25. Smile

Missed calls (9)

I open my phone app and sigh.

Chase

Chase

Chase

Chase

Chase

Chase

Chase

Chase

Chase

"Jesus Christ!" I moan.

Aron sticks his head in the door, his hair still wet from the shower.

"What is it?" He asks.

"Chase called me nine times! Why can't that kid just leave me alone!" I whine.

Aron rolls his eyes.

"I'll have a talk with him when we get back."

I imagine that.

"Don't! He'll probably get a heart attack. You're really scary, you know." I say as I check my messages. A bunch from my friends, worrying about where I am.. and one from Chase.

Please. I need you.

I roll my eyes. This must be another one of his stupid tricks. I throw the phone on the bed and groan.

Aron walks into the room, just a towel around his waist.

I admire his perfect body.

He grabs the phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Just giving him a little warning." Aron taps on the phone a few times and then holds it to his ear.

"Sky—" I hear Chase from the phone.

"Listen, you little shit. You need to stop calling my boyfriend. He doesn't want you and never did. I get that you're hurt or whatever but you need to have a little fucking respect and back the hell off. You're just being a nuisance so stop calling!" He hangs up.

"That oughtta do it." He calmly walks back into the bathroom.

"Harsh, much?"

"Rip it like a band aid." He says.

"His heart, you mean?" I chuckle.

"Whatever." He shrugs.

***

We're walking up the big hill. The wind is blowing like crazy and the sky is filled with clouds. It's creepy here. And it's cold. I wrap my arms around myself.

Aron gives me his sweater.

"Thank you."

"Sure." He kisses my hair.

We've reached the front door of the little house. It hasn't changed at all. The door is still wood and I'm sure it still creaks the same freaky way.

Other people might call this house charming since it looks so cozy.. like a dwarf's house. But I can't bring myself to feel that way.

I turn to Aron.

"Will you wait here?"

"What?" His eyes widen.

"I just... I need to do this alone. I need to confront him on my own, Aron."

"But you said you needed me to come—"

"And you're here. I know you're here, in Alabama with me but I need to do this part alone."

Aron shakes his head. There's no way he'll agree to this.

"Please." I beg. "Just... go into town or something. Please, I just need to talk to him alone.. or he won't be honest with me."

Aron clenches his jaw, his face full of doubt.

"Remember what we talked about? You have to trust me." I look deep into his eyes.

He frowns in silence for a while. Then he nods, looking conflicted.

"I'll call you when I'm done, okay?" I promise.

He nods and kisses me.

Aron walks down the hill and then I'm alone.

I face the door and knock on it.

After a long silence I knock again.

Still no answer.

I open the door.

It creaks.

I walk inside slowly.

The scent of chamomile fills my nose. It's just the same. My hands trace the light brown wallpaper, all the way to the living room.

I look at the couch. The same fucking couch where he fed me birthday cake before bringing me to his bedroom. I ball my fists and I try to stop myself from shaking. Being here again is unreal. It's like I'm back in a nightmare that I thought I'd woken up from. I'm right back. And everything is the same.

Then I hear a strange sound from behind me. A loud click. It sounds like..

"Who the hell are you." I hear a low voice behind me.

I turn around slowly, terrified.

And there he is.

Neil Sanders holding a gun to my head.

He looks just the same as I remember him.

His eyes go wide and he blinks again as if he doesn't believe it's me.

He slowly lowers the gun.

"Sky? Is that you?"

I just stand there. Frozen with fear because I can't believe he's standing right in front of me.

And.. he was just pointing a gun at me.. so there's that.

I nod, slowly.

He lays the gun on the table. And he smiles at me. Like he's really happy to see me.

"Sky!" He leaps forward and wraps his arms around me. He holds me really tight.

"I missed you so much.." He whispers into my hair as he rubs my back. I can't bring myself to pull away..

Then he kisses my hair and I feel weird so I pull away a little, as does he.

"Now, let me take a good look at you." He holds me out by my arms and scans my body.

I look at the floor.

"You look just the same."

It's like he doesn't remember. It's like he doesn't remember all the bad things that happened back in the day. It's like he only remembers the good parts. That we were friends, that he was sort of like a dad to me. It's so weird. Somehow I expected him to be this evil man. I expected him to be mean, to be harsh.. to be cruel and rough with me. But that man isn't here. The man in front of me is the man who made me feel wanted and loved when no one else did. Could we really go back to that? Could we really forget everything bad that ever happened?

"Sky?"

I look up at him.

"You haven't said a word." He cocks his head and eyes me kindly.

"Come on. Let me hear that beautiful voice of yours."

I snort and look away.

"Oh come on.." He pushes, a big smile on his face.

I can't help but smile back.

"Look at that! He smiles!" He says theatrically.

Then he just stares at me with big happy eyes. He's really good at making me uncomfortable.

"Shut up." I laugh.

"It speaks!"

I roll my eyes with an uncontrollable smile on my face.

It's quiet for a while and we just look at each other.

"Your voice doesn't crack anymore." He notes.

"It's called post-puberty." I say as cross my arms.

"Aha, so you're all done now. This is the finished product?"

I nod.

"Hmm, not bad."

I frown and blush as I look out the window.

"Would you like something to drink?" He asks.

I could go for a whiskey right now. Probably shouldn't say that, though.

"Tea?" He asks.

I nod.

"Take a seat," He points to the table. "I'll be right back."

I sit down at the asymmetrical maple wood table.

Dammit. It does look charming.

My phone buzzes. It's Aron.

Aron: Everything okay??

Sky: everything is fine. we're talking

Aron: Ok. Call me if u need me

I sigh.

I know, Aron. I know.

I stare at the gun on the table. It looks just like an ordinary object. Not like some murderous weapon. It's like any other object here. How strange.

Neil comes back in with two steaming hot blue cups.

"You still have these?" I say as he places one in front of me.

"Naturally. You gave them to me, didn't you?" He smiles.

I look at the front that is painted horribly. You can barely read what I wrote on there since it's chipped so much but I know what it says.

'Best Dad' it says on his. And 'Best Son' on mine. It was a ridiculous sarcastic joke. And a sick one at that.

"You keep everything I gave to you?" I joke as I tap my ring against the cup.

"Yes." He says, his voice tender.

I look up into his smiling eyes. They look kind of sad. Like he misses me.

"I missed you." He says just as I think this.

I look at anything but him.

He takes a sharp breath.

"How's your mom?" He asks, changing the subject.

"Fine." I answer.

"She still so busy?"

I nod.

He nods too. As if to say 'See? Nothing has changed. I'm still better for you than your mother'.

I shrug and look at my hands in my lap.

"You know I'm happy you're here. But I just wonder.. What brought you here after four years?"

I play with my hands. My hair falls over my face.

"Um.. Just—" I stammer.

"I wanted to see you again." I mumble.

He doesn't answer so I automatically think he's mad at me. I look up at him and he's smiling. He looks so damn happy.

I smile a little too.

"You missed me?" He asks gently.

I nod involuntarily. It's like I'll do anything to make him happy.

To make him smile.