It took me about twenty minutes to finally reach his place. However, I started gawking at the absolute mansion as soon as my eyes fell on it. The entire ride here was pin drop silent because Skye was dozing off and only his light snores filled in the otherwise quiet car.
It took me another few minutes to let his security guard know that I wasn't a danger. It was then they let me in. His mansion's lights were off and I took it as a sign that he lives alone. I was thankful though that the lamps were lit on the main driveway.
After inquiring with one of the guards, he pointed me to the backside of the house. I followed his instructions and there was a different stone driveway that led behind his huge house. There were pretty flowers and shrubs adorning on both sides. Before I knew it, I could see the silhouette of a tree house.
The area was completely deserted and the tree house looked aloof and dark as if coming directly out of some magical world.
Parking my car in some random place at the end of the stone pathway, I helped Skye out of the car. He was awake but quiet. His eyes darted around confusedly but he didn't stop and kept on walking alongside me. I was surprised that he was somewhat supporting his own weight.
"My head hurts," he mumbled, groaning.
"Of course, Sherlock."
I stopped right outside his tree house and my eyeballs almost popped out. I've not seen many tree houses in my life but the one in front of me surpassed all of them. It really did seem mystical like those I'd read about in Enid Blyton's elf storybooks.
The tree was huge and void of any leaves. The trunk had a door and I would have just thought of it to be some medieval era furniture if not for the block of house sitting serenely at the top. I couldn't see any ladder leading up to the house so instinctively, I opened the wooden door.
"You like it?" Skye spoke from behind me. Turning around, I saw that he looked a little sober and more drowsy. He kept on blinking his eyes to stay awake.
"I... do. It's so creative." I laughed incredulously. I ushered him in first and followed closely behind.
I heard his feet shuffling ahead and within seconds, the place lit up dimly. It was a lamp and it was then that I saw the wooden flight of stairs. We both ascended the creaky stairs and he opened another door at the end.
I don't know how he or whoever built this managed to build all this within the trunk but I was sure of one thing. It has to be my top dream place.
As soon as he opened the door, my eyes met with a clean room and minimal furniture. A small bed in one corner with a study table beside it. There was a ladder on the other side of the house which led to a... roof? There was a huge square shaped open roof which could almost fit two bodies.
However, it was normal as compared to all the newspaper clippings on the wooden walls. Not a single space was left out. There were a few normal page clippings with angry handwriting beside them.
Moving closer to the bold and screaming headline of a newspaper, it read, 'The Billionaire's Getaway Tryst!' Completely ignoring the news article, I read the angry clipping stuck alongside it.
It read: A Getaway Tryst?! Is anyone even serious these days? Or do these noobs even know what a "tryst" means? Everybody knows or even has a damn clue that I don't have any romantic AFFILIATION for crying out loud! And that too in a yacht??? Pfft, I don't even own one. And even if I did have a getaway tryst or some shit like that, my sanctuary would always be this tree house, no doubt. So, get your facts right, you fucktards!
I sniggered and instantly understood it was Skye who wrote them. Besides, he's never allowed anyone in here, so it's a given that it would be him.
Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Skye deep in thought with the way his brows were furrowed. He was sitting at the foot of the roof ladder, staring at his steepled fingers.
I took that as my cue to surf around more and another freaky headline caught my eye. From the looks of it, the newspaper seemed old. The headline was, 'Is Skye gay?' The article was so huge that it filled all the above the fold columns.
Like previously, I went on reading his rant. It was: A gay. Wow. People don't even know how offensive they could get by commenting on somebody's sexuality without even knowing them. And journalists? Don't they use the word "allegedly" instead of just putting it straight OUT THERE! It's not only an insult to straight people to be referred to as a gay but to the lgbtq+ community as well. Just because a person isn't open about their dating life doesn't mean they're to be put into this community. Even they have their damn LIMITS! All the gay people aren't always single and all the straight people aren't always dating.
So much anger and exasperation was there in his written clippings that I could actually see the rage in his usually calm eyes. I've never heard him swearing but I could understand his feelings with the way he was being publicly bullied. No one should ever have to go through this and endure all the pain internally.
I wanted to know him more and read his pent up feelings but I refrained myself from doing so. It was too personal and I already felt guilty for reading those two clippings without his permission. However, it was good to get an insight about him. Like I was reading his monologue.
Is this the reason he never lets anyone in here? I thought to myself.
Taking a deep breath in, I walked toward him but I came to an abrupt halt when my eyes fell on a picture frame on the study table. My hands twitched to see the photo because the frame was put face down.
"I am pathetic, aren't I?" I was snapped out of my daze when I heard Skye's aloof voice. He looked torn and I wanted nothing more than to hug him and relieve him from his anxieties.
"Why would you say that?" I asked him softly and sat down beside him on the cold, wooden floor.
He waved his arms around the walls, still not looking at me. "All-all of these headlines just proves my point."
He seemed so sober and he had to be, to feel so downcast. It was as if he might crumble. I saw the pitcher along with a glass in front of him almost empty and I could tell that he had chugged a few glasses of water.
One thing was clear though that he doesn't remember his drunk escapades. Reluctantly yet daringly, I took his hand in mine and it just felt so good. I patted his palm, lost in my own thoughts.
"I hate to say this but I don't like your words, certainly not about degrading yourself. Because let me tell you one thing. No matter how good you look or how awesome your personality is or how much ever you have stocked in your bank account or the amount of luxuries you own, some people will still end up not liking you. And honestly, your out of the world personality will also not hold 'em back." I gave him one stern look and he was caught off guard by my words.
I exhaled and my features softened. "I just wanna say that... no one is ever fully confident. There are insecurities crawling in each one of us. Like. Literally. Each. One. Of. Us. Take the celebrities for an instance which also includes you. They're either scared of what they wear or what they look like or do their shoes match their outfits? What if the cameras are panned toward them and they don't have an acceptable face, people end up memeing about it. A normal person is insecure because he cannot match the other person's standards and so on. You're not an exception. We're all bathed in one or the other insecurities. The only thing we could do is cope with it or fight against it. And that's the choice no one could ever make for you. Fears are conceived because of these insecurities."
This time he looked at me, like really looked at me. His gaze was intense, making his already gorgeous gray eyes even more breathtaking. I saw the look of admiration cross his face and he seemed really touched by my words.
I blushed and ducked my head, playing with his fingers. As I was concentrating on his hand, there was this weird feeling in my chest that I couldn't understand and my stomach did a flip-flop.
"I just wanna say that, Skye, you're a really kind person and if people don't see that... well, then they're... I don't know, sighted yet blind." I shrugged my shoulders.
Skye chuckled and pushed back the hair falling on his forehead. "I... I didn't expect..." he trailed off, shaking his head with a conspiratorial smile.
"Didn't expect such a long, boring speech?" I provided and he shook his head again, eyes wide.
"What? No. I didn't know that I needed this until you said it. It's quite eye opening," he explained, holding my hand tightly.
At this rate, my heart was thudding against my ribcage. I followed Skye's gaze, who was looking at the open roof. The few stars we could see twinkled sporadically.
"You know what, Valerie? You're really beautiful and... I hope you know it," he whispered with his signature gentle smile, looking at me.
I made a voice at the back of my throat and bit my lip. To ease off my idyllic shyness, I decided to joke it off. "Oh, I know it all right."
This time, he did turn in my direction and looked down at me. "I mean it." He really is sober right now, whoa. There was so much sincerity in his words that one had to believe them and I did.
It was quiet and we continued gazing at the stars. Call it an instinct or my desire to sing my favorite lullaby, it was the same for me. The same lullaby that my dad sings for me. Even today. 'Just Stay'.
"When the castle gets dark,
you don't run away from it and come back in the morning,
But rather you chase away all your ghosts and sleep it off.
Like a warrior."
Skye was sleepy and rubbed his eyes, giving me the best bewildered look. He was so stupefied that I released a short laugh and continued.
"When the trees shed their leaves,
you put one in a pocket and think about what it brings?
True happiness."
My soft singing voice must have done it for him because he tried to keep his eyes wide awake but boy, did he fail.
"The world might be dark,
But be the one to light it up.
So my word of wisdom is...
Just stay,
Just stay, you have a beautiful smile,
Just stay, you have a beautiful smile,
Just stay, your dimples show,
Just stay, even when you don't know,
Just stay, it gets better everyday.
Just stay - yeah,"
"So, just stay," I whispered the last part and quickly held his head with both my hands before it haphazardly fell down. I raked my fingers through his hair as soon as I placed it on my lap.
Many minutes must have ticked by because I could feel my lower body being cramped. I checked my phone to see that it was close to 1 O'clock. I gasped softly because it was late and honestly, I could use some sleep too.
I so badly wanted to get up and leave him on the cold, godforsaken floor during such a chilly season but my heart just wouldn't let me.
Gently putting his head down, I got up to stretch my body and get the blood rushing everywhere. I calculated the distance from where Skye was and toward his single, fuzzy bed.
"Just a few, deadly steps. I think I could do it," I muttered to myself sarcastically. "Oh to hell with it!"
Flexing a bit, I bent down and circled my arms behind his back and knees. Instead of lifting him, I could feel myself slipping down on him.
"Thank goodness that he's a heavy sleeper or else I'd be in for some embarrassment." I could hear the imaginary sniggers and raucous laughter in the background like they do in the shows.
I tried again with an ominous grunt and almost squealed when I lifted him halfway. My whole body was hunched forward awkwardly while I tread my way to his bed like a constipated ostrich with my teeth clenched tightly in vigor. I would have laughed at myself if I were not in this position.
The moment I reached his bed, I dropped him on it unceremoniously because my arms hurt and my upper body unintentionally landed on him.
The things I do for you, Skye Williams. The things I do for you.
The painful thud almost woke him up. Keyword being almost. To lull him back to sleep, I sang him the same lullaby hurriedly. A peaceful look took over his features and he went back to his sleep. My eyes took in his beautiful face from up close and I felt like a creep 101 but I felt a tug at my heart. It was the second time today which was followed by a timorous feeling.
Instinctively, my fingers brushed his cheeks and I wanted to kiss his forehead so bad but something inside of me snapped that feeling.
Quickly getting up, I searched through the squeaky cabinet and found an aspirin. I put it beside the lamp along with the empty glass and pitcher before filling it to the brim with water.
Soon, I hurried out of there with an electric feeling and a marathon running heartbeat.
"I am so doomed," I breathed and left the place like it was on fire.
~♡☆~♡☆~♡☆~♡☆~♡☆~♡☆~♡☆~
I don't know but I really loved the last part wherein Val tries to lift him up lmaoooo
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