Beautiful (15 page)

“Yep,” I said with a smile.

He set his drink down and said, “I was just about to leave, too. The sooner I get the hell out of here, the better.”

Nodding my head, I mumbled, “Amen.”

I came to a stop and turned to look around. Something about the room had changed. I quickly scanned it, looking for Skylar, but she wasn’t there. Shaking my head, I brushed it off and followed Jacob out the front door.

Skylar

Michelle and Mitch had talked me into going to Mike’s party. The second we walked in, I knew it was a mistake. People stared at me like I was carrying some kind of disease. We walked into the living room, and I came to a dead stop. Wyatt was talking to Beth, Jenny’s best friend and the co-captain of the cheerleading squad.

I couldn’t pull my eyes off of them. When Wyatt threw his head back and laughed, it felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. Then, Beth hugged him.

Oh God, Wyatt is moving on.

I couldn’t blame him, especially after I’d hurt him earlier with my comment about going to the championship game only to see Mitch. Truth was, Wyatt was the one and only reason I had gone. I’d wanted nothing more than to run out onto the field and kiss him.

I was about to turn and tell Michelle I couldn’t stay when Beth walked away from Wyatt. Jacob got up and walked over to Wyatt. They talked for a second and then started for the front door. Quickly scanning for Beth, I saw she was sitting on the sofa, talking to Mike and his sister, Molly. I let out the breath I had been holding.

“Hey, it looks like Wyatt is leaving. Do you want to say hi to him?” Mitch asked.

When Wyatt stopped walking, I quickly grabbed Mitch and Michelle and pulled them down behind the sofa.

“Don’t move!” I whispered.

“What in the hell, Sky? Why are we hiding?” Mitch asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t want Wyatt to see me here.”

“Why?” Michelle asked.

Not really sure why I didn’t want him to see me, I widened my eyes and shrugged.

“Oh, for the love of all things,” Mitch said as he went to stand up.

“No!” I said, pulling him back down. “Please, Mitch. Please don’t let him see you.”

Someone walked up and stopped. All I could see were boots.

Please don’t be Jenny. Dear God, please.

Bending down, Beth smiled as she looked at all three of us. “What are y’all doing?”

Mitch moaned. “Sky doesn’t want to be here.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn’t want him to tell her I was hiding from Wyatt.

“You just missed Wyatt, Sky. I have to tell you, I think that boy is in love with you.”

Her words hit me so hard that I dropped back onto my ass. “Wh-what?”

She chuckled and stood. Reaching down, she held her hand out to helped me up.

“Why are you being so nice to me, Beth?” I asked, looking for Jenny. Placing my eyes back on Beth, I waited for her to answer.

With a slight smile, she answered, “It was something Wyatt said to me. I really am sorry, Skylar, for all the shit I said about you or for standing by all those times when Jenny spread lies about you. I hope you can forgive me.”

I opened my mouth to say something but shut it quickly. “Um…I don’t really know what to say.”

Beth nodded. “I understand. I hope, someday, you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Mike challenged me to a game of pool. I neglected to tell him that my father taught me how to play when I was seven.” She looked at Mitch and Michelle. “Great game, Mitch. See ya around, Michelle.”

All three of us watched her as she walked away.

“What in the hell was that all about?” Michelle asked.

I slowly shook my head. “I have no idea.”

Mitch looked around and said, “Let’s blow this off. I’m not in the mood for a party.”

My eyes caught Jenny staring at me from across the room. I quickly turned and ran right into Mike.

He reached for my arms and held on to me. “Wow. Where’s the fire?”

“I was just leaving.”

He smiled and looked at Mitch and then back to me. “But you just got here, Sky. Why don’t you stay?”

“Yeah, Sky, why don’t you stay? I’m sure Mike is in the mood to celebrate. There’s an open bedroom upstairs.”

My heart sank.
Why does Jenny have to make my life so miserable?

“Shut the hell up, Jenny,” Michelle said. “You’re such a bitch. Seriously, do you ever just get tired of being such a cun—”

Mitch stepped between Michelle and Jenny. “Well, okay, we’ll just stop you on that note, Michelle.”

I took a step away from Mike, causing him to drop his hold on my arms. “See ya around, Mike.”

I glared at Jenny.

She lifted her hand and waved. “Bye, Sky-Sky.”

Rolling my eyes, I quickly headed to the door. I knew it was a mistake, coming to this party, and why I’d let Mitch and Michelle talk me into it, I had no idea.

I practically ran to Mitch’s car.

“Sky, wait!”

“Please just take me home, Mitch. I don’t need to be your third wheel, and I sure as hell don’t need to be at some stupid party.”

Mitch opened my door and then Michelle’s. I quickly slipped into the backseat. Mitch got in and pulled out as we headed home. My head was spinning. The whole thing with Beth had thrown me for a loop. When I’d first walked into the party, I’d thought Wyatt and Beth were flirting with each other. Then, he’d left, and Beth had apologized for all the things she had said and done to me. It didn’t make any sense.

What did Wyatt say to her?

My phone beeped with a text message. It was from an unknown sender. Opening it, my mouth fell open.

“Oh no,” Michelle said.

“What’s wrong?” Mitch asked.

I stared at the picture on my phone. “Pull over, Mitch. Now! I’m going to be sick!”

Doing as I’d asked, Mitch pulled over, and I jumped out as fast as I could. Leaning over, I began throwing up as Michelle held my hair back.

“Why? Why does this keep happening?” I cried out.

Rubbing her hand over my back, Michelle simply said, “I don’t know, Sky. I don’t know.”

“It had to be Jenny. From the angle of the picture, it was exactly where she was standing,” Michelle said.

Staring down at the picture of me and Mike, I wanted to cry. The way it was taken, it looked like Mike was about to pull me in for a hug. The caption over the photo said,
Town slut moving on with new fuck partner.

I wiped a tear away as I shook my head. “Why do they twist everything around?”

Then, it hit me. If this picture had been sent to Mitch and Michelle, Wyatt must have gotten it also.

“Wyatt,” I whispered.

“Already sent him a text and told him it wasn’t what it looked like. I explained that you turned and ran into Mike, and he grabbed ahold of you.”

Chewing on my lip, I asked, “What did he say?”

Mitch looked at me and then Michelle. “He didn’t reply back.”

My heart sank.

I couldn’t really blame him. I’d been ignoring him for days.

Sighing, I pushed off the tree and walked toward the river.
If only my parents would just let me leave
…

The thought of not seeing Wyatt every day scared me to death. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I was over the moon when Wyatt had announced he would be playing for Baylor. We’d be at the same college.

What would it be like when I saw him with another girl?

“Sky, why don’t you call him?” Michelle asked.

My eyes closed. “I’m ruining your evening,” I said with a forced smile, turning around to face Mitch and Michelle. “How about y’all take me home and then go do something fun?”

Mitch walked up to me and took me in his arms. I wanted more than anything to cry, but I was not going to let whoever the hell had been sending the pictures and writing the notes win. They would not get the satisfaction of seeing me cry or react ever again.

“I’m so sorry, Sky. I hate that this is happening to you.”

I quickly wiped a tear away before stepping back and shrugging. “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right?”

“That’s right!” Michelle said, hooking her arm with mine. “I think we need ice cream!”

Laughing, I shook my head. “Y’all go get some. Honestly, I’m ready to go home.”

Mitch pulled up to our house and dropped me off. Waving good-bye to them, I slowly turned and headed into the house.

Before I reached the door, I turned and looked up and down the street. The hairs on the back of my neck rose as my breathing picked up. Someone was watching me. When I looked around to see if anyone was there, someone called out my name. I screamed and spun around to see my father.

“Jesus, Skylar. What in the world is wrong with you?”

Placing my hand over my heart, I took in a deep breath. “Daddy! You nearly scared me to death.”

“Why are you standing out here?”

Looking over my shoulder one more time, I shook my head. “It felt like someone was watching me.”

He walked down and put his arm around my shoulders. “No one is out here. Let’s go inside and have a bowl of ice cream.”

Glancing up at him, I gave him a suspicious look. “Did Mitch text you?”

He smiled and winked. “Michelle did, and she texted your mother. Said you would need ice cream when you got home.”

Not being able to contain my smile, I busted out laughing as my father and I walked into the house and to the kitchen.

My mother was already in the kitchen, scooping out double-chocolate ice cream. “Want to talk about it?” she asked.

Taking a spoon from her, I shook my head. “Same crap, different day.”

I noticed the look my parents exchanged, but I pretended I hadn’t seen it. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to them about this. I had already brought enough heartache to our family.

Walking over to the refrigerator, my father pulled out the chocolate syrup. “Then, this calls for an intervention with chocolate syrup.”

With a giggle, I held my bowl out toward him.

I knew it was wrong of me to keep the notes and pictures hidden from my parents. The last thing I wanted to do was worry my father though. If he had another heart attack, I’d never forgive myself.

Forcing a wide smile, I replied, “I feel better already!”

Wyatt

Skylar had taken to eating lunch in her car or the library. At least now she would smile and say hi to me, but behind her eyes was a sadness I couldn’t bear.

Glancing up, I saw her walking down the hallway. Her face was down, like it always was.

I still called her cell phone every day. I wasn’t going to give up on her, and I wanted her to know that.

Last night, I’d stopped by Pizza Mia. Skylar had done her best to ignore me, but I wouldn’t stop trying to talk to her. Eva had eventually ended up taking over my table. I had taken my pizza to go, and then I’d sat and eaten in my truck at the river.

“Hey, Sky,” I said, stopping in front of her.

I’d usually leave her alone between classes because I knew it brought attention she didn’t want.

She looked up at me, and I swore, her eyes brightened up. “Hey, Wyatt.”

“Are you busy after school?”

Before she had a chance to answer, Jacob walked up. “Skylar, I’ll meet you at the dealership right after school, and then I can take you home or to work.”