Thanks everyone for the feedback. Hope you like it. This story is just coming quickly for me so updates should come fast. I have not forgotten about my other stories I promise I will update those at some point in the near future.
As always, I need to thank my dear friend L for all his support, feedback and suggestions. My stories would not be what they were if it wasn't for you xox
I don't own TSC
Xoxo H
When Skylar got home she was still feeling uncomfortable and fidgety. She hated feeling like that. She could not for the life of her figure out what she did to make the most popular kids in school hate her so much to the point where they were appalled to be out on a group project with her. Normally when she was feeling like that she would either go for a run or call her best friend Maggie for a little retail therapy. They would put a dent in their credit cards at Bergdorf's and follow it up with dinner at Tao. Shopping was out of the question considering the real shopping was over an hour an hour so she chose to go for a run. She put on a pair of running pants, a tight tank top and her running shoes. She went into the bathroom, washed the makeup of her face and pulled her hair back in a ponytail before heading out the out the door. She stretched out on the front porch then she was off.
Running was a release for Skylar, she did her best thinking when she was running. She headed down Crowhaven Road towards town. She ran passed the creepy old cemetery and just ran. This town was so small she didn't have to worry about getting lost and it seemed safe enough where she didn't have to carry pepper spray with her. As she ran she thought about all the events of the past year that led her to New Salem. Her father's crash and the way she acted out after that. She couldn't deal so she ended up partying all the time and became the paparazzi's favorite socialite. She hated that. The only thing she loved about being in New Salem was that no one was taking pictures of her commented on her many moves. She couldn't remember the last time she had been the butt of a joke on a late night talk show and she was grateful for that. She was thankful to no longer living in a fishbowl but at the same time she missed it. Her life may have been a mess but it was far from boring. Though she was grateful that no one in New Salem seemed to know or even care who she was, after the day she had she really wanted to go back to New York, move in with Maggie and her family and finish her senior year at Preston but she would not leave her mother. Maggie sighed and she made it to the center of town. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Diana and another girl with chestnut hair leaving the coffee shop and Skylar's thoughts shifted. Diana waved but Skylar did not wave back. Skylar was angry and hurt at what she had overheard when she was leaving school. She remembered the look Diana gave her and her thoughts went to a handsome face with mahogany eyes. She couldn't shake Nick's face from her head. She was not sure why there was such a pull there when he clearly did not want to be around her. Maybe that was it. She was so used to people wanting to be her friend that the way the Club had treated her was a very foreign thing to her. She didn't know how to handle it yet she felt connected to them in a way she could not explain. It was not jealousy or the longing to fit in. It was something else, something far greater than what she herself could even comprehend.
Skylar turned around and headed back towards the bluff. She ran up the hill and the burn in her legs made her run that much harder. She ran passed the cemetery and up the bluff but this time she passed her house and ran up Crownhaven Road. She was not paying attention to anything other than making to the end of the bluff. When she got to the end she slowed down and when she stopped she bent down, put her hand on her legs and panted for a minute. She was so concentrated on breathing she had no idea what she was standing on until she looked down. She saw ash and burnt wood and the place smelled like a combination of smoke and death. She got a very weird feeling I wonder what happened here she thought to herself. She was startled by a voice, her own voice which seemed to answer her own question out loud You will learn all in due time once you heed the call. Skylar was shaken up by how clear her voice sounded. It was the strangest thing she had ever experienced and she couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of strange.
She took a deep breath and walked down Crowhoven Road towards Marsh. She looked around at all of the houses, there were so many different types of house- one was in the shape of a backwards T, one was huge with columns in front, a few were boarded up, there was a beautiful yellow house and Skylar was trying to figure out who lived where when her thoughts were interrupted by loud rock music coming from a garage of one of the more run down houses on Crowhaven Road. She looked and saw Nick standing over a skeleton of car, his hair looked metallic black from sweat and she could see a smear on grease on his toned bicep. She started walking towards her house when she heard a voice "Skylar! Skylar! Wait!" it was Nick. She took a deep breath, stopped and turned to him she wanted to say something but she couldn't. She was afraid if she said something her insecurities would show and she was too proud for that. Nick knew that she had overheard them and he needed to do some damage control but he was taken back at how pretty Skylar really was. She had the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen, high cheek bones and Nick wondered why she would hide herself behind the globs of makeup she had worn to school to school that day. He also noticed she had a slamming body- she was thin and athletic and he had to stop himself right there. She was an outsider, though that hadn't stopped him before when he just wanted to hook up or someone to party with, but, there was something different about Skylar, something special. Nick was not one to get all wrapped up in girls, in fact the only girl he ever had true feelings wasn't an outsider. He knew that the group would have huge issues if they saw him even standing there with Skylar. He was deep in thought and Skylar just stood there staring back at him. She tried not to get lost in the building curiosity that was coming across his chiseled face or the thoughtful look that was in his eyes. She was so upset at the way Nick and his friends had treated her that day but that was lost just for a moment. She shook her thoughts away "Well what do you want Nick I don't have all day I have homework to do you know" she said with an annoyed tone. Nick wrinkled his brow and ran a hand through his dark hair "meet me at the library in the morning a half hour before school, we can start the business project" he said. She looked at him like he had two heads "nah that's ok. I will do my own research and you and your friends can put it in with whatever it is you do" Skylar said in monotone way trying so hard not to break. "skylar" Nick went to say but she interrupted him "look Nick, I get it. I am new here, I am definitely out of my element and it is obvious that certain groups don't want me around which is fine. To each their own, right?" She paused waiting for Nick to continue but he couldn't. He could tell by the depth in her eyes that it really did bother her but he didn't want to hurt more than she already had been. Her coldness and I could care less attitude reminded him so much of himself that the connection he felt started to grow. Skylar took a deep breath and continued "Despite what people think, I am not the shallow ditz that I am made out to be". "I don't think you are ditz" he admitted quietly "and I don't think you are shallow either". Skylar's eyed widened at the tenderness both in Nick's eyes and expression. Skylar didn't know where it came from but suddenly she felt courageous and bold "So then what's the problem then, I know there is one, I am not stupid you know" she said coldly. Nick just shrugged "I'm sorry" was he could say. For some reason he wanted her to know the truth about who or what he was but he knew he couldn't. The only outsider that knew the truth was their ally, Sally and that was by circumstance not by choice. Skylar was tired of it all her. She hadn't even been in this town for 2 days and she was over it already. "See you in school then" she said as she turned to walk away "what about the library?" Nick asked again "maybe" she smiled a half smile and walked away.
What the heck was that? She thought to herself. She was even more confused than she had been earlier. This hot and cold game that he was playing was getting old really fast. She could tell that he was hiding something but what she wasn't sure. Something inside of her knew that she wouldn't have to dig deep to find the answers. The connection was feeling stronger by the minute and to be honest, it scared her.
When she got to her house she heard voices coming from the back porch. It was her mother and a blonde woman she didn't recognize "After all these years, faith, what brought you back?" the woman asked. "I just had a feeling, something inside me was telling me it was time to come back" her mother answered. Skylar stayed where she was and just listened. "Old habits die hard" the woman giggled before taking a deep breath and asking "does she know?" she asked. Skylar heard the fear in her mother's voice "Not yet. She needs to be open to it and she is still very bitter about moving here. I could tell she had a bad day by the way she just came home without saying and word and went right out for a run". The other woman laughed "apple doesn't fall too far from the tree" Skylar's mother laughed "not at all definitely more from the Todd tree". Skylar wanted to know what the heck her mother was talking about and why she was talking about her to a stranger. "hopefully she will be guided to where she needs to be soon, you have always had the best sight even after everything that happened. You're instinct to come back here could only mean one thing" the women said solemnly "the circle is in trouble". Skylar shook her head. What were they talking about she wondered and what was so important about her mother bringing her here and what sight? She knew she couldn't ask her mother about it because she didn't want her mother to know she had been eves dropping. She got a glass of water and decided to go outside and say hello to her mother and find out who this strange woman was "Hey mom" Skylar said as she walked out the back door. "Hi hunny I want you to meet someone. This is my oldest friend, Amelia Blake" her mother said "Hi" was all Skylar could say. "Wow I haven't seen you since you were a baby. You look just like your father" Amelia said. Skylar just smiled "How was your first day?" Amelia continued. Skylar shrugged looking at her mom" It was alright. Definitely different from Preston". "My daughter is a senior too, Cassie Blake" Amelia said. Skylar thought for a minute and an image of a short girl with light brown hair popped into her head. "Oh yeah she's in my Chemistry class" was all she could say. The only thing she knew about Cassie was that she seemed cozy with the red headed boy and that she was friends with Nick and them. Skylar was feeling uncomfortable "I'm going to go shower and start my homework" she said to her mom "It was nice meeting you Mrs. Blake" she said and walked into the house.
Skylar went upstairs, took out her contacts and ran the shower. She left the hot water wash away the sweat from her run but it didn't wash away the feeling of dread, of an inevitable change that seemed to be looming on the horizon.
When she got out she put on a pair of sweats and t-shirt and her glasses and sat at her computer. If she was going to meet Nick in the morning she needed to be a little prepared. She did some basic research of places that would be good for an auto body shop. She printed out pictures and made a spreadsheet of costs. When she was done with that, she wrote her poem for creative writing and did her math homework. By the time she was done it was dark and she was hungry. She went downstairs just as her mother was putting dinner on the table. Skylar's eyes widened at the hug grilled chicken and goat cheese salad. Her favorite. "Oh mom this looks fantastic" she said as she got herself a glass of water. "here try this dressing, Mrs. Blake made it with herbs from her garden, it was my favorite growing up" she said handing her small glass carafe. The dressing tasted so good. Just a small meal with her mom made her feel better. "Bad day?" her mom said. "It was alright. We will see how tomorrow goes. I was thrown into a group for an economic project and I don't think they like me very much. I am supposed to meet one of them at the library before school" she said. Her mother just smiled "once they get to know you, the you behind the fancy clothes, they will love you" her mother smiled. Skylar finished her meal in silence, went upstairs and went right to bed.
