T H E N
I woke up to a note plastered on my bedroom window, I automatically knew who it was because I really didn't know anyone else around here.
I hated to admit it but something inside of me leaped for joy, I was happy that he wanted to know me just as much as I did him. Sky wasn't like the boys in Claerhaven, he was different, he was so unapologetically himself that it was refreshing. In a town full of people constantly trying to be something they're not, it was impossible not to notice him. He was like a single dandelion in a field of evergreen grass, impossible not to admire.
I took a warm bath and watched the seagulls soar over the ocean, sometimes I wished I were like them; free to do whatever they want with infinite possibilities. Sometimes I feel like my voice is the one that no one hears, like I'm merely existing and not living. I know exactly what my parents want for me and not that they'd ever force me to do anything I don't want to- but I wouldn't want to disappoint them.
After my bath I went downstairs for breakfast; mom had made pancakes and bacon like she usually does aside having prepared oats for Callie.
I placed a kiss atop of my sisters head and she gurgled happily.
"Good morning mom." I smiled taking my plate out to the porch to eat outside.
"Morning dear, you sure sound cheerful today!" Mom grinned happily.
"Yeah, I'm gonna go hang out with my new friend Sky." I told her and she joined me outside.
"The Maddison's boy?" She asked drying her hands with a tea towel,
"Yeah, we're going down to the main beach." I said digging into my food.
"Oh okay, it's really nice that you're making friends my love." She said softly placing a hand on my knee.
"Okay, just don't be weird about it." I said with a slight laugh,
"The Maddison's are good friends of ours from Alaska, they're here for the Summer and hopefully stay longer." Mom tells me.
My mother is gorgeous and there's absolutely no denying it, she'd modeled for Alexis Hawthorn when she was nineteen and was on the covers of many fashion magazines. Her long blonde hair never greyed, she had this eternal youth and joy that radiated off her from a mile away. And when my mother looked at me the way she did now, I knew deep down that she truly loved me.
"Mama!" Callie cried from her place in the kitchen,
I gave her a look that said leave me again for her, I dare you. Her eyes pleaded with me to stay patient with her and understand, but I couldn't, I refused to possibly understand why my own mother constantly chose my little sister over me.
"I'm sorry Allison, your sister needs me right now." Mom sighed apologetically, "we can always talk later."
"Just go, like you always do." I scoffed looking down at my plate and picking at my food, which was beginning to get cold now.
"Allison I didn't mean to-" she began but I cut her short,
"Go." I replied and she did what Kathrine Baker does best, she left.
I spent the rest of the afternoon babysitting Callie while mom went to the market to pick up some groceries, and by 3PM It was evident that my baby sister hated me more than anything else on the planet. She wouldn't eat her yogurt and kept throwing her toys all over the place, she never acted out like this when mom was around.
"Callie please stop!" I pleaded and she just laughed,
"Allie angry!" She laughed tossing her Malibu dream Barbie across the room.
Just then mom got back from the store, I even helped her get the groceries out of the car so she could take her daughter off my hands faster.
"Thanks for watching your sister this afternoon." Mom smiled,
"I didn't really have a choice, I'm gonna head down to the beach now." I replied heading upstairs to put on something suitable for the beach.
I threw on a pair of yellow shorts and a cropped blue tank top, I wasn't trying to impress anyone... was I? I headed down to the beach and waited, waited for him. When he finally appeared five minutes later he placed a hand on my shoulder to get me to turn around.
"Hey-ow!" I exclaimed, realizing the my skin was red and sore.
"Hey, sorry did I hurt you?" Sky asked, his eyes full of concern, no one ever looked at me like that.
"No you didn't do anything, the sun did." I laughed rubbing the sore spot,
"Yikes, that must hurt, my mom has a really good home remedy for that...if you wanna come over?" Sky suggested and I was stunned for a second.
"Really? Thanks and sure." I replied with a shy smile,
"Cool, let's go." He chuckled grabbing hold of my hand as we ran up to his little blue beach house on top of the hill.
"Are you sure it's okay for me to be here without an invite?" I ask shyly as we approach the front door.
"Allison Baker, this is me, Sky Maddison inviting you into my home do you accept?" He replies with a chuckle, his pretty blue eyes brightening at his words.
"You're such a dork Sky Maddison, and yes I do accept." I say shoving his shoulder playfully.
He pushes the door open and the sweet scent of lemon meringue pie filled my senses, Sky's mom was in the kitchen baking a pie. She was pretty and looked a lot like her son, her only son. Her hair was short and dark while her doe eyes were a hazel brown.
"Sky is that you?" Mrs Maddison called from the kitchen, "oh and I see you've brought a friend!"
"Hello Mrs Maddison, I'm Allison Baker- Kathrine's daughter." I waved and her eyes brightened in realization,
"Oh it's lovely to meet you and don't be so formal call me Marissia!" She beamed,
"Mom, Allie's got a bad sun burn, would you mind giving us the recipe for your miracle home remedy." Sky told her,
"Oh dear, just mix Aloe, honey and coconut oil she'll be alright." She told him and we made our way to the pantry to get the ingredients.
Sky poured the thick golden honey into a small bowl along with the aloe and coconut oil and mixed it together to form a paste. We made our way to the living room and stared at it, I knew that this would hurt but only a little at first.
I put a little on my fingers and reached for my shoulder, it was almost impossible to get any on there.
"Here let me help you." Sky suggested,
"Oh okay, thank you." I said trying not to blush.
I swept my hair out of the way so he could get a better view, the second his hands came in contact with my skin my entire body became hyper aware of his presence. He rubbed slow soothing circles on my tender skin, I winced a little bit the pain soon began to dull.
"Does that feel good, Allie?" He asked, his breath so very close to my ear.
"What?" I asked my mind not registering in what he meant,
"I mean, does that feel better?" He said clearing his throat,
"Yeah, it really does thank you." I replied sheepishly, letting my hair fall back again as I turned to face him.
"Can I see you room, I mean you saw mine so it's only fair." I asked and he laughed,
"Sure, let's go." He said standing up, and I followed him.
We climbed the staircase to Sky's room and it wasn't at all like I expected a teenage boys bedroom to look. The walls were covered in old band posters like The Beetles and The Rolling Stones. He had a little pile of books by his desk which I immediately went on to inspect; The Girl On The Train, Sherlock Holmes, The Jungle Book and To Kill A Mocking Bird we're all part of his collection. My book Anna Karenina, was set aside on his pillow.
"I didn't take you for much of a reader?" I smiled turning to face him,
"As you will soon learn Allie B, absolutely nothing is as it may seem." Sky said and his eyes met mine, he looked like he knew something I didn't somehow.
"Do you have any siblings?" I asked changing the subject,
"No I'm not as lucky as you, I'm an only child." He replied with a sad laugh,
"You're kidding right?" I scoffed, and he gave me a puzzled look "you have no idea how much I wish my mom would still acknowledge my existence."
"I'd give anything to have more family around, it gets pretty lonely around here." Sky tells me looking down.
"Oh come on I'm sure you have friends." I encouraged realizing that talking about this was upsetting him in a way.
"I had friends, not anymore." He told me,
"Moving away was hard Allie, for my whole family, we kinda left everything behind."
"Hey Sky," I whispered softly placing my hand over his, I hoped I wasn't making things awkward by touching him this way. He's still glaring at our feet at the edge of the bed.
"What?" He replies in the same soft tone I did,
"You have me." I assured him and he gazed up at me and smiled, Sky Maddison always had such a pretty smile. Then he stood up and reached his hand out to me,
"Come on." He requested impatiently,
"Where're we going?" I asked,
"We're going to watch the sunset before it ends." He told me and I grabbed his hand, nearly falling over but he steadied me placing his hands on me.
"Thanks for uh- not letting me fall." I mumbled trying my best to form a coherent sentence.
"I'd never let you fall Allison Baker." He replied with a slight smirk, he was taller than me, so I always had to look up at him when we spoke.
"You're such a dork, come on let's go!" I said shoving his shoulder playfully, and racing downstairs.
We went back down to the beach and sat on top of his dad's old truck, he told me that we could get the best view from up there. The sunset was beautiful with orange hues highlighted with streaks of the deepest blue, crashing into the distant sea. I just realized that for as long as I've lived in the little beach town of Clearhaven Indiana, I've never actually watched the sunset.
No one around here ever had time to just sit down and do so, that was the thing about Sky Maddison, he always appreciated the little things and taught me to do the same.
"I hope this summer never fucking ends." Sky sighed, and normally I would yell at him for swearing but not this time... because I wished that this summer would last forever and never fucking end.
A U T H O R S N O T E
Hey all I wanted to say was that I love you and please leave comments because it makes me happy- okay byee xx
-Scarlet