Blue Sky and Other Things That Are Good For You

Surprisingly, I was making more money from the dance classes than I was working at the yogurt place, although I was still at the diner part time. It was nice finally making money doing something I love with someone I…really care about.

My parents didn’t notice a change, in my mood or in me being home more often. I haven’t exactly made friends, per say, but that’s more my fault than my students. Ryan keeps trying to get me to socialize more, outside of class, but I haven’t yet. At the moment I’m packing, and repacking for the thanksgiving trip. I haven’t exactly done this, like ever, and don’t exactly know what to bring and what not to bring.

Ryan, being of no help, is sitting on my futon watching T.V. “Sky, just toss clothes in so that we can go!” he complains the millionth time.

“well if you would tell me what to bring than this would go faster.” He sighs and switches the T.V. off. Guess his show was over.

He grabs two pairs of jeans, two shirts, a sweater, my pajamas, and the dress I bought the other day and quickly but neatly folds them. It was crazy how careful he was with my clothes, setting them individually in my orange suitcase. He grabs my shoes and heels and sets them in and then zips up the bag.

“can we go now?” he asks impatient. He had my bag over his shoulder, glancing toward the door.

“of course.” I say, grabbing my purse and quickly kissing him on the cheek before I opened the front door. He grabbed my hand as he descended the stairs so that the show of being a couple would start. That’s what I was worried about for this weekend. Well, two things really. One, I had to share a room with Ryan and Ryan only. A room with a single king size bed. What parents do that?

Two, I wasn’t going to have a break from acting like his girlfriend. It’s not like we’d just be friends at school or whatever. no, this was going to be four days, three nights, of full out girlfriend-boyfriend action.

On top of that, the play is in two weeks and I’m more than nervous. Ryan tosses my bag next to his into his car and then drives to a condo downtown where Ricks parents were staying for a couple months. We had to pick scarlet and Sam, Ricks brother, up there. As we pulled up, Ryan honked the horn, and the two kids ran out the doors and into ours.

“ready everybody?” Ryan asks enthusiastically.

“yes!” we all scream. And when I say ‘we’ that includes me. Ryan leans over and kisses my cheek before cranking up the music.

It was about a four hour drive to the resort, most of which I slept because, well, I was exhausted. I felt the car slow down and knew that we were off the freeway.

“you sleep so peacefully.” Scarlet comments and I blush, blinking my eyes to get used to the light. Ryan parks right in front of the resort and the two kids hop out quicker than you could say “we’re here!”

Ryan and I laugh before climbing out and grabbing our own bags. I hadn’t brought it up with Ryan yet, the fact that his parents gave us the honey moon suite. I didn’t know how he would react. The only reason I knew was because I was curious and wanted to see what our room would be like, so after getting the room number from Lydia, I went online to do a search.

Guess now, I didn’t have to tell him, he got to find out. Unless he already knew. “room 24” he says aloud as we stop in front of it. He pulls out the key and slides it down the small slot.

One. Two. Thr-“what is this?!” Ryan asks, loudly if I may say so myself.

“this, darling, is the honeymoon suite. Didn’t your parents inform you about what room we got?”

honestly, the room wasn’t much different from the others, except it was more…romantic.

“you knew?”

“I looked it up. Thought you knew, you’ve been here before.”

“my parents didn’t exactly put my cousins and me in the honeymoon suite.”

I shrug and walk past him into the room, “you’re the one who told them we were a couple.”

“I didn’t.”

“sorry, you’re the one who didn’t deny that we were a couple.” I drop my bag on the bed and unzip, trying to find one of the sweaters Ryan packed me to put one. It was quite chilly already. I put the rest of my stuff away and hang my dress. Ryan, after a few minutes to get out of his shock, joined in unpacking and finished about the same time I did.

“so, what do we do now?” I ask, plopping myself down on the overly-comfy bed. Ryan sits down next to me and bed bounces.

“I don’t know.”

The room fell silent again. “I’m really nervous about the play.” I say, trying to make conversation.

Ryan turns to me looking sympathetic. “don’t be, you’ll be great. We’ll be great.”

“I know, but it’s still nerve-whacking. I’m not used to crowds and all.”

“well, lets call this weekend training then.”

“what do you mean?” he doesn’t answer and instead grabs my hand and stands up. We were at the elevator when I repeated my question, “ryan, what the hell do you mean?” he shushes me as the elevator opens and he presses the first floor. I watch the numbers descend from 4 and finally it beeps and the door opens.

The whole lobby was filled with…people. All ages, from an infant to some ninety-year-old. Was this his family? The room, when we first entered was loud, everyone having conversations, but once one person turned, they all did. The instant they spotted me in my dark skinny jeans, fake-leather boots, and a fitting sweater, they fell silent. What. The. Hell. Did I get myself into?

“Sky, this is my family.” He says.

In the midst of the silence you could here the slight sound of really loud music. I scan the room and notice a guy around my age with his headphones on. A smile appears as I watch him while everyone else watches me.

“Sky.” Ryan whispers, getting me back to reality. “how about you check out my cousin when we’re broken up, got it?” I blush and nod my head. “well then, let’s socialize.” I glare up at him as he drags me to the first set of grandparents.

The evening bore on with more aunts and uncles, cousins and seconds of what-nots. Who knows really. There were people who married people who married people who weren’t even blood related to Ryan in any way. Through the whole time I kept stealing glances at the boy who now sat in the corner with his music cranked, writing or doodling in his notebook.

After losing focus with Ryans third cousins spiel on how to fix my hair, Ryan finally sighed, pulling me aside. “he’s not that interesting Sky.” I could hear how hurt he was.

“you’re jealous?”

“of course not.”

“Ryan, I can tell that you’re jealous.”

“I’m not jealous, I’m just telling you that Kyle isn’t that interesting.”

“Kyle, hmm, good name.”

“Sky!”

“what? What do you want from me? I’m bored of these same old same old people. Half of them aren’t even related to you.”

“all he does is sit in the corner and listen to his music way to loud, sketching in his stupid notebook. It’s like the kid doesn’t have any-” Ryan stops mid-sentence I had crossed my arms by now, tapping my foot and raising my eyebrow.

“doesn’t have any what, Ryan?” I ask impatiently.

“nothing.” He mumbles, looking down at his feet.

“doesn’t have any friends? Family? Life?”

“I didn’t mean it like that Sky, you obviously have friends or you wouldn’t be here.”

“I’m here because you can’t stand up for yourself and because you were embarrassed to show Amanda to your family. That is why I’m here. If it wasn’t for the stupid fact that I was bumped up a grade we wouldn’t be in this situation at the moment.” I whisper-shouted at him. Ryan didn’t look up, so I asked another question. “Is that what you thought of me all these years Ryan?”

“of course not.” He answered to quickly.

“ ‘of course not’ my ass! Don’t lie about this Ryan!”

he takes a breath and looks up at me, “at some points I may have thought that but I obviously stuck by you this whole time.”

I think about it and realize that he was right. Well enough right so that I’d let it slide this time. “okay, you’re forgiven this time but-“

“really, you have to add in something more?”

“I could easily not forgive you if that’s what you would like. You did basically call me a loser to my face.”

“fine, what?”

“you’re going to go introduce me to Kyle and be nice to him this whole weekend and any other event to which I’ll be attending and he is there. I don’t want to hear you badmouthing him any longer, got it?”

“Sky, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

I saw an older-looking woman start to walk up to us and changed the tone of my voice, “wish I was sweetheart, but you’re just going to have to deal with the fact that the football team will be at the play.” Ryan was looking at me like I was completely insane as the woman, if I recall to be an aunt, chimed in.

“ooh, what play?”

“Pride and Prejudice.” I answer sweetly, “I’m playing the part of Elizabeth of course and Ryan here got Mr. Darcy.” Damn I’m good at acting, “Ryan is just a little embarrassed though, especially now that he knows his football buddies will be attending the play opening night.”

Ryan had caught on by now, luckily, “yeah, I warned them not to go but they decided it would be entertaining.” He grumbles.

“well I’m sure you will both do a fabulous job.” She comments and continues on her way.

Once she was far enough away, Ryan smiles. “that was amazing.” He says, trying to pull me into a hug.

“oh come on! We were just fighting, you expect me to be all nice and cuddly to you at the moment?” I question, pushing him away.

“The fight ended when I agreed to the terms.” He says leaning in closer.

“and when was that.” I ask, whispering. My heart pumped faster and louder the closer he got.

“now.” He says against my lips and then fully kisses me. My body instantly reacted to the kiss but I knew this wasn’t the place nor time so I pull away.

“let’s go.” I say, intertwining our fingers together and leading him over to his cousin. We stood in front of him and Kyle didn’t look up, nor did he turn off his music.

“told you he doesn’t like being bothered.” Ryan says.

“neither do I.” I reply, “but you always seemed to find ways to do so.” Ryan glares down at me as I remove the pencil Kyle was holding. He looks up at us and looks pissed, taking off his headphones.

“what do you want?” he asks hastily.

“to say hi,” I answer innocently.

Kyle turns directly to Ryan “didn’t you warn your little girlfriend here about me?”

“tried kid, but she’s quite stubborn.” Ryan replies, glancing down at me with his ‘I told you so’ face.

“Anyways, I’m Sky, you’re Kyle, right?”

“if I answer will you give me back my pencil?” he counters.

Okay, this kid was pissing me off now, “do I really look that annoying to you?”

“look? No, but you are annoying me at the moment.”

“because why? I wanted to talk to you?”

“precisely. Seems like Ryan didn’t get a dumbass this time.” Wow, this guy was pure jerk. “just give me back my pencil.”

“and what if I don’t?”

“you’ll wish we never met me.”

“seriously Kyle, I’ve been to hell and back with my life. That threat doesn’t even dent me.” I cross my arms impatiently.

“damn Ryan, why can’t you control this little thing!?”

“I told you she was stubborn. But don’t think she’s bluffing, her life really has been crappy.”

“not too crappy if you’re dating Ryan Richards.”

“oh don’t pretend like you’re not the hot-shot at your school too Brimson. Everyone knows this bad boy act is just to get the girls and piss off your family.”

“If I act rudely I won’t have to take over a business like you do.”

“I have a choice, and so do you. you don’t have to take over the family business.”

“just take your slut somewhere else Richards, you know better than anyone that there’s no point arguing with me.”

The word slut echoed through my head for a second time. It wasn’t since the day Amanda spread the rumors that I had thought about it, but now, Kyle had to bring back those memories.

“you’re right, there isn’t any point to fight him. Let’s go Ryan.” I grab his hand and walk away quickly, fully aware that I still had the pencil. I turn my head around to take one last glance at him and he was shooting daggers at me with his eyes.

Sometimes you just have to beat people at their own games.

We were back in our room after a long day and I was slipping on some pjs as Ryan talked, “do you believe me now about Kyle.”

“no.”

“come on Sky, you saw how he acted.”

“never judge someone merely on your first impressions of them Ryan.” I say. “isn’t that what Pride and Prejudice is all about?” Ryan sighs, “what are our plans for tomorrow?” I ask, slipping into the bed next to him.

“we kind of have this tradition of a scavenger hunt.”

“in the snow?” Ryan shrugs, “you’re family is so weird.” I say.

“can’t argue with that. There’s also another tradition.”

“and what’s that?”

“each decade of people ban together and prank the ones younger than them.”

“so like the eighties would prank us? The nineties?”

“precisely.”

I think about it for a moment but push it aside in my head, “I really don’t feel like talking right now.” I say.

“is mrs. ‘don’t try cuddling with me’ finally feeling lonely?”

“maybe.” Ryan laughs and pulls me closer to him, so that I’m practically laying on top of the guy.

“this wasn’t exactly what I meant but-“ I was interrupted by his lips on mine and his hands quickly find the hem of my shirt. I let him pull it up most of the way but he even stops before he fully takes it off.

Ryan started tracing words on my stomach with his finger, making me giggle since I was overly-ticklish.

“I love your laugh.” He whispers into my ear.

“Ry-an!” I whine, “I’m tired.”

“well then go to sleep.”

“you know I’m ticklish, I can’t sleep with you doing that.”

“fine.” He stops and pulls my shirt back down, “happy now?”

I roll my eyes, “you know, this is a king size bed, why are we not on opposite sides of it?”

“because my parents gave us this room for a reason. If someone walked in and we weren’t cuddled, they’d think something was wrong.” I knew he just made up an excuse, but I didn’t feel like arguing with him about it. Plus it wasn’t that bad having his arms around me.

That night, I probably slept the best I have in years.