𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐲 >> 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐫

alternate ending.

Skylar's routine hadn't changed for weeks. Nowadays, all she did was lay down. No matter where she was, it was just sleep. She hadn't been to school in weeks. She wouldn't exactly call it skipping. It was the right word, but she didn't exactly want to call it that. Maybe taking a break would be better. Kelly was worried. So one evening, she approached her daughter. As usual, Skylar sat at dinner table, staring at the food in front of her. Her hair was a mess, and she hadn't changed her clothes all day.

"Skylar, I hate to say it, but I'm worried about you." Kelly said, sitting down across from her.

Skylar didn't say anything. She didn't even look up.

"Ever since Jake was in his accident, you've changed. Completely. You haven't eaten anything in days. You haven't showered, slept."

"That's not healthy, Sky."

Skylar sighed, finally looking up at her concerned mother.

"I've arranged for you to go to a therapist. The first meeting is tomorrow morning."

Kelly got up, giving a kiss on her daughter's head, and walked away. Leaving Skylar alone at the table. After what seemed like an eternity, she walked away to her bedroom, sitting down on her bed, her face in her hands.

Skylar wasn't doing well at all.

.•° ✿ °•.

Kelly and Skylar drove to the therapist's office, Skylar staring down at her shoes the entire way. She hadn't spoken a word in what felt like forever. Kelly held her daughter's hand, all the way up to the office. They were greeted by a woman at the front desk. She gestured for Skylar to follow her into a different room. She sat down on a chair, Skylar sitting on the other across from her.

"Hello, Skylar. I'm Natalie." the woman greeted.

She looked to be in her forty's. She had long, curly brown hair and brown eyes.

"Hello." Skylar said not looking up.

"Your mother has told me about you. About Jacob. I'm so sorry."

Skylar didn't answer, only nodded slightly.

The session went sort of well. Natalie showed Skylar breathing techniques, and gave her journal to write down how she felt. Most of the time, it just sat on her nightstand, waiting to be written on. Skylar sometimes wrote in it, wether it was just a doodle, or a word or two.

Small steps.

.•° ✿ °•.

Skylar was seated at the kitchen counter at the Barber's house. She stared at the bowl of cereal in front of her, and sighed. She wasn't hungry. She hadn't been hungry in ages. Andy was the same. It had been three weeks since Jacob's accident, and he still hadn't woken up. Andy was sipping on his coffee, when his phone rang. He answered, and went into the other room to talk. Skylar couldn't really hear the conversation, but Andy came back out a few minutes later with a smile on his face.

"He's awake, Sky. Jacob's awake." Andy said.

"Really?!" Skylar said, getting out of her seat.

"He just woke up this morning."

"Well let's go!" Skylar said, excitedly.

This was one of the first actual sentences she spoke in weeks.

.•° ✿ °•.

Skylar and Andy ran into the hospital, running past nurses and doctors who looked at them in confusion, but Skylar couldn't care less. All she cared about in that moment was Jacob. And no one was going to stop her from seeing him.

Skylar burst into Jake's room. There he was. Awake. He smiled when he saw her. Andy was right behind her. He rushed over, and wrapped Jacob in a hug.

"How are you feeling, buddy?" he asked.

"It hurts." Jacob said.

After Andy and Jake had caught up, Andy went next door to Laurie. But Skylar didn't want to see her. She don't know why, but she felt that Laurie had something to do with the accident.

Skylar walked over, and sat down next to Jacob, and hugged him, which he gladly returned. Skylar pulled away, only to be pulled back in by Jacob who pressed a deep kiss to her lips. She pulled away after a while, and smiled.

"How are you?" she asked.

"I feel like shit." Jacob said.

"Skylar chuckled, "Sorry you feel that way."

Jacob grabbed her hand, and rubbed her knuckle with his thumb.

"My mom." Jacob said suddenly.

Skylar tilted her head in confusion. "Huh?"

"I don't know what happened. She.. she was just driving really fast, and she.. thinks I killed Ben."

"Then, she crashed into the tunnel."

Skylar's face turned from calm to anger. Laurie was the cause of Jacob's accident.

"That little bitch." she snarled, and her grip on Jacob's hand tightened.

"Sky. You're hurting my hand." Jacob. Skylar noticed, and let go, apologizing.

She sighed, staring out the cloudy window. She assumed to see dark grey skies, but was surprised to see blue. The sky was a beautiful, light blue colour, and almost no clouds were visible in the sky.

It was a beautiful day.

"Sky?" Jacob said, grabbing hold of Skylar's hand again.

"Hm?"

"I love you."

Skylar smiled down at the boy, and pressed a long kiss to his lips, which he gladly returned.

"I love you too, Jake."

author's note: hi, how's it going? hopefully you're doing well, and i hope you're day has been good so far. if it hasn't, i'm sorry. i hope you liked this alternate ending. and tysm for reading the cloaked boy. until we meet again, i bid you adieu! <3

- jaiden 🤍