After Skylar's brief run in, in the hallway the previous day she quickly retreated to her apartment. Deciding to continue in watching James' actions, Skylar now sat in the Palmwoods lobby being cautiously aware of her surroundings. "Hi Skylar" the small girl jumped at the sudden noise, turning to the chair opposite of her own.
"Hey Jo" Skylar smiled, quickly scanning the lobby before returning gaze to Jo. "Are you doing anything right now?" Jo asked, raising an eyebrow "Nope" Skylar shook her head, ringlets bouncing. Jo's face lit up "Do you want to go shopping?" she asked "Um, okay" Skylar shrugged, smiling. Jo smiled and stood up, Skylar closely following behind her.
The two stepped inside Jo's car, a light blue convertible, and Jo ignited the engine with a loud pur. "Nice car" Skylar complimented, smiling. Jo beamed "Thanks", Skylar shrugged. Jo began to drive and smiled as she brought down the top of the car.
"So have you met anyone since you've been at the Palmwoods?" Jo asked, Skylar bit her tongue in attempt to hide the giggles threatning to erupt. Luckily, Jo didn't notice. "Um, yeah. I've met Logan Mitchell" Skylar nodded "Oh really? Have you met the other guys too? Kendall James and Carlos?" Jo asked, briefly turning to Skylar. "Nope" Skylar shook her head "Oh" Jo shrugged.
"But, when I met Logan he pointed out James at the pool" Skylar added "Can you tell me about him?" she asked, a light smirk placing itself on her lips. Jo pursed her lips and pondered how to decribe James to someone who barely knew him. "James is." she began, stopping herself though. "Well he's. No, no".
Skylar raised an eyebrow at Jo "If it's that bad, just tell me" she shrugged. Jo sighed in relief and nodded to herself "James is self centered, conceited, and goes from girl to girl." she explained. Skylar turned to face the window, disappointment painting her face as thoughts began to race through her head, seeming to bounce off of each other.
"Really?" Skylar whispered, she quickly regained her voice and repeated herself "Really?". Jo vigorously nodded and pulled in to the parking lot of the mall. "Come on! Let's go" Jo smiled, jumping out of the car. Skylar slowly followed her, thoughts still running through her mind.
~ ... ~ ... ~ ... ~
James paced apartment 2J, thumb and forefinger on his chin and deep in thought. As the door opened, James jumped back. "Kendall!" he yelled, running towards him. Kendall's eyes widened as he held out his hands in attempt to stop the taller boy. "What?" Kendall yelled.
"Who's that girl that Logan keeps hanging out with?" James asked, taking Kendall by the forearms and shaking him. Kendall slowly removed James' tightly gripped hands from his arms, placing them at James' sides. "What girl?" Kendall asked. James let out a yell before storming in to his bedroom, leaving Kendall standing dumbfounded.
As James slammed the door, a cracking sound filled the room. James turned to see a small picture frame laying face down on the floor, stray shards of glass surrounding it. Slowly he trudged over to it, leaning down and carefully picking it up.
The picture on the inside is what caused James to drop it once again, this time face up. Piercing blue eyes along with his own hazel ones stared up at him, shining. Slowly he picked it up again, staring more closely at it. Carefully James brushed the dust off, showing the pictures contents.
After pondering the age at that point in time, James decided the photo had to have been taken when he was nine years old. But in the photo, he wasn't alone. He had his arm gently wrapped around Skylar Clarkson's shoulders, holding the short girl close to him. Skylar smiled, obviously holding James' hand tightly with their fingers laced together. Skylar's signature Elmo flat rim hat sat perfectly on her curls, her sideswept bangs just falling out and partially covering one of her bright eyes. James wore a flat rim hat as well, only his being Cookie Monster.
James gently removed the back from the frame, in the process dropping a few more pictures from it. Now completely kneeling down on the floor, James picked up the pictures that had fallen. All seamed to have been taken the same day, seeming as Skylar wore a plain v-neck t-shirt and black skinny jeans along with her Elmo hat and James wore a plaid button down t-shirt with plain blue jeans and the Cookie Monster hat.
Some were different poses though. One being James placing a sweet kiss on Skylar's cheek. Another being with Skylar's arms tightly wrapped around James' torso, him doing the same around her shoulders. The next being the two sitting on swings, holding hands in the center of the two, perfect smiles on each of their faces. The last one still on the swings, only in this one, both laughed hysterically as they still held hands.
A silent tear slowly streamed down James' cheek as he layed all the photos out, studying each of them carefully. It was that moment that it hit him.
Skylar Clarkson.