S
"Explain to me again. What happened?" Skylar looked askance at her brother.
"I went there with Emma…and ended up kissing Kara." Leo mumbled, his head hanging in defeat.
"How do you go there with your dream girl, and end up with, well, Kara?" Skylar asked, trying not to say anything mean about Kara. (Not because she was pitying her, but because she hated saying bad things about anyone.)
"I was trying to be nice to her. Everyone was feeling sorry for her about her heart, and she was going crazy. I just went up onstage and told everyone what she was really like. You know, a-"
"Be warned, I will make you put money in the swear jar."
"Seriously? I've had cancer, and your soliciting money off of me? That's cold, sis," but Leo's tone was playful.
"You've got to pay to get to swear. That's the rule. Also, you owe me gas money later." She smiled when she heard Leo groan.
"So, you called her a, you know, and then you kissed her? With Emma watching? All my hard work-"
"I didn't kiss her, she kissed me!"
"Why didn't you say that in the first place?"
Skylar pulled into the hospital parking lot, lecturing Leo that he was only partially accountable, but he still had to apologize immediately. She also advised him that he should give Emma a cooling off period after apologizing, so that she could calm down.
As they got out of the car, Leo's gaze wandered over to where Dr. McAndrew was standing.
"Oh." He managed, and Skylar turned to watch as Dr. McAndrew yelled at Jordi's mom.
She and Leo listened as he yelled about 'recklessness' and 'endangering Jordi's life'. Leo watched as she got in her car and drove off. He looked to his right, but Skylar was gone.
S
Endangering Jordi's life. That was all that Skylar could think as she raced for the hospital. She wasn't stopped as she ran through the lobby, which was good. She flew down the corridors, barely focused enough to avoid hitting patients as she went.
She nearly missed the door to his and Leo's room in her haste. Skylar grabbed the doorframe at the last second and managed to stop. She walked in quietly, finding Jordi sleeping in his bed.
His face was pale, and his hair fell in sweaty clumps across his forehead. She pulled a chair up beside him and gently brushed back his hair. It felt strangely bittersweet, taking care of Jordi; he was sick, and here she was playing with his hair. She withdrew her hand guiltily.
"Why'd you stop?" Jordi mumbled drowsily, his eyelashes fluttering as he fought to open his eyes. Skylar caught her breath so fast she nearly choked on it.
"I thought you were asleep."
"Not really. I'm just tired."
"Drugs will do that." She resumed stroking his hair tentatively, but relaxed as Jordi shut his eyes and smiled.
"If you're tired, you should try to sleep. You'll need your strength when you'll have to deal with Leo's whining in the morning." Skylar said softly.
"The dance not go well?" He murmured.
"Yeah, but I'll tell you in the morning."
"Skylar?"
"Yeah?"
"Could you stay? Until I fall asleep? With Leo around, I've gotten used to having another person in the room at night." He managed to open his eyes almost fully, and the brown orbs gazed at her pleadingly.
"Of course I will." Her heart thumped when he smiled at her like she had just done something amazing.
She moved her hand from his hair and grabbed his left hand loosely. He ran his thumb over her knuckles, as if checking that she was there. She gave it a reassuring squeeze and he smiled.
She watched his breathing start to even out, and out of habit she started to sing. It was the song she had sung to Leo when they were younger, a poem she had written once that he had liked.
Over the hill lies the bright yellow moon
Stars in the sky singing, "Please come home soon."
The ocean, a mirror that waves goodbye
Softly, blue waters reflecting the sky
Raindrops are teardrops that give angels wing
Oh, raindrops are teardrops that give angels wing
When she looked back, his face was peaceful, and his breathing rhythmic.
S
When Nurse Jackson found Skylar asleep on the boys' couch that morning, she didn't say a thing. They didn't pay her enough to stop the girl. And she didn't have the heart to keep her from being with the two boys that needed her, anyway.