You, Me and Nobody

Ch. 14-Sister Vs. Sister

"Oooh."

I shifted in the bed, frowning at the foreign sensation of extra weight against my body. Was my comforter always that heavy?

"Ruby and Skyler sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

Holly's voice sparked me awake instantly. Her presence in my room, however, wasn't as alarming as Skyler's.

I didn't even remember falling asleep. Apparently neither did Skyler. His chest rose slowly, calmly, and his arm was slung lazily over my hips. Heat inflamed my entire body. My breath caught in my throat. I couldn't move.

"First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage!"

Skyler stirred at Holly's loud, obnoxious cajoling. His eyes flickered open, gray oceans daring me to dive in and drown. Nothing was said for a moment, and then his eyes widened and he bolted back like I'd burned him.

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed, sitting up from where he'd tumbled to the floor. "Holy . . ."

Holly laughed. "Oh, Ruby! I could have never been so bold!"

"Shut up," I hissed, and turned to Skyler. "What are you doing here? Why didn't you go home?"

A blush crawled over his cheeks. It was alarmingly adorable. "I . . I don't . . ."

"You should leave. Now. Right now."

I didn't have to tell him twice. He was already scrambling off the floor, not even bothering to fix his disheveled hair before ducking through the still-open window. His gaze lingered on me, at my swollen eyelids and the injured hand I tucked in the blankets, away from Holly's pervasive sight. He didn't move, and the weirdest thing happened.

I almost asked him to stay.

But that would have been crazy. He wasn't my boyfriend. We were barely even friends. In any case, it was astronomically inappropriate for him to have slept over.

"I'm fine," I muttered. Unconvincing, but it was the best he would get. Skyler turned away and vanished from sight. The bed felt cold and empty.

"I didn't know Skyler was your boyfriend."

Her voice jarred me. I still wasn't used to hearing it around, and the mixed feelings it bubbled up inside me made me nauseous. I flopped back down and turned on my side, toward the window and away from her, and spotted a leather bracelet tucked under the pillow. Skyler's. I wrapped my fingers around it. "He's not."

"Could've fooled me."

"He's not."

"But I like it, you know? I always thought you guys would make a cute couple."

"Holly," I snapped. She shut up, and though I wished she'd leave, her presence remained behind me. Hovering. Stalling. Wasting space.

I slipped the bracelet onto my wrist.

The bed dipped as she sat down. "I wish you'd talk to me."

I said nothing.

"Ruby, come on. We used to be so close. We were best friends."

At that I wasn't sure what she expected me to say. Did she think all the nostalgia, all the memories, all the good times would inundate me with the undeniable urge to drag her back into my life?

"Ruby."

If so, she was delusional.

"Rubes, come on－" her hand landed on my calf.