Ethan
Running with Skye was an absolute bliss. To feel the crisp air on my face and to breathe the sea scented morning air was better than I remembered. Getting rid of every excuse to not do it and to have my feet hit the ground pace after pace after pace after such a long time was mind freeing.
I didn't realize how much I've missed running. I missed the ache and strain of muscles, the feeling of my heart rate accelerating, the sweat that soaked my shirt and that burning that accommodated my lungs as tried to catch my breath. It has been a long time since I've had an adrenaline rush.
God, I how much have I missed this!
It took us a while to find a way to make this work or at least to stop me from bumping into Skye or accidentally tackling her. We stumbled a countless number of times and we fell an extra handful of other, which became my favorite part.
The first time we fell, an ugly feeling of humiliation and irritation swallowed me and ate me from the inside. There was a reason why blind people didn't run outdoors and this was one of them.
Just as I was about to tell her to give up on the whole thing and just drop me back at home, that was when her arms rounded my shoulders and the softness of her lips caressed mine. Sweetly and gently making my head spin and my heart race. I could no longer remember what I was about to say.
After that, I tackled her a couple more times on purpose. I had a feeling that she knew my intentions, yet she would laugh, hug me and she would still kiss me. In all the times we reached the ground I managed not to fall on top of her or at least not to completely squish her underneath me.
When we finally synchronized our steps without incidents, there were moments where I got carried away and picked up a faster pace. The cord that we had circling my wrist connected to hers reminded me to slow down. Not that she needed me to. Skye was perfect. Whenever I picked up the pace so did she.
At some point she would challenge me and call me names teasing me. That was when I decided that she deserved a payback and I deserved the sweet results of an additional tackle.
After what seemed like two hours of running, perhaps more, I was sprawled on the ground heaving. Muscles burning, beads of sweat were rolling on my skin and my hair was sticking to my forehead. I could feel the lasting coldness of the wind on the front of my shirt over my chest where it was soaked.
Skye's fast breathing was inches away from me.
"That... was... fun..." Skye heaved.
I laughed and then coughed and wheezed like an old man making her laugh. The funny thing was that her laugh didn't sound any better than min. We broke into a string of laughs, coughs and wheezes.
When our breathing finally settled and evened, I turned my head in her direction, "Skye..."
"Mmm..."
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome"
The two words seemed too simple, it was not enough. And not just because we went running, but for all the other things. I shot sitting up getting irritated by my lack of vocabulary, "I meant for ev..."
Soft fingers touched my lips trapping the words in my throat. I took hold of her fingers, pressed them to my lips then captured them to my chest. Insisting on finishing what I was about to say.
I started over, "What I wanted to sa..."
Her other hand pressed to my lips and I did the same. Now that I've imprisoned both her hands I started for the third time, "Again, what I..."
Her lips came crashing to mine having me swallow whatever words I wanted to say. Soft, tender, luscious and sweet. I sighed giving up and that was when I felt her mouth smiling against mine.
I leaned back just enough to talk but not that far that I would break the magic, "You... won't... let... me... finish... my... sentence, will... you?"
"Nope..."
I pulled her until she was sitting in my lap, her hair tickling my arms that were locked behinds her back sending shivers through my body. Our once sweet and gentle kisses escalated fast to hungry and hot.
I could never have enough of her. Never in my life have I fell this hard for someone as I did for Skye. She accepted me, as I was, flaws and all. Making me fall for her over and over again.
"Get a room!" Someone yelled from behind us, breaking our moment.
"GET A GIRLFRIEND!" Two voices yelled back at the exact moment.
We both froze in surprise, before we broke in laughter. Deep, huge, falling on our back bubbles of laughs. God, I don't think I've ever laughed this hard in my life.
"Hungry?" Skye said as we walked slowly to her car, hand in hand.
"Starving!" I could eat anything right now. Horse. Elephant. Cow. Anything.
"Mmm... I would kill for some waffles right now." She sighed in a dreamy voice.
An idea sparked in mind, "How about breakfast at my house? Edna makes some mean waffles. The best you'll ever have."
I was eager to have her say yes so pushed the temptation a little more, "I can ask her to start preparing them so that by the time we arrive they'll be ready."
Say yes! Say yes!
"Warm, fresh, fluffy, buttery waffles." I threw in my last card.
I tried hard to maintain my grin when Skye started tugging my shirt.
"Oh my god, I can almost taste them. What are you waiting for? Start calling! Start calling!"
Skye
The mouthwatering smell that greeted it us when we entered the kitchen was like my every dream coming true. My tummy made a growl I only heard in movies... horror movies... coming out of a monster sort of growl.
Edna greeted us with her usual smile. She was the sweetest person in the world. I liked her the minute Ethan introduced me to her. She was a short, plump woman with deep brown eyes and full found face that made it hard to guess her age. The salt and pepper hair made the guessing even more confusing. When she smiled her pink cheeks would pinch her eyes to slits. And although she was a plump woman she was light on her feet.
She has always patted my cheek or stroked hair every time I visited.
Ethan told me the story of how she became their housekeeper and I couldn't not hold a deeper respect and admiration for her. She was Ethan's babysitter when he was young. It was hard to let her go when he didn't need a babysitter anymore, especially after spending more than ten years working for them, she became more like family to him and his parents. Clair and George asked her to continue living with them, but she only agreed to stay if she earned her living and that was when she became their housekeeper.
"Those smell incredibly delicious, Edna." I said as I took the kitchen stool next to Ethan's at the marbled island.
Edna smiled as she pulled more waffles out of the waffle machine infusing the air with a fresh patch of yummy-ness.
"Wait until you taste them." The evil boy next to said with a grin.
"How would you like yours, sweetheart," she asked as she poured batter on the sizzling buttered machine.
"Whipping cream, Nutella, marshmallows, strawberries, blueberries and sprinkles please." I said cheerfully.
What? I've just came from a three hour run. I deserved it!
Edna nodded, pleased with my choices.
Ethan fidgeted in his seat and when I looked at him I saw he was trying hard to hide his smile at my list of 'add-ons'. I swatted his arm and he laughed.
"Never judge a girl's appetite." Edna said as she pilled waffles on two plates. She never stopped moving, always finding something to do while she talked.
"Yeah, never judge a girl's appetite." I agreed.
Ethan held his hands up in surrender, "I wasn't ... didn't... I would never do that." A playful grin displayed on his handsome face.
I nudged him with my shoulder and he laughed again.
Edna placed a tower of steaming, golden, waffles with fresh whipped cream, drizzled with melting Nutella, colored with mini marshmallows and sprinkles and for a healthy addition red ripe strawberries and sweet blueberries. The theme music of the '20th Century Fox" was playing in the back of my mind as I ogled my glorious plate.
Ta-da-da-daaa. Dom...dom. Ta-da-da-daaa. Dom... Dom. Ta—da—da—daaaaaaaa.
I've noticed that Ethan liked his waffles simple, with nothing more than maple syrup and crispy, baked turkey bacon.
"Can I have some milk?" I asked as I took a hungry bite off on of the strawberries.
"In the fridge, sweetie." Edna said while preparing a fresh pot of coffee.
"Would you like something to drink?" I jumped off as I asked Ethan who kept quiet, enjoying everything that was going on.
"Juice please," he said, "What's in there?"
I started naming out the what they had in the most organized fridge I've ever seen in my life, "Hmm, apple... grapefruit... tropical mix ... and... oh there is that orange and carrot juice that you like"
"Oh no, dear... Ethan never drinks that..." Edna started to say.
"Edna!" Ethan's voice held a hidden message that she noticed late.
My head snapped looking at them just in time to see Ethan shake his head at her in a barely noticeable gesture.
Edna didn't catch what he meant and she was confused or why Ethan was quieting her. Edna's voice lowered to a whisper before she came to a stop. "He hates orange and carrot...that's for his father."
Edna and I had the same confused look. Hers because she didn't know why he wanted her to stop talking and mine because I did.
There was a different pounding in my heart.
"Ethan...?" I called his name with an unasked question. I could see his back tensing a little.
Ethan turned slowly on his seat. That busted look was clear on his face and he shrugged.
I went through every lunch break we had together at school and my brow knitted, "But you drank orange and carrot juice... like... every day! You've chosen it every time!"
He rubbed the back of his neck speaking slowly, "Yeah... you didn't sound like you liked it any more than I did..." he lifted his head doing that thing where he had me thinking he was seeing me making my heart jump.
"You were new at school and you've just made friends with Abby, the shyest girl in school. Plus, you threatened to kick me if I wasn't nice to Abby." He finished the sentence with another shrug. Then playful grin replaced the busted look as he added, "Honestly if that didn't earn me a kiss I don't know what will?"
Ethan
Just as I finished the last of my words Skye's arms wrapped around my neck and her lips were pressed to mine sending sparks in my brain and quivers in my heart.
Her kiss was different this time, it had a different edge of passion that crumbled me like a piece of paper and it tasted like strawberries and chocolate. The warmth of her small body against mine had a tingling sensation rippling through me. I had to hold on to the counter behind me for balance while my other hand couldn't bring her close enough.
Mercy on my heart!
"Aww... young love, such a sweet thing." Edna crooned.
Skye smiled against my lips before she hid her face in my chest. My cheek rested on the softness of her hair. I felt her shoulders shaking in silent laughs and I grinned too despite feeling lightheaded. For a moment, both of us forgot that Edna was there in the kitchen with us. We stayed like that a minute longer before she slipped away.
The clicking sound of mum's heels reached my ears as she walked in while we ate our waffles and talked about our coming exams. She was on her usual morning rush.
"Oh, good morning", the surprise in her voice was obvious. She wasn't used to seeing me in the kitchen.
For more than two years I had my breakfast in my room.
"Good morning." Skye chirped.
I heard mum's 'Mmm' as she hugged her followed by a light smooch. Then I felt mom fingers on my hair, there was hesitation in her touch. I would usually jerk away or just pick up and leave, I didn't this time. Mum gently touched her cheek to mine with another smooch.
"How was the run?" Her steps passed us. A low clutter followed by a beeping sound and then a flow of liquid that filled the air with the smell of fresh coffee.
"It was good." I said before stuffing my face with a big bite to hide my grin. Yeah, we ran alright.
"Would you like some waffles?" Edna started to ask.
I knew the answer to that already. It was always one of the following, either she had a lot of things to do, or dad was waiting in the car, or she couldn't be late, or there were people expecting her.
"We're having a waffle party." Skye added.
It won't work. The routine was, breakfast alone, lunch at school and dinner whenever my parents were available. That was the schedule.
"Well...." mum started.
"Edna is amazing! Those are the best waffles I've ever tasted!" Skye praised.
Edna's shy chuckle reached my ears.
I busied myself with my plate and juice.
"Edna do you have enough waffles?" Mum asked to my surprise.
"Oh, yes... I've made plenty." Edna sounded as surprised as I was.
"Great! I'll go get George." Mum announced and started to move. The sound of her heels paused beside me and her hand touched my shoulder, "A little late never hurt anyway, right?"
She wasn't waiting for an answer. There was a smile in her voice and something else. Something felt like a hidden apology.
Moments later we were four at the island. Talking, discussing, and laughing.
Another piece of me fell in place.
It was time to make amends.