Page 27 of Right Where You Left Me
“So, I see you guys made up. Thank God.” Peyton says to Emma and me, but she’s staring down at her phone.
“We sure did.” I huff a laugh. “I’m sorry. Are we boring you?” I ask, tapping her phone screen because I know it annoys the shit out of her.
She rolls her eyes. “Stop it. You’re worse than a fucking toddler. I’m trying to get concert tickets.”
“Concert tickets?—”
“Yeah, I’m going to need the sixteenth off next month.” She says, her thumbs tapping away without missing a beat. “Probably the seventeenth too. You know, in case I need to recoup. I think River’s sisters are going with me too. Amelie was the one who introduced me to this band. They’re local and apparently people think they’re going to be the next big thing. At least, Amelie does.”
I chuckle and look at Emma who is clearly trying to hold her own laugh in. “Of course, Peyton. Wouldn’t want you to miss out on seeing‘the next big thing’live. Although I don’t know how we’re going to survive a day without you in the shop. Whoever will keep our lives organized?”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m sure you’ll manage.”
“Manage what?” River asks, rejoining us with flushed cheeks, shining eyes, and a grin. He has a wrapped print settled inside Emma’s salad bowl, which isn’t surprising. He already has Levi’s work hanging all over his side of the shop. He thinks he’s slick, but I know he’s been crushing on that guy for a long, long time.
“Peyton is taking a couple days off next month. She’s apparently going to a concert with the girls.”
“Oh, sure, sure.” He says nodding, “Yeah, I think Amelie told me about that already.” He adds, not so subtly turning back to look at Levi who smirks and waves.
“Get his number?” Peyton asks. “That’s the whole reason you wanted to come tonight, right? To flirt with the hottie?”
That gets a groan out of River. “No.” He mumbles. “I mean… not entirely.” He says, shooting one more look at Levi.
“But you got the digits?” Peyton teases.
“Yeah, yeah. I got them.” He says and chuckles. “Okay, c’mon. I know there’s more shit you guys want to look at and have me tote around.”
We joke and tease, browse some art, and grab another drink as the night goes on. Emma’s been glued to my side all night, and I hate that I don’t hate it. I want to grab her hand, entwine our fingers together in a way that feels like they’re meant to be, but I don’t. Ishouldn’t.
God, do I want to.
“Anything else you want to go and look at?” I ask Emma after we pass by a few tables without her slowing down or taking a closer look. Her eyes are still pinging to every artist she sees and I know she won’t speak up if she wants to stop.
“Oh.” She says looking around shyly. “Yes.” She points over to a booth we passed. “I wanted to look at the jewelry over there. It looks cool.” She mumbles.
“Hey, Riv?” I call out. “We’re going to go to that booth there if you two want to keep walking.”
He nods. “Alright, I’m going to go back down that way and then I’ll meet you guys back here.”
“Going to go check out his man again.” Peyton stage whispers, making Emma giggle.
“Leave him be.” I say to Peyton, who just rolls her eyes at me. Little brat.
We walk over to the table Emma wanted to look at and I watch as she handles each item with care, looking at each piece with such wonder and awe in her eyes. “Is this sea glass?” I hear her ask the artist and the two chat back and forth while I just stare.
It’s hard not to, when she’s like this. When her delicate hands gloss over things so gently. I watch her fingers brush against colored glass and notice little nicks and burn scars decorating her skin. Things I didn’t notice before, but make sense for someone who works in a kitchen. What other things haven’t I noticed while I clung to all the anger and hate I had for her for so long. There’s an ache in my chest, clawing at me, raging against my feelings while I try to stay indifferent towards Emma. I run a fist against my sternum, willing it away. I can’t let myself feel those things. Not again…
Emma finishes up, smiling softly as she shows Peyton what she bought and it isn’t long before River joins us again and we wander back down the street.
“Hey, Sage?” Emma asks softly. “Why don’t you ever post your personal art? Or set up a table like this for yourself? You used to love showing your stuff off. But I don’t ever see anything other than your tattoo stuff on your profiles.”
“You stalking me, Em?” I joke, but swallow the knot forming in my throat. She’s been looking me up? And she’s… fuck she still knows me so well. I used to post my art and enter art showsin college. I loved the sense of community it brought out, but I stopped as I got older. The internet changed, people got hyper critical and it just wasn’t fun anymore.
“I may have creeped on your Instagram.” She says with a wry smile. “Sue me.”
I laugh and shake my head. “I just think I’m too scared of the judgement now, you know? Too many people think they know way more about art than they do. It took the fun out of it.” I sit with that for a second before I continue. “It’s easier, safer, if I just post my tattoo work because people are coming to me for a service, and that way they know if they want me or River when they come in. But posting my own personal art, that’s just way more terrifying to me. No one can tear it down if I never show it off.” I say and shrug. “Safer that way.”
She hums. “Some things are worth taking a risk on, Sage.”
