told him I had hydrophobia. He smiled and said that he was hydrophobic too.

"So! Refreshments?" My aunt came in with glasses of lemonade, ruining the moment where we were both just smiling at each other.

I scrambled on the sofa, and nodded. Gage did the same as though he was mocking me.

While my aunt was handing me the tea, I dropped a half of it all over my dress.

"Ugh!" I shrieked, I ran into my room embarrassed.

I quickly ran into the bathroom, throwing the dress on the floor, and putting on my sweats.

"Nice going, Sage." I rolled my eyes. "You're starting school tomorrow and at this rate you'll be the laughing stock."

With that I decided what to wear to school tomorrow, Aunt Tess was nice enough to realize how embarrassed I had been so she just knocked on the door and left all the bags in front of it. I found it peculiar, when there was bag from Best Buy with the clothes. There was a box, a box that contained a Macbook! I screamed delighted. Leaving my clothes behind, I took out the mac from the box and set everything up. I logged onto facebook and realized how I only had ten friends, I laughed at myself, and looked over at the chat. My mom...her user was online. I cringed a little, how is that even possible, she's gone. And even if she was online, what the hell would she be doing on facebook. Well, she did have like five-hundred friends she would talk to everyday. I decided to check out who this really is.

Sage: Hey. Mom?

Cassie: Sage! You're still alive. I am so happy to know they haven't gotten you yet.

Sage: They? Who's they? Who wants to get me?

Cassie: Sage, dear, you need to know that you are not normal, and not everyone is exactly who they say they are. Trust your instinct. They're coming! I love you sweetie, always remember that no matter what. Everything I did was no keep you safe.

And that was it, she went offline. I didn't know what to think, I didn't know what to believe, it didn't make any sense. I reread our conversation a million times, before drifting to sleep.