Remembering Me

Chapter 4: Drama in Drama/River's New Interest

I quickly looked away, a little embarrassed to be caught staring at him like that. Emily nudged my shoulder and giggled.

"You don't know who that is, do you?" she asked with a slight smile.

"No idea, but oh my god, he is SO good-looking!" I said to her.

"Jay, should we tell her?" Emily asked Jason, seated beside her.

He has not paid attention to anything we've been saying.

"Um, who?" Jason asked, looking around the classroom to figure out who Emily meant.

"Over there," she said, pointing to the hot guy across the room from us.

"Really?" Jason scoffs, looking at me, annoyed. "She doesn't see the resemblance? "

"Apparently!" Emily laughed.

"Um, hello? I am new here, remember? " I said to them, starting to get irritated.

"That's Raven's twin brother, River!" Jason whispers to me. " And yes, Sage, he is hot, but I wouldn't advise showing an interest in him being Raven's friend. Trust me," he cautioned

I gazed upwards, meeting River's gaze as he sat nearby. His eyes met mine, darkened, and a smirk appeared. Feeling embarrassed, my cheeks turned red, and I quickly glanced away. It had been a long time since someone had captivated me that way. Fidgeting in my seat, I crossed my legs. Just then, the teacher entered the room, signaling the start of class. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and focused on the lesson being taught.

The class ended swiftly, catching everyone by surprise. After our teacher dismissed us, I swiftly gathered my book bag and prepared to leave. Glancing back, I noticed River's seat was vacant – he had already left. "Time flew by," I whispered to myself before bidding farewell to Jason and Emily. As Jason affectionately embraced Emily and kissed her forehead tenderly, I realized they were a couple, which clarified a few things.

I headed to my locker to retrieve my sweater and store the books I didn't need to take home. After quickly walking to the parking lot, I drove home safely. Upon arriving, I parked in the driveway and entered the house. Mom was preparing dinner for the family. I washed my hands and joined her in the kitchen, eager to assist.

"Sage, my dear, how did your first day go?" inquired my mother.

"It went well, actually," I replied, beaming.

"I got to know some new classmates during lunch, and it turns out they are in at least one of my classes," I added with a smile.

"Isn't that interesting!" my mother responded, smiling.

"Did anyone special catch your attention?" she asked, her expression soft and caring.

Blushing, I averted my gaze downward.

"There are many new faces there; Mom and I ended things with Alan a few weeks ago. While I appreciate the change of scenery, I'm not prepared to dive into anything new just yet," I expressed, carrying a lingering sadness that caught me off guard.

"Your words are wise, my daughter. Take your time, don't rush, and move forward when ready. Alan cherished you deeply, and he was your first love. The time you shared was a blessing; he will always hold a special place in our hearts. He understood, as do you, that it was time to let go and move on. It was a tough decision but the right one. Your father and I are proud of the woman you are becoming," Mom reassured me.

I turned to embrace my mom, feeling her arms envelop me in a tight squeeze before she released me and planted a kiss on my forehead.

"Dinner is almost ready. Could you please prepare the salad and set the table?" she requested.

"Of course, Mom," I responded, going to the dining area to fulfill her request.

Dad arrived home shortly after, and we all had dinner together. He said grace, and we shared interesting stories about our day.

Mom works as a nurse in the local hospital, and Dad works in the sheriff's office and takes over the sheriff's duties when absent. My dad is a fair man with strong morals and a belief in justice. My mom is a nurse in the maternity ward, and she is patient, kind, and full of compassion for others. Everyone who meets my mother instantly loves her. My dad terrifies anyone who doesn't know him with his gruff nature and imposing size. But he's overprotective (and a little overbearing) because he cares and wants the best for us.

Dad always emphasizes safety and caution for Mom and me in our daily lives, given his challenges in his line of work. This concern played a part in my attending an all-girls private school in the city, known for its strict rules, uniform, and focus on academic achievement. Mom had to persuade Dad to consider letting me switch to the local high school. Some of their conditions included driving myself, limiting extracurricular activities, and concentrating on my studies. While I could still hang out with friends, I had to be responsible and respectful. I had recently been allowed to start dating, but my parents had to meet the boy first, and I had to respect a curfew. Breaking the rules meant losing privileges and a potential return to my former school.

I assisted my parents with clearing the dining table and then washed the dishes. Fortunately, I didn't have many chores to complete. I took my school bag upstairs and organized my school items on my desk. After noting down upcoming assignment deadlines on my desk calendar, I finished the required readings for the day. I packed my bag and returned downstairs to prepare my lunch for the next day.

Once my lunch was ready and I'd tidied up those dishes, I went upstairs again to pick out my outfit. I was so lucky to wear what I wanted to school each day! It's not a luxury I'd ever take for granted again! I picked out my outfit for tomorrow. I chose my black high tops with a white t-shirt, black slip dress, blue jean jacket, gold hoop earrings, and a chunky black headband. Confident in my choices, I got ready for bed. Turning in, I thought to myself that I needed to exchange numbers with Willow, Raven, Claire, and Emily. I'd found my new group and was excited about this fresh start. Senior year will be memorable; I can feel it in my bones!

***

Raven's Point of View….

River talked non-stop about this “new girl” named Sage on the drive home after school. He asked me questions about her once he realized I knew who he was talking about. The way River drooled over her, it was clear that he thought Sage was the “shiny new toy” for all the horny males in our grade. I rolled my eyes. It was unusual for our small school to have new enrollments in senior year, and Sage was quite beautiful. But I’d only met Sage today, and I could already tell she wasn’t that kind of girl. I wasn’t about to try and tell that to my twin brother, though. He could figure that one out on his own.

When we got inside the house, River went upstairs to his room, and I looked for Mom. I found her in the living room, sipping a mug of tea.

“How was your first day at school, sweetheart?” Mom asked me casually.

“It was good. I have a bit of homework, but I’ll get that done before dinner. Mom, I met her today,” I said.

My mom put her mug on the table and leaned forward to give me her full attention.

“Who is she?” she asked, looking at me intently with piercing green eyes.

“Sage Winters. She’s the deputy sheriff's daughter and a hospital nurse. She used to go to an all-girls school in the city and enrolled at Meadow Lane before the start of the school year. Her parents are strict, and she’s super shy. From what I can tell, she is a bookworm and quiet like me. Sage is in Geography with me and Drama with River. What is weird is that at least one of my friends is in every one of her classes this semester,” I said quietly.

“That is interesting,” Mom said, encouraging me to continue.

“River is already enchanted with her. He talked about her nonstop in the car on the ride home. She’s too sweet for him. It won’t go anywhere, but I didn’t have the heart to tell him that,” I sighed.

“Maybe he will go to Drama class now, though,” Mom laughed.

I shook my head and laughed. I loved my mom’s sense of humor. I wished my brother would spend time with her instead of just shutting her out all the time. No wonder they were always at odds with one another now. They didn’t know each other anymore.

“Willow is coming over after dinner to hang out for a bit. We were going to plan out the bonfire you said we could have once school started,” I told Mom.

“That’s fine, Raven. Will Willow be staying over after the bonfire again? She’s more than welcome to use one of the guest rooms if you would like her to,” Mom said.

“Actually, why don’t you and Willow talk about inviting Sage? If Willow enjoys her company too, it might be a good idea. I would love to meet this new girl, too,” Mom noted.

“Sure, I’ll talk it over with Willow. I like Sage, too. Not in the way River does, obviously, but she got on so well with everyone at lunch. It was like she’d always been a part of our group somehow,” I mused.

“Well, we have three guest rooms on the main floor. Sage could stay in one of the other ones, but from the sounds of it, she will need permission from her parents for something like that. I’d be willing to talk to her mom or dad if needed. Just let me know,” Mom offered.

“Thanks, Mom. I’ll let you know later, okay?” I said.

I went upstairs to finish my homework before my friend came over. I peeked into my brother’s room to see him playing softly on his guitar.

“Hey, what are you working on? It sounds nice,” I asked River.

“I had a weird inspiration to try playing this old ’80s ballad and was trying it out,” River said.

“Which one?” I asked, intrigued.

“I’ll tell you IF you don’t laugh,” River said.

“Okay, now I want to know. What is it?” I inquired.

“Crazy for You by Madonna,” he deadpanned.

“Wait, what?” I exclaimed.

“I know!” River laughed. “But, listen, it works if done acoustically.”

River sang it for me as he strummed along on his guitar. The arrangement he’d created was beautiful, and it gave me goosebumps.

“River, that was incredible! You have to play that for the guys. It should be done at the end of one of your sets. If they aren't already, everyone will be swooning over you,” I said.

“Any chance that Sage is the inspiration for this one?” I teased.

He rolled his eyes and ushered me out of his room to continue to work on his music.

I went to my room to finish my homework before Willow came. I smiled to myself. It’s only the first day of school, and Sage is already working her magic on my brother. Who exactly was this girl?

***

During Willow's visit after dinner, River brought up Sage once more. Internally, I let out a frustrated scream. Willow gave me a knowing glance, and I responded with a smile. Together, we both glanced at River and shared a smirk.

"A new challenge for you, River?" Willow laughed.

"She's a nice girl with strict parents, River," I cautioned.

"I don't think showing an interest would be a good thing. I usually don't care, but I'm asking you not to chase this one, please," I said.

River raised his eyebrows at us and wiggled them.

" Awww, you are no fun, sis," he laughed.

"But if it bothers you that much, then sure. I'll leave her be," River chuckled.

At that, my twin brother finally went upstairs to his room. Hopefully, he will do his homework. But, now that I have thought about it, did he even have his book bag with him when we left school? Ugh, he was going to get his ass grounded again. I refused to nag him, though. My mom did that enough for all of us.

“I wanted to invite Sage to the bonfire. Do you think she will come?” I asked Willow.

“Maybe her parents are pretty strict. Do you want me to ask her tomorrow in English?” Willow offered.

“That would be great. I know she’ll bring it up in Geography if she’s interested in going. Thanks, Wilz,” I said and hugged her.

“Do you think she’d be interested in River?” Willow asked, serious for a moment.

“I doubt it, but then again, just about everyone has had a ‘thing’ for my twin brother at one point or another,” I deliberately looked at my friend.

“Hey, we were like 14! And he’d suddenly turned into this hottie, like overnight!” Willow said defensively.

I nudged her and shook my head, laughing. I could count the number of friends who had never been interested in my brother. Well, the guys in his band weren’t into him either… as far as I knew….

Usually, I wouldn't care if River chased after one of my friends. But I somehow knew, even before meeting her, that Sage would be someone significant in our lives. I didn't know precisely how. If River chased after her, messed around with her, and broke her heart, I had no idea what the repercussions would be. This was the first time I had EVER asked River to stay away from someone. He gave me his word; I hope I can trust it.