Page 23 of Grayson

There was something in her eyes, a warm invitation of comfort. Skye wasn’t like the women I spent time with and I knew it was because Scarlett was right. Skye was not a one-night kind of girl, she was a forever.

A forever is something I told myself I would never give into.

Because forever is not a guarantee and a girl like Skye is one that if you lost her, it would leave a permanent scar.

16

Skye Simmons

“What about this color?” I pick up a top in a pretty shade of pink and immediately Tori wrinkles her nose. I bite my lip to hide my smile. She hates pink, and I know this. But it never stops me from taunting her with it whenever I get the chance. I even bought her a set of pink sheets for her bed which ended up on my own bed a week later.

“How about you stick to shopping for yourself Little Miss Sunshine and I’ll do me.” She rolls her eyes playfully.

I’d always been close to Tori, despite our eight-year age difference. Sure I have my life and she has hers, but every week we made time for a sister lunch or movie. I'd pick her up we’d go have our day and then I’d drop her back home to our parents.

There is no break now. There is no ignoring a phone call because we’re annoyed with the other and needed a few to clear our heads. She is my sister, but I am also her guardian. I am the one to tell her no. I’m the one that has to listen to her tell me I am ruining her life and that I’m unfair, before she stomps off to her room and refuses to talk to me for a couple days.

I am no longer the cool older sister that tends to be lenient and allow her to do things I know our parents would hate.

I am the parent.

It sucks, but I also can’t imagine a different life, not anymore. I forget what it was like before I took Tori full time. She may be a huge pain in my ass, but she is also my saving grace. She is one of my very best friends and at times a person I’d love to strangle.

It is the best and worst, the times I love and dread all wrapped up in one.

“If I left you alone to pick out everything for yourself your entire closet would be filled with nothing but black, dark blue, and gray.”

“So.” She shrugs before grabbing a black T-shirt and tossing it in the cart.

“See.” I point to the item all crumpled in the basket. “Black.”

“Listen,” she says, placing her hands on her hips and turning to face me. “I like the color black. I prefer dark colors. I am not Malibu Barbie, I don’t like bright and shiny and I hate pastels. I’m not an easter egg.”

I snicker. “You are definitely not.”

“You said I could pick out a few things.” She holds my stare, not cracking a grin. “This is me, picking out those things. If you want to play dress-up you’re going to have to call Vivian. You could even do each other’s hair.” She fakes excitement, jazz hands and all.

“Why are you so mean?” She knows I am kidding, kind of, as she shrugs off my question and gets back to work.

Shopping with Tori is like a lightning round of Supermarket Sweep only a clothes version. I swear she just randomly picks the colors she likes and calls it done. So when we are together I rarely take the time to shop for myself. It takes thought for me, a comparison, I must try it on and even take a picture of myself so I can ensure I don’t look terrible at any angle in whatever it may be.

That is also why I rarely shop at all for myself, because I even exhaust myself with my consistent second-guessing.

Paying for the four shirts and three pairs of jeans Tori decided on, I convince her that we must get a pretzel with cheese. Exiting the store, she attempts to argue but I know my sister well enough, she can’t resist a salty pretzel either. It’s almost a given whenever we visit Opry Mills shopping mall.

The line isn’t too long, and the smell of the fresh baked pretzels was talking to my stomach. It picks that moment to growl.

Tori snickers and I shove against her with my shoulder making her stumble and laugh a little harder.

Choosing to ignore her I move toward the counter and place our normal order offering my card to the cashier, as I slowly scan over the area around us.

Exiting the Nike store across the food court I see a familiar face. A face that I’ll admit only to myself has been lingering in my dreams. A face that I was so close to kissing, and a big part of me still regrets that I didn’t.

Grayson Hawk.

Scarlett is with him, looking down at her phone and when I see his gaze shift in my direction I quickly look away. Silently praying that he didn’t notice me, I reach out to take back my card. Tucking it into my wallet, I step to my side, turning my back in that direction.

“Oh great,” Tori announces sarcastically and I know my prayer has gone unanswered.

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