Less than Perfect

3. Breathe {part two}

Chapter Three
Breathe
Part Two

"Dinner's ready!" Leah exclaimed from downstairs. Skye lay on her bed resting as best she could as she fought the pain.

Whimpering, she tried to get up but it only resulted in pain. Instead she grabbed her phone from where it was charging beside her bed and dialed her mom's number. Johnny picked up, "What do you need, Skye?" She couldn't get the ring of his voice out of her head, the ring of him calling her by his "play name" Princess.

"I can't get up right now. I need the pain medicine. Can Leah bring it up, along with my dinner, please?"

He chuckled from the other side of the line. "Of course," he paused. Princess, she heard him say in her mind. "Skye." he added slyly.

The line cut off and she dropped the phone with exhaustion. Please don't bring it, Johnny, please. I'm not ready to see him again.

Closing her eyes, she let her mind drift off to the only thing comforting: Jules' wonderful self. She saw everything about him and everything that she liked about him.

Spinning her out of the train of pictures, Johnny entered the room, carrying a tray of food and a bottle of pain medication. He hadn't even bothered to knock. "Here you go, Princess." He said as he set the tray before her.

Her mind screamed in agony.He always has called her Princess, but it's usually right before he touches her. "Thanks." She tried to sit up but pain seared through her chest and arms and she fell back against the mattress, cringing. She fought the pain and tried to manage on her own but Johnny ended up helping her up.

He slipped his hand behind her back and pushed her up, Skye wishing that she could push him away. "Be careful, Skylar, you have to take it easy."

"Like you've always done to me," she mumbled quietly, hoping that he couldn't hear her. He was too close though, and he reacted to her words, his expression dropping into a pained expression.

"What was that, Princess?" He asked roughly.

She jumped in surprise, her body tensing up. "Nothing, I mean, I was just saying that the food looks good." She lied, slapping herself mentally for even saying anything.

"That's what I thought," he whispered, breathing right in front of her, his warm breath sending chills down Skye's arms.

She waited for him to leave, hoping that he wouldn't touch her and break the pact. He did eventually, and she sighed deeply, relieved that he was gone. She quickly tossed the medication in her mouth and gulped it down, cringing at the taste. She carefully plucked at the food even though she hardly had an appetite and realized just how long it had been since she last had food.

With her thirst and hunger fulfilled enough, she shoved the food away and lie back down, snuggling against the comfort. She didn't let any pain bother her in that moment; she was going to be immune to it sooner or later. Physical pain had lashed out at her so many times that it was almost a part of her life; but the emotional pain buried deep inside her kept her from lashing out at herself. She couldn't fight with what little strength she had because of the deep mourning she felt.

Her mind flashed to the picture of her dad she had found, the picture she was sure her mom had gone to trouble to hide. She breathed deeply as she pictured Leah and him holding hands when they were twenty. She had always found it strange that the only picture she had found of them was when they were so much younger and she also found it strange that her mom looked so young for the age she claimed to be.