The next 1-2 chapters will solely focus on the flashbacks as everyone eagerly wanted to know what transpired between them.
11 years ago: Age - 13
"Students, please give a warm welcome to our new student, Sage Sinclair. She has recently transferred from our school branch in Boston. I expect all of you to treat her with kindness," the teacher announced, casting a stern gaze at the group of students, who responded with smirks before turning their attention to the new girl. Sage possessed mesmerizing green eyes and shoulder-length brown hair, elegantly tied in a half ponytail.
"Hi everyone, it's nice to meet you all. I hope we can get along," Sage greeted the class in a sweet yet confident tone, capturing the attention of a particular individual.
Wade, a boy with messy brownish-black hair and captivating green eyes, looked at the girl who spoke with a simultaneously sweet and captivating voice. He roused himself from his half-sleeping position on the table, widening his eyes as he saw the girl standing before him. She was undeniably beautiful.
His mind searched for any familiarity in her face, but alas, it drew a blank.
"Sage, please take a seat behind Wade. Wade, please raise your hand," the teacher's artificially sweet voice instructed, while casting a half-glare at Wade, who simply responded with a small smile.
Wade discreetly winked at the teacher, raising his hand and smiling warmly at his classmates.
Unaware of his intentions, Sage began walking toward her seat when suddenly a leg obstructed her path. Swiftly, her reflexes kicked in, and she grabbed the nearest object within reach—Wade's hand—pulling herself closer to him. As her movement caused her sleeve to roll up, Wade noticed a red bruise on her pale skin.
His eyes widened at the sight, recognizing the nature of the bruise all too well. It was the mark of abuse.
Now focusing on her face, drained of color, and her eyes reflecting a fear he had witnessed in his mother's eyes before, Sage seemed to silently plead with him not to acknowledge it. Releasing his grip on her hand, he allowed the sleeve to fall back into place, and Sage breathed a sigh of relief, her gratitude not escaping Wade's notice.
She quickly made her way to her seat, doing her best to smile at everyone while attempting to calm her racing heartbeat.
Four of her classes had passed, and she was preparing to join her classmates for lunch when she noticed Wade approaching their group.
"I need to talk to her. Why don't you all go to the canteen first?" Wade pointed at Sage, speaking to the blushing group of girls who were surprised by his sudden interest. Rolling his eyes, he glanced at Sage, who met his gaze with an indescribable expression—a mixture of curiosity, relief, and newfound confidence. He was glad to see that she was no longer afraid.
He took her wrist gently, leading her toward the storeroom. Sage flinched subtly as he touched the area where the bruise was located, a reaction that didn't escape Wade's notice. He turned slightly to observe her attempting to mask the pain and put on a smile. Without missing a beat, Wade softly held her hand, his thumb gently rubbing her palm, as if to offer solace.
Sage gazed at his face in astonishment, captivated by his actions.
After attending to her bruise with an ointment he retrieved from his pocket, Wade released her wrist and carefully rolled up her sleeves to prevent smudging. Sage, unable to tear her eyes away from him, watched intently, her gaze unwavering.
She couldn't fathom why a stranger would go to such lengths for her.
Just as Wade was about to leave, Sage grasped his wrist, causing him to turn and face her.
"Why?" she rasped, her melodious voice melting his heart, even as he maintained a neutral expression.
"Why what?" he tilted his head slightly, prompting her to elaborate.
"Why did you do that?" she asked softly, not wanting to argue but disliking the pity she glimpsed in his eyes.
"Because it was evident that you were in pain," he replied casually, averting his gaze from her green eyes.
"Why do you carry that ointment with you?" she inquired, her voice gentle, causing him to look back into her eyes.
"Because I've experienced firsthand how much these kinds of bruises hurt, so I always keep first aid supplies with me," he smiled, revealing a previously unknown detail about himself.
"Oh, um, thank you, Ade," she smiled confidently.
"Ade?" he smirked, tilting his head to the side.
"Oh, Wade was too long. Sorry if you don't like me calling you that," she sheepishly muttered, twirling a strand of her hair.
"No, don't worry. It sounds cute," he smiled widely, removing her hand from her hair and playfully twirling it before letting go.
"Cute?" she questioned, almost shocked, her cheeks blushing as she looked away from him.
Once again, the corners of his lips curved into a cheesy smile.
She's absolutely adorable, he thought, observing her.
"Are you just going to stand there blushing, or should we go?" he said, drawing closer, that smile of his still intact.
"Just shut up, gosh. Let's just go," she replied, feeling embarrassed as she walked away from him.
"Wait, Sagi, listen—"
"Sagi, huh?" she smirked, approaching him and crossing her arms over her chest.
"Well, since you gave me a nickname, it's only fair that I give you one too," he smiled mischievously.
"Hmm..." she placed a finger on her chin, pretending to ponder, before saying, "Fair enough," her smile widening.
"Oh yeah, starting tomorrow, I'll sit beside you. That seat next to you is empty, right?" he declared confidently, noticing that nobody was seated near her. In their school, two individuals shared a table, which had two chairs.
"Why? Don't you have an assigned seat?" she asked seriously, attempting to hide her smile.
"Yeah, but I'm doing you a favor so you don't end up being alone, you know?" he stated matter-of-factly.
"Yeah, sure," she smiled, heading back to class, with him trailing behind.
-7 weeks later-
Restlessly fidgeting with his fingers, Wade stood outside his father's office. It had been a while since his father had called him. Nervously, he recalled seeing his mother looking rather joyful earlier in the day, hoping that whatever was about to transpire wouldn't be too dire.
Entering the office, his heart raced and his fists clenched as he noticed Sage's picture pinned to the target board, marked with a large red cross. Deep down, he prayed that his thoughts were mistaken, but his intuition suggested otherwise.
His father gestured for him to come closer, casually sipping his drink. Wade took slow, deliberate steps until he stood before his father, who raised his hand abruptly. Wade visibly flinched, well aware of what was about to happen. He braced himself for the impact, but to his surprise, his father merely patted his head, eliciting tears in his eyes. This simple display of affection was something Wade had rarely experienced.
"Papa," he said with teary eyes, using the name he had called his father during his childhood. This title struck a chord in his father's heart, causing him to maintain a faint smile.
"Don't cry, okay? You're a big boy now, hmm?" his father gently patted his cheek, prompting Wade to swiftly wipe away his tears and gaze at his father with a wide smile.
Finally, he was receiving the love he had always longed for.
However, only the universe knew how completely mistaken Wade was about his father's true intentions.
"Now, listen to me carefully. You know this girl, right?" his father said, pointing to Sage's picture, causing Wade to freeze in place. Oh God, not her, please.
He meekly nodded in response.
His father continued sternly, "She is Sage Sinclair, the daughter of the leader of the French Mafia."
Wade cocked his head, perplexed. "Oh? Aren't they people we know? I thought you were friends."
His father laughed mockingly. "We don't have friends here, kid. I'm 'friends' with them solely for our benefit."
Suddenly, his father's demeanor grew serious, and he retrieved a document from his drawer, handing it to Wade, who accepted it with trembling hands and a racing heart.