Chapter 9

As creepy as it sounds, I spent the next few days watching Sky Bright. A part of me hoped she'd realise her mistake and come talk to me but instead the opposite seemed to happen. Sky never spent a moment alone; instead she hid behind her friends and even stayed with Mrs Hoffman in an attempt to avoid me. I have to admit that stung - she preferred that vultures company to me: her soulfinder.

I'd made a mess of this right from the beginning and I was at a loss; I didn't know how to fix it. I cursed my stupid, arrogant self for driving her away but a part of me was angry at Sky. I know I'm not perfect but she's my soulfinder; isn't she supposed to love me anyway? My thoughts were twisting around in endless loops that always brought the blame firmly back where it belonged. With me.

Something in me snaps and I race out of my house.

Zed! Where are you going!? Mum shouts in my head, surprised as I barrel past her.

I ignore her. I'm going to see my soulfinder and I'm going to prove I can be nice. I felt like I should bring something - a peace offering - but I didn't know Sky well enough to get her something meaningful and I suspect if I did she'd just thinking I was playing her. I settle on buying flowers. There; that's a normal, non-savant gift. She can't freak out about flowers, right?

Nervously I stand on her doorstep. Her parents are asleep upstairs: not ideal, but I'll take what I can get. I knock on the door and hear footsteps from inside.

Okay, Zed. Play nice. Show her you're not always a rude, arrogant idiot.

The door opens and Sky seems suitably startled as I thrust the flowers in her face. My bad: I keep forgetting just how short she is.

'Lets start again. Hi, I'm Zed Benedict. And you are?' I suggest, thinking of how our first meeting should have gone if I hadn't been so damn angry.

Thankfully Sky takes the flowers. If she hadn't I have no idea what I'd do with them - my reputation would be in tatters if I was seen walking about with them. Not that I care, but if Sky doesn't want me, my reputation is all I have left.

'Go on - this is the easy part. "I am Sky Bright and I'm from England." ' I put on her English accent, smirking at her.

'I do not speak like that.' Sky insists, narrowing her eyes in angry. She looks cute, like a tiger without its claws.

'Sure you do. Go on.'

'Hi, I'm Sky Bright. I'm from Richmond, England.' I grin, thrilled that she's at least willing to play along if nothing else. Maybe, just maybe, if I'm patient and show her my best side, I'll get my girl.

'Now you say, "Wow, what lovely flowers. How about coming in for a nice cup of tea?" '

I hear her worry about her parents though I'm trying my hardest to block her thoughts out and give Sky her privacy. I have a feeling if she knew just how much I heard it wouldn't help my cause. 'They're asleep. So?'

'Well, they are lovely flowers.' Sky admitted, a shy smile spreading uncertainly across her face. Wow. She really is very pretty - beautiful even. I wonder how I missed that. 'Coffee?'

I return her smile but I think she sees some of my nerves. Even if she doesn't realise it, a lot is riding on this. I have a feeling if I mess up again, she's gone forever.

'If you insist.' Am I coming on too strong? Forcing my way too hard? But, I think in frustration, sitting back and waiting for her to come to you didn't work either.

'Come through to the kitchen. Why are you here?' Sky asks as she does that thing my Mum always does to the stems of any flowers my Dad gets her. Is that a girl thing? Are they born with special flower abilities us poor guys lack?

'Isn't it obvious? I messed up. I want to say sorry.'

'These are a good start.' Sky mutters are she fights with a bag of plant food. She's thinking about how no one's ever given her flowers before. Well, she's in good company; I've never given a girl flowers before. Except my Mum; but Mum's don't count.

While Sky's busy with the flowers I attempt to make the coffee. The Bright's have got some foreign English version of a coffee-maker. 'How does this thing work?'

Sky takes the thing out of my hands and easily sets it up. Well, I could have done that. 'You're not very at home in a kitchen?'

'Family of boys.' I say by way of an explanation, glowering at the stupid coffee-thing. 'We've a coffee-maker - does great filter coffee.'

'And she's called your mum.'

'No way.' I laugh. Then I realised Sky doesn't know about soulfinders, about how Dad would never let Mum run around after us. We learnt from an early age anything Mum wants - whether it's you taking the trash out or cooking dinner - she gets. Every time. 'She gets waited on hand and foot in our house.'

'So tell me something about yourself. I play drums and guitar. How about you?' Music: something we had in common. Safe ground.

'Piano, sax and guitar.'

'See,' I said, rather proud of myself, 'we can talk without me freaking out of you.'

'Yeah. You…you like all music, or just jazz?' I refrain from doing a touchdown dance. Sky's trying, even if it's just asking me silly questions, she's trying and that's enough for now.

'All, but I like the freedom to improvise. I like to cut free of what has to be. For me it's a kind of freefall with notes as the parachute.'

'I like that too.' And she doesn't look at me like I'm mental. Sometimes when I speak about music I can't help but get passionate and most people don't understand what the hell I'm on about. Not Sky though, I grin internally, she understands.

'It's musicians' music. Not so straightforward as some but it really repays when you get into it. I mean, you've got to be really confident to launch into an off-the-cuff solo and not make a fool of yourself. Everyone can make mistakes when they rush something, go in too early.'

Does she realise I'm talking about us? Well, me and my stupid over-eager response to finding out she was my soulfinder.

'I suppose.' She's not giving away much with that.

'You really didn't know.'

The words are out before I can stop them. I told myself I'd stay on safe neutral subjects and leave a good impression in Sky's mind, but apparently my voice is not complying. Jerk.

'And you've not the faintest idea why I warned you that day.' I continue, figuring if I started I might as well finish. 'You think I've been trying to scare you.'

'Weren't you? All that stuff about knives and blood?'

'I didn't mean it like that.' I reach over and brush my hand against her clenched knuckles, willing her to just relax and listen. 'It's funny sitting with you. I get so much from you, like you're broadcasting on all frequencies.'

'What does that mean?'

'It's difficult to explain.' Not without delving in to savants and soulfinders - two things I'm sure will make Sky run again. 'I'm sorry I've been rude to you.'

'Rude? I just thought that you had some weird allergic reaction to economy-sized English girls.'

'Is that what you are?' Does she not realise how much more than that she is? How special, unique, perfect? How could she not?

'Um…yeah. Still waiting for that growth spurt Sally's been promising since I was fourteen.'

'You're heights perfect.' I reassure her, truthfully. 'I come from a family of giant redwoods; a bonsai makes a pleasant change.'

Bonsai! If I'd known him better I would have dug him in the ribs for that one…

Sky's voice slips through my defences, straight in to my mind. 'So you're not going to explain what's been the problem with me?'

'Not today.' I frown when she doesn't act on her thoughts. She's my soulfinder; I want her to be herself around me. 'I've messed it up once; I'm not going to risk spoiling it a second time by rushing it. This is too important.' I pick up her hand and punch myself with it. 'There - I deserved that.'

'You're crazy.'

'Yep, that's me.' I ignore her wondering how I knew that. Again, her knowing I was privy to her innermost thoughts wasn't the best way to earn her trust.

Before I put my foot in it, I decide to leave. 'Ok, I'll head out now. I don't want to push my luck. It was good meeting you, Sky. See you around.'

There. I've shown Sky my good side. Now I just need to hope it's enough.

AN - Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing; I really appreciate it. Please, tell me what you think? Thank you.