Chapter Six

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Skye

I haven't noticed how frustrated and angry Ethan was until now and I felt horrible for putting him in such state. "I'm really sorry for getting you worried, Ethan. Honestly, it has nothing to do with you." I said sincerely.

His fingers closed on mine in a tight but gentle grip and his voice was dead serious, "Did someone do something to bother you?"

"No... God, no... It's just..." I started to get nervous. Deeply embarrassed for getting him worried over something so ridiculous. A stupid problem of mine that I had since I was young and never told anyone about. No one but my family knew about... well... my issue.

There was an urgency in his voice, "Please be honest like you've always been with me, Skye." Ethan leaned forward a little bit to catch every word I was about to say.

How could I say this without completely humiliating myself?

I couldn't even think of an opening line. I've opened my mouth and closed it without any words coming out. It was ridiculous.

"You didn't even sign that stupid flu paper," he added.

Bless his heart, he just gave me an opening. "About that slip..."

I've always played tough. Like I had everything under control. I didn't like getting others worried about me, but the concern that had Ethan all worked out and frustrated was... was... sigh!

It won't be the first time I embarrass myself and it certainly won't be my last. I took a deep breath and spilled it all out in one quick breath, "Actually I had the paper signed since day one. The thing is I'm afraid of needles. Terrified! Whenever I see an injection or someone taking one I feel sick, my heart beats fast, I get dizzy and then I faint. I fainted twice actually. Just the thought of it puncturing someone's skin or the sight of blood makes me want to pass out. So, there you have it, my secret is out. You can laugh now. I'm a big baby."

Fainting at school because of a tiny needle? Yeah, that would be fun!

I waited for him to burst out laughing and make fun of me. This would be a great opportunity to call me names, like chicken, wuss, baby, scaredy cat, but he didn't. He just sat there silently. Maybe I spoke too fast that he didn't catch a word that I've said, I tried to convince myself in high hopes.

Ethan silently stood up, still grasping my hand in his. "Let's go, and bring that slip with you," he said softly.

"Whyyyy?" I stretched out the word asking slowly.

"You are going to take that vaccination and I'm coming with you," he simply stated.

"You're not going to make fun of me? I was preparing myself for that," it was a half joke half-truth.

Why do I put thoughts in his mind?

He shook his head and his mouth pressed in a serious line, "Maybe later."

I don't know why, but having Ethan coming with me made it seem better. This time he was the one who held my hand while we walked to the nurse's office. As we got closer, my anxiety spiked. The more anxious I've got and the more assuring Ethan's grip was.

We fell in line behind a few students who came before us. I was doing some sort of a weird shuffle dance from one leg to another ready to bolt. I nearly jumped out of my skin when someone screamed from inside the office.

"Hey, how is Matt doing in his new school?" Ethan asked out of the blue surprising me and catching me off guard.

"Who?" My brain went blank all of a sudden.

"Matt, your brother, how is he adjusting in his new school?"

So I did hear him right.

"He's good I think." Appreciating what he was doing, I went along, "He's a good kid."

"Still having problems with that bully you told me about the other day?"

Wow! He actually listened when I blabbed about that, "Yes, sometimes. I really want to get a chance with that boy. Better alone, so there would be no witnesses." I was getting really fired up at the mention of Matt's problem.

Ethan patted my hand, "Easy there tiger," and for the first time since I met him he smiled a little. My heart fluttered in my chest and god, those dimples.

Ahhhhhh!

He kept asking me questions, like my favorite movie, actor, novelist, music, hobbies, food and I asked him back. In those short eight minutes I've learned more about Ethan than I've had in the past few months. Oh, and we bickered here too, in a friendly way though.

When we had a moment of silence I nudged him gently with my shoulder, "Thank you for doing this with me," I was deeply moved and thankful. Not the action that I thought he would take.

His head tilted my way, "That's what friends would do, right?"

The way he said it was more than a statement. It was an apology for the fight and a silent confirmation that he considered me as a friend too.

A moment later I started to giggle like some sort of a loon.

"What's so funny?" Ethan asked a bit confused.

I was swaying from side to side like a five-year-old and my smile was stretched from ear to ear. "You caaaare." I actually sang the words without shame and added without a change in tune, "Lord of Evil and Despair caaaares".

"Hush..." he smiled, "tell anyone and I will deny it."

I giggled again, "Your secret is safe with me."

I couldn't take my eyes away from the smile or the dimples. I was fighting myself not to say anything about it, "You should smile more often," I lost the fight, "smile looks good on you."

His eyebrows pinched closer for a moment as his lips pressed together.

The ′why did I open my mouth?′ question was loud in my head. I was mentally searching for a comeback while watching him carefully. When Ethan shook his head as if he was talking to a crazy person and his lips twitched a little, only then I relaxed. Progress!

"Pull up your sleeve and wait," the nurse ordered.

By now my heart was pounding loudly in my ears, my breathing was fast, my body and limbs turned ice cold, my palms started to sweat and I couldn't stop fidgeting.

"Why can't I have the being stuck in a small space phobia or the fear of heights, spiders, germs like a normal person?" My mouth ran dry and my head joined the rest of my body in a not well tuned orchestra and I started to panic.

"Hey, look at me." Ethan was close. So close. We were usually the side-by-side type of closeness, not face to face.

"It'll be over soon," he added.

"Lean on me," he instructed, gently tugging at my hand. When I didn't move he urged, "Trust me, Skye."

He didn't have to tell me again as dizziness already engulfed my brain. It was either him or the white tile floor that was moving in the strange way right now.

Ethan leaned forward offering his shoulder. He adjusted his stand so my head was settled in the crook between his neck and shoulder. His arms extended and his hands pressed around me on the bed was sitting on. He moved his head closer to my ear, "Breathe with me," his voice was a low, soft and calming whisper. A new tune I didn't hear before, breathy and throaty. The kind of voice that I would put a song on repeat for just to hear it again.

I closed my eyes. This was nice. I liked the way he smelled. Soap and cologne. His body's warmth was comforting and before I knew it I was mimicking his breathing. Slow and steady. Breathing in. Breathing out. Slow and steady. I felt relaxed and safe to the point of drowsiness. I wished I could fall asleep right then and just the way we were. There was something happening around us, but I couldn't care less. For a moment everything else seized to exist, there was no one else but us.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

"All done!" A distant voice announced.

Done with what?

A gentle hand touched mine, "You okay?" He asked close to my ear.

I did a quick overall check. Surprisingly, I was. No dizziness, no sweating or pounding. All was well except the pinch in my forearm and plaster slapped over it. I nodded in his shoulder.

"You did well." He spoke as if I did something huge. Not a big baby who was scared if needles.

I didn't move for a moment. Would it be wrong if I wanted to stay like this a bit longer. This was peaceful. Ethan didn't move either. His hand stayed on mine and his strong shoulder held my head.

"Have a juice box," the nurses voice shattered whatever nice moment we were in and brought me crashing to earth, "There are a few on the counter."

"I think we should leave," Ethan spoke softly.

I leaned back blinking a few times to wake up my brain and looked at him seeing him differently. Seeing another new part of Ethan.

"Okay," I finally said. My voice sounded sleepy in my ears.

We still had some time before our break ended so we went to grab a quick bite with Abby and Timothy.

We were on our way when Ethan said, "Skye..." he started.

I made a sound indicating that I was listening.

He turned his head my direction pulling me from my own thoughts and having my full attention. I started to notice his ways. Like when he was listening, when he was bored, when he was lost in his thoughts. Little by little I'm learning who Ethan was.

His voice was serious in a way I've never heard before that it startled me and we stopped moving, "Promise me, if something like this ever happened with you again you would tell me."

I tilted my head looking at him not sure if I grasped what he meant right. Not before he said, "Don't leave me in the dark again, Skye."

My heart flinched painfully right then in my chest. "I'm sorry," I apologized touching my fingers to his arm. "I'm not good at sharing stuff about myself with others. I'm not used to doing that," I said honestly.

I still hadn't told him about my parents. I couldn't just walk up to him and say -Hi I'm Skye and my parents died last year.

We were standing face to face, but my hand was still held between his arm and torso.

"Neither am I." Ethan shared in an honest moment. He gave me a small lopsided smile, "Just let me know every once and a while that you are fine."

The pressure I've put on myself eased under his words and that made me smile and bargain, "I will if you will."

He frowned and his mouth pressed in a tight line, He didn't say anything for a moment and I could almost sense the refusal spilling out through his pores. However, I wouldn't take less than an agreement.

"Deal!" he roared. "Just to let you know, I'm no fun."

There was a beam of happiness in my chest that I carefully hid. Instead I hinted sarcastically, "Really? I didn't notice."

He froze for a second. Then for the first time since I met Ethan he gave me a full smile, dimples and all, "I'm going to regret this."

I could feel my pulse in my throat and my stomach was doing some sort of a flip. I swallowed before speaking making sure that my voice would come out as unruffled as possible, "Hey, no backsies! A deal is a deal!"

Then I patted his arm with my other hand, "Of course you'll regret it."

Ethan

Fascinating.

I've been thinking of a word to describe Skye. Fascinating seemed to fit her perfectly. She broke me to the point I started smiling again and she was always saying or doing something that would break me more in that way.

With exams coming up she would stay after school to study at the library. She invited me to come along but I refused. The school offered to have my classes recorded for me. A tutor was assigned by my parents to help me with researches and essays since I don't read braille and I wouldn't bring any braille written books to school.

At first, I started to learn to follow the cells, but I quit after a month. I wasn't ready to accept that this might be permanent then, but now there is the slightest hint of acceptance. So, what would I do in a library? Sit silently while everyone else read their books.

Somehow, with Skye asking for the second time I couldn't say no. Especially when she added, 'This could be fun' and 'You might even enjoy it'. Doubtful, but I played along anyway. I knew I would be making a complete fool out of myself though.

As we walked into the library the low whispers were sliced into silence for a minute and then started again. I could hear my name and Skye's being rolled around and I was about to turn and leave.

Skye's fingers squeezed my arm gently with a slight tug telling to lean in. She whispered, "Someone told me once: Ignore them, they will get bored eventually." Her usual smile colored her word and spur mine.

She used my words against me and that had me pinned. The thought of leaving never visited me again.

Whenever we walked in a tight places or there was furniture scattered around, Skye tends to stick closer to me so it would be easier to fall in her steps. Judging by the distance we walked and how far the last commented whisper I think we picked a far corner.

"I think we'd be comfortable here," she said as she placed my hand on the back of the chair that I'd be sitting on.

I could hear her pulling the chair close to mine. Her sweet perfume filled my lungs and I breathed deeply.

"So, where did you stop in your studies?" Skye asked.

I shrugged, "I didn't start yet."

"Cool, me neither. Do you mind if I read to you? I promise to try to be as good as the recordings you have."

There was nothing I would prefer more than hearing her voice, saying anything even if it was school material. She had a special ring that captured me. However, I shrugged in a -if you want to- manner.

Skye leaned in closer so I could hear her when she spoke softly. That girl was doing something to me that I couldn't explain and she was merciless towards the mess that was happening in my brain and my chest.

There were moments were I drifted in my thoughts and they always landed on the things Carmen said. No matter where my train of thoughts started it always reached the same station and that bothered me beyond control. The truthful bits in her words were haunting.

Later that day, I made a horrible mistake of introducing Skye to Hank, mom's step-brother, whom I hoped won't embarrass me for the sake of us continuing being a family.

"Hank, Skye. Skye this is Hank, my uncle."

"So you are the famous Skye! Certainly very nice to meet you!" He said a little too cheerfully, "I heard a lot about you."

A horrible, horrible mistake.

I cleared my throat in an attempt to maybe, I don't know, lower his enthusiasm just a lot!

"Um... hi, nice to meet you too," she said politely, "I didn't know Ethan had an uncle."

I cleared my throat again in favor that he might get the message and tune it down.

"Uncle, personal driver, errands boy, everything."

Nope! He was embarrassing me on purpose. I had to stop this! I'm cutting ties with this man.

"Hank!" I cut him off.

"Yes?"

"Car!"

"Fine, Your Highness!"

Skye piped in, "Oh no, he answers to Your Lordship."

Now she was messing with me too?

"Aha, that's why Your Highness never worked!" Hank played along.

"CAR!" I growled.

"Okay, okay, going. Skye, see you around."

"See you," she said sweetly. A cheerful laugh was there.

I waited to hear the car door close and for the music to blow, "So you joined forces with my uncle," I noted.

"Yeah, he seems like a nice guy and you're not easy to defeat. We need more forces."

I smiled.

She had no idea how close I was to be defeated.

Skye

If I thought Ethan was handsome, well, Hank was too. Rugged looking, but in a handsome way, with stubble and short, chocolate brown hair and light green eyes. The way he teased Ethan told me they were close, more like friends than uncle and nephew.

Something was certainly happening between Ethan and me. I've noticed when we walked together that he would lock his arm closer to his body, so that my hand would snuggle between the inside of his elbow and torso. And whenever we talked face to face he would stand closer than he used to. When we sat at the library the other day, he leaned in and our shoulders brushed. And many other bits of such little things that made my stomach flip and my heart dance in my chest. It felt like the space between us was shrinking gradually and I didn't mind. I didn't mind at all.

By the weekend, the weather started to change. It was too cloudy without a single ray of sunshine for the past few days and a few minutes ago it started to rain. I should have listened to Aunt Sophie and brought an umbrella. I took that as a sign to stay extra time at the library and write that research I've been delaying. Ethan has left half an hour ago after he got a call and now I was all by myself.

Running to the car through under the heavy rain without slipping was a challenge. The sound of raindrops on the rooftop of my car was too loud that it played on my nerves. It was like hundreds of ping-balls being dropped at the same time. The wipers were working like crazy and just as the view cleared- it blurred again right away. Lighting and thunder were no joke around here either.

As I made my way to the schools' front I saw a dark figure sitting on the bench under the heavy rain.

God, they must be drenched.

They would definitely catch a cold, or even worse pneumonia. Why wouldn't they wait inside? Do they need a ride? A phone maybe? As I got closer I lowered the window to ask if they needed help. I gasped when I saw who it was.

Oh my god, Ethan! I jumped out a rushed to him.

"Ethan!" I yelled his name.

A gush of rain and wind blew from every direction soaking me from head to toe. Pushing my hair away from my eyes, my heart wrenched when I saw his face. His skin was pale and his body frozen like he was in shock.

"Ethan, what's wrong?"

I crouched in front of him and touched his hand, they were as cold as ice. Without a second thought I held his hands in mine and started rubbing them with mine trying to warm him up.

His head slowly turned my direction, "Skye?" His voice was rough, like he hasn't spoken for a long time.

"I'm here," I assured him.

Then I asked again, "Are you okay? Where is Hank?" I looked around blinking and searching for Hank's black SUV without luck.

"You... You should go. It's raining," Ethan said like he has just noticed the weather.

Something has happened, but this wasn't the place or the weather to ask about it, "I'm not leaving you here. Come with me." I stood up and pulled on his hands gently but he didn't budge.

"I'm fine. You go."

"You'll get sick if you stayed here. I'm not going anywhere without you," I pulled him again.

My words didn't get through him right away. His responses were slow, like he was in some sort of a trance. His hands felt heavier than usual in mine, as if something drained all his energy out. I saw him in many gloomy moods, but nothing like this. Something was seriously wrong.

In a hopeless attempt to get something out of him I added, "Hey, if you fainted or anything don't count on me to pick you up. It will be like moving a truck,"

Ethan's body stiffened for a minute before he abruptly pulled his hands to his chest resulting in pulling me close to him. I almost lost my ground with the sudden move and a gasp escaped my lips. Only a few inches separated us. My breath was trapped in my throat and my heart flattered in my chest.

Ethan's brow furrowed, "Then what will you do?" He asked. His voice was gravely harsh and his jaw set tightly. He was unemotional, somber and waiting for my answer.

I don't know why, but it felt like this was

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