Hey guys. Hope you had a nice weekend. I did. A sleepover, a canceled marching competition, and tons of laughs. It was semi awesome. I wish the competition hadn't been canceled, but apparently it's too dangerous to march in flash floods. Go figure. But anyway, back to the situation at hand. I see a lot of you really enjoyed my last chapter. See? I told you Skye would get better. But… Oh well, you'll find out soon. I was originally not going to do this chapter due to the fact that I thought I would not have any free time whatsoever. Turns out I was wrong. So, that brings me to something today. If I'm ever late posting, don't panic. I'm simply swamped with homework and band. I should have something the next week at the latest. Okay, so read 'NeoFlock' and 'Deadline' by Talon666 (one of my HUGE fans) and 'Dark Blue' and 'Maximum Ride: Wings vs. Wands' by Madeline Cullen (another one of my HUGE fans). As always, I hope you really enjoy this chapter. It's pretty intense and emotional and just downright awesome. Or, at least I think so.
It was night and, you guessed it, I had graciously taken first watch. Trust me, I was not a happy camper. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I wanted to make Skye take first watch and then get some much deserved sleep. But, nope. I had to be a nice person and volunteer to take first watch because of the ordeal Skye had gone through earlier. You know, where he almost died.
It was weird, but he'd been a little different since then. I mean, what he did for me back at that Wal-Mart with those guys. But, then again he hadn't really done it for me. He did it to keep those jerks from finding out about our wings.
I heard an owl hoot in the distance and jumped a mile into the air. Man, I really was starting to get like the Flock. Scared of a little owl. But, wait. Did I hear whimpering?
I turned my head to the direction of the noise and saw Jewel, shaking. I knew she wasn't cold because she was fairly close to the fire. Was she having a nightmare?
"No!" she yelled. Then I heard her crying. "Anything but that. No, no, no." She just kept saying 'no' over and over. Yup. Nightmare.
I rushed over to her and shook her awake. "Jewel, Jewel sweetie." I whispered softly.
At first she looked really freaked out, like she didn't know where she was, but then she laid her head on my shoulder. "Oh, Mel. It was an awful nightmare."
Story of our lives. "I know, I know. But it was just a dream. A dream can't hurt you." I said, telling her the exact same thing my mother had told me when I was small. "Now, do you wanna tell me what happened?"
She took a deep breath and said, "All I can remember is this big, long needle and someone telling me I was going to die."
Oh. So it was all psychological. She was remembering what had happened to Skye earlier that day and the memory had mingled with her own fears. "Oh, Jewel. I know how you feel." I said, reassuring her.
"What?"
I turned around and saw Skye staring at me opened mouth. Okay, now what was he doing?
"What?" he asked again. "What… what right do you have to tell her that?" he asked incredulously.
"What in the heck are you talking about?" I asked. "What did I tell her?" So much for Skye being nice.
"That everything was going to be okay." he informed me. "How can you sit there and tell her a bold faced lie? We're on the run for freakin' cripes sakes. Nothing is okay and nothing is ever going to be okay."
"Look Skye." I growled at him, ticked off. "My parents went through the same exact thing. They're fine. Everything turned out okay for them except for the fact that I got kidnapped."
Skye looked at me like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Of course! Your parents. But not you. What right do you have to tell her you know how she feels? What right do you have to tell her it's gonna be okay?"
"I do know how she feels."
Skye laughed. "No, you think you know how she feels. You don't know what it's like to be tortured day in and day out."
Okay, something was seriously messed up with him. "Oh, I don't know how it feels? I was at the School for an entire month being tortured."
He laughed again. "A whole month. A whole freakin' month. Well, whoop-de-stinkin'-doo for you. Try fifteen years. See how it feels then."
I said nothing. I had nothing to prove to him. All he was doing was trying to look poor and pitiful. Well, I was not going to pity him.
"See?" he asked. "You really don't know anything Mel. You think you've been through the worst. No. I've been through the worst. Jewel's been through the worst. Your parents have been through the worst."
Again, I said absolutely nothing. What did I have to say to him anyways?
"Wanna know why I call you 'Princess'?" he asked. "Hmm Mel? You wanna know?"
I sighed. "Fine. Why Skye? Please tell me. Enlighten me." I said bitterly, sarcastically.
"Because, you lived a sheltered life, away from all the pain your family went through." he began. "Just like a princess, you think you know what everyone around you is going through and you try to sympathize with them. You really actually haven't got a clue."
I'll admit it. What he said hurt me a lot. I swear, I could actually feel tears stinging in my eyes, but I held them back. He couldn't see me break. He wouldn't see me break.
"Notice how you have nothing to say. That's because you know what I'm saying is true." Skye said. "So, once again tell me how you can tell her it's going to be okay."
"Because." I growled. "I have a little something called hope. Ever heard of it Skye? Jewel's just a kid and she needs hope."
For the first time since Skye and I started this lovely discussion, I looked at Jewel. She did not look happy. She was upset that we were fighting again after we promised not to. But, I couldn't help it. Skye was making me so angry.
"Now, let me ask you something Skye." Oh boy was he about to get it. "How can you say I don't know how Jewel feels? You have no idea what my life was like."
"Oh boo hoo." Skye snapped angrily. "It must have been so painful to have a family and friends and decent food and showers and a nice soft bed. Sounds like real torture to me Mel."
Oh. He had done it now. He'd made me so freakin' angry. "You try having your name trashed by your best friend. You try knowing that everyone around you is normal and that you're just a winged freak trying to blend in with them! You try listening to your mother cry in the middle of the night because she just had a nightmare!" I was freakin' seething.
Skye let out another hollow laugh. "Oh yeah. Try having your best friends betray you and then try to kill you. Try being whipped with a bull whip, stabbed with foot long needles, locked up with no food for days, almost electrocuted, and zapped with a flamin' cattle prod!"
That was it. The last straw. I wasn't going to let him do this to me. This was the single dumbest argument I had ever had and I was finished with it. I was finished with Skye. The end.
I stood up. "You know something Skye? You're right. Okay, I have no idea what you're going through. So why don't I do us both a favor and get out of here. Obviously you don't need me."
"No!" Jewel shouted. "Mel, you can't leave. Skye's just upset. Right Skye? Tell her you didn't mean it."
Skye didn't say a word just like I knew he wouldn't. He wasn't going to tell me to stay because he didn't want me to. He hated me and it was just as simple as that. Jewel would just have to learn how to accept it.
"Well, just as I thought." I turned to Jewel and the look on her face nearly brought tears to my eyes. But, there was nothing I could do. I knew when I wasn't wanted and I was not going to force my company one Skye. I'd taught him and Jewel to take care of themselves and that was all they needed.
"I'm sorry Jewel." I told her. I unfurled my wings and took off without even grabbing the backpack. Let Skye have the laptop. I didn't care. I just wanted out of there.
I could hear Jewel yelling at Skye, "Go after her! Stop her!" but I knew he wouldn't. He was probably happy to be rid of me. Well, he was leader just like he wanted to be. He would be the one responsible for Jewel. He'd have to take on Tanner himself.
As for me, well I didn't know where to go. I couldn't go home and without the laptop I didn't have a way to let my parents know I was okay. I was all alone. But maybe being alone was better. I would only have to worry about myself. No one would depend on me.
But being alone was just so… lonely. I had no one to talk to. No one to reassure me. No one to laugh with. No one to share with. No one to care for. No one to care about me.
Suddenly, I felt weak. I didn't think it was possible to go on. So, I found a good sized tree and landed. And, thanks to my terrible luck, it began to sprinkle a little. But, rain was good. I could cry and not have to worry about Jewel chasing after me and seeing the tears. With the rain I could mask the tears if she showed up. So, I let my tears fall.
Not too long after I began crying and the rain had started I heard someone calling my name. A guy's voice. Skye's voice. What was he doing looking for me?
I didn't say anything. Maybe if he didn't find me he'd leave. I didn't want to see him ever again.
But, no such luck. I heard him fly up behind me and then join me on my branch. Might as well see what he wanted.
"What?" I asked, not looking at him, trying to keep my voice steady.
He sighed. "Look Princess, this isn't easy for me to say but… Wait. Are you crying?" I thought I heard humor in his voice. Great. He was going to kick me while I was down.
"No." I said, flatly.
"Then why won't you turn around?" he asked, amusement dripping from his voice.
I knew then I had to turn around, so I did.
"I knew it." he said almost gleefully. "You're actually crying."
"Oh shut up." I muttered darkly. "It's just the rain."
He chuckled. "Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say… Melody."
I turned back around and asked, "What do you want anyway?"
He stopped laughing and said, "Oh. Right." Then he sighed and said, "Jewel begged me to look for you. She really needs you."
Okay, now he made me ticked. I whipped around and smacked him. "What the hell were you thinking?! You left her alone! I didn't even think you were that stupid!"
He massaged his cheek and said, "Relax. We flew up to a cave before she made me look for you. She's perfectly safe. I'm not thoughtless you know."
"You sure act like it." I muttered under my breath. If he heard he didn't say anything.
"I just have one question for you." Skye said after a while.
"And what would that be?" I asked, still angry. I didn't even noticed that it stopped raining.
"Why do you always compare yourself to your family? It's always 'the flock' this and 'the flock' that and 'Max did this' or 'my parents did that'." he said.
I sighed. I didn't feel like telling him to mind his own business. I was too tired to argue. I thought letting my guard down would be a lot less work. "Because I can't do it. I can't be leader. I'm not brave enough and you're right. I have no idea what you and Jewel have gone through. All I have is stories my parents told me. I don't know how to keep Jewel safe. All I know how to do is survive in the middle of nowhere."
Skye said nothing for a minute. When he finally spoke he said, "You are brave Mel. You saved my life. Yeah, I admit it. Without you I'd be dead. We'd still be in the School without you. It's not just Jewel that needs you." He paused and then mumbled quietly, "I need you too."
Wow. He really was a great actor. He really expected me to believe all of that garbage. What did he think? I wasn't born yesterday. I turned my head again. Maybe if I ignored him he'd leave.
Again, no such luck. He just sat there in the silence. He didn't move or speak or even try to drag me back kicking and screaming.
"Just go away." I muttered. I really wanted to be alone. I needed to cry some more. I had just spilled my guts out to him. He just saw me in my weakest moment. He knew I was vulnerable. Even if I wanted to go back I couldn't. He'd hold this over me.
I was just about to tell him to get lost again when I felt his hand cup my chin. Color me confused. He slowly pulled my face around to face him. He then tilted my head back so I was forced to look into his eyes. He looked just as confused as I was.
"What are you doing?" I asked. Why wasn't I pulling away from him? No, better question. Why couldn't I pull away from him? Why couldn't I just knock him out of the tree and laugh as he fell to the ground?
He stared at me for a moment and whispered, "I… really… dunno." He brought his face closer to mine and then placed his lips on my lips.
I know this sounds really cliché, but I felt a jolt of electricity surge through my body. Every nerve ending was on fire and my brain had been disconnected. The only thing I knew was that Skye was kissing me and that it felt right.
I didn't know what to do. This was my first kiss. My first kiss. With Skye. I felt like one of those rag dolls. I just sat there, closed my eyes, and let him kiss me.
Soon, it was over. I looked back into his dark, ocean blue eyes and wondered if he felt that same connection that I had. But, I wasn't going to say anything.
Skye cleared his throat. "Uh… Jewel's probably worried you know. We should head back."
Oh no. He wasn't going to get out of this that easily. "First, tell me what that was." I demanded.
Skye sighed. "Okay, look. I don't even know what that was. So, can we just forget that it ever happened and get out of here?"
That would have been the simple thing to do. But, I'm not simple at all. I realized that I didn't want to forget that. I realized that no matter what I couldn't forget that. It was weird and wonderful and terrifying all at the same time.
"What?" Skye asked, studying my face. "You don't think that was… you don't think I actually…"
I knew what he was trying to say. He was asking me if I thought he loved me. Well, I wasn't so sure that he didn't anymore. Talk about a migraine.
Skye kept staring at me, clearly bewildered. Finally. He groaned, "I told you I don't know what that was. I just sorta… did it. I don't know why." He groaned again. "This sucks."
"What does?" I asked, my heart racing. Oh no. I had known I had fallen hard for Skye, but I never thought I was in love with him before.
Skye shook his head. "I think I do… love you. A lot."
Well, now I was even more confused than before. Not to mention a little offended. "What do you meant that sucks?"
He groaned again. "Because I never wanted to be in love with you. When I first saw you, yeah, I thought you were pretty. And I knew that if I didn't make myself hate you I'd fall in love with you."
So the truth had finally come out. "And why didn't you want to fall in love with me?" I ventured.
He sighed. "You might as well know now that everything else is out." he began. "I thought you'd leave just like Tanner and Willow did. If I loved you and that happened I'd be crushed. It'd be worse than when they betrayed me."
"Well, I never wanted to fall in love with you either." I said bitterly. "You are the world's biggest jerk. I can't stand you! I hate you!" I yelled and then sighed. "No. I don't hate you. I love you." I admitted.
"Really?" Skye asked, unsure of what any of this really meant.
I nodded. "Yeah." I said, surprising myself. "This really does suck."
"You're telling me." Skye muttered. He looked up at me and said, "So. There it is huh."
I nodded. "Yep. There it is."
"So, that's it?" he asked.
I nodded again. "That's it."
He looked at me and said, "We aren't going to get all mushy are we?"
I shook my head. "Definitely not. Jewel's never going to let us hear the end of this."
"I say we don't tell her." Skye said quickly.
I sighed. "We have to eventually." I looked at him and said, "But I don't think I can handle her right now. Let's tell her later."
Skye nodded. "Agreed."
An awkward silence fell between us. This was going to take a lot of getting used to.
"We really should get going now." Skye told me.
I nodded and we took off together. Skye led me to the cave where he and Jewel had relocated and we landed inside.
"Mel!" Jewel exclaimed running over to hug me. "Thank you for coming back. You have no idea how happy I am."
"You're welcome." I told her simply, looking at Skye out of the corners of my eyes. "I'm really sorry though. I was just angry." I told her.
She pulled away and said, "I know. It's okay." Then she frowned. "Hey, why were you gone so long Skye?" she asked curiously.
"Uh… it took me a while to find her." Skye said hurriedly.
She kept frowning and said, "Okay… then. If you say so."
I decided it was high time for Jewel to get some sleep. "Okay, back to bed." I announced. "Skye, it's your turn for watch." I said as flatly as possible.
He simply nodded and walked back to the mouth of the cave. I noticed that he gave me a small smile when Jewel wasn't looking and I returned it, a little surprised.
Jewel looked at me a little confused and said, "Well night Mel."
"Hmm?" I asked, a little shaken up. "Oh yeah. Night Jewel." I found a nice little sleeping place away from her and laid down, waiting for her to sleep so I could talk to Skye about our new found relationship.
What a night.
So, that's it. Yup. Finally huh? Well, this next chapter is going to be very interesting I assure you. Actually, the next few chapters are going to be very interesting. You guys are gonna learn a lot. Try to see if you can figure out some of the stuff that's going to happen next. It'll be hard, but no harm in guessing. Well, I promise I will update as soon as I can. Bye.
