Blue Sky and Other Things That Are Good For You

It was opening night and I was nervous as hell. “boo.” Someone whispers behind me and I jump.

Ryan was laughing at my reaction when I turned around, “I hate you.” I say, crossing my arms and pouting.

“aw, you know that’s not true.”

“psh, you wish. What are you doing here anyways? You’re supposed to be on the other side of the stage.” I tell him as if he actually forgot after all the weeks of practicing.

“well, I got bored over there and was getting mauled by all the girls. Thought I’d sneak away to see you, since I know you won’t attack me.”

“brave words Richards.” He sticks his tongue out at me and I laugh.

He tucks a piece of loose hair behind my ear. My breath caught but that didn’t change much since the corset I had on was already cutting my air supply.

“ew.” We hear a high pitched voice behind us, “like I said, no one believes you’re a couple.”

What didn’t make sense about that comment is that we really weren’t a couple…yet.

“what are you doing over here Amanda? You’re supposed to be with the other girls.” Ryan says.

“and you’re supposed to be on the other side of the stage.” She replies.

Ryan looks down at me with his ‘help’ eyes. I roll mine and make something up, “his mom wanted him to ask me to dinner after the show. She couldn’t find me earlier and there’s some things we have to go over for the Christmas party.” I say, “and just because you haven’t found another boy to boss around Amanda, doesn’t mean your ex hasn’t already moved on. You should just accept that he’s not interested in you. well, actually, accept that no one is interested in you.” she glares at me and then stomps off.

I turn to Ryan and smile, “one of these days she’s not even going to try.”

“and when that day comes we’ll actually be together.”

“come on, get over to your side, I don’t need you getting in trouble right before the show.”

“fine, fine.” He pecks my lips, “you’ll do great.” He says and then walks back over to his side. If only I believe that myself. I take a peek and see that it’s a full crowd. Even the football team was here, which made me laugh to myself.

Part of the reason I was nervous was because of the whole admitting our feelings scene. It wasn’t until last Thursday that we perfected it and I’m afraid he’ll screw it up. That’s right, I’m not nervous for me, I’m nervous for him.

“and to think my mother wanted me to dance with him!” we were still in the beginning, at the first ball. Amanda kept eyeing me like she was planning something but I knew she wouldn’t do anything to ruin the play…would she?

“rude or not, the man is a handsome one. I'd take him any day over one who is polite.” Kayla, who was playing my best friend giggles.

“yes, handsome and rich, though I must say-“ I start to reply but then was pushed to the ground. Wtf? I open my eyes to see Amanda standing above me, ready to fight. I slowly stand up and dust off the really pretty dress I had to wear. Yes, I did just call a dress pretty.

“what are you doing Amanda?” I whisper to her. The crowd was all staring wide eyed. I sneak a glance to Ryan who was standing in his place in the back corner. He looked worried just as much as I felt.

“he’s my boyfriend!” She hisses.

“Amanda Williams! Get off the stage this instant.” Mrs. Bergs yells at her. I couldn’t help but smile.

“but-but-“ she was at a loss for words.

After that we started where we left off.

What felt like five minutes later, the play ended with Ryan and me kissing. The crowd “awed” and we all bowed.

I changed out of the corset and went to the lobby to wait for people. Scarlet was the first to find me.

“do you get to keep the costumes?” she asks.

“uh, I don’t think so.”

“well, they were really pretty.” She comments. It was then that I felt a pair of arms wrap around me. “especially on you.” Ryan says from behind me. I tilt my head back to look up at him he gives me a quick kiss.

I froze when I realized all eyes on me. I was so used to playing Ryans girlfriend that I forgot we were in a public space.

The room fell silent and then someone coughs.

“oh my god! Sky and Ryan are together!!” a girl shrieks. Great, that’s just what I needed. Ryan and I exchange a look. What do we do now? We can’t deny it, then his family would know I was faking. But was I really ready for this type of commitment?

I laugh nervously, “looks like our secrets out sweetie.” I say, turning in his arms. He looked down at me nervous and I nudge him to get him to speak.

A smile slowly appears on his lips. “well now I can do this whenever.” He dips back down and kisses me more passionately. Damn, I could really get used to this during the weekdays.

“so, we’ll meet you two at Pix’ for dessert, correct?” Ryans mom intervenes. We both nod and make our way out to his car.

It was silent for about half the car ride. Finally, I had had enough. It shouldn’t be this awkward between us now. “I’m ready.” I say, knowing that he would understand.

Ryan glances over at me and then back to the road, “are you saying that because we can’t deny it or because you’re actually ready?”

I slip my hand over his that was resting in the middle, “I’m ready.” I repeat.

He intertwines his fingers with mine and smiles

If you haven’t figured it out by now that my neighborhood isn’t exactly the safest place ever, than now you know. I’ve never gotten hurt or anything, but it’s also not somewhere where I would just hang out during any hours, night or not. Though I’m not one of those girls feels as if she needs a boy by her side at all times. Of course I don’t. I can take care of myself. That’s why I didn’t have Ryan walk me to my door. I’ve walked these streets my whole life without a guy by my side and I would continue to do so.

Although, all it takes is that one moment to change your life. And tonight was that moment. I went to unlock my door, knowing of course that my parents wouldn’t be home, when I was pushed against it. Of course I pushed back but that didn’t do much since four other girls showed up. I didn’t have to think twice to know that it was Amanda and her crew, especially when I saw one of the girls standing to the side. Katie, I thought, she would never beat anyone up. She was too scared to stop it though. Anyways, there wasn’t anything I could do and I mean, come on, what damage could these four preps do? Well, let’s just say that cheerleading, sport or not, gives them a lot of strength. So I did the second thing that came to mind. Instead of fighting back, or even screaming, I stomped as loud as I could. Since there wasn’t a lot of noise that came from my apartment I knew that Stan would be there in a heart beat. And I was right.

Less than a minute later I heard footsteps running up the stairs and Stan was standing there with a bat in one hand and phone in the other. Not that I thought he would take out four teenage girls, probably hasn’t hit a woman in his life, but that would at least get them off of me. Amanda gave me one last push; a hard push that made my head hit the wall lamp. “He’s my boyfriend.” I hear Amanda practically spit at me. I easily slipped down the wall and the last thing I saw before blackness take over was Stan on the phone.

~~

My eyes flutter open and I stare up to a white ceiling. I look around and notice that I was the last place I wanted to be, a hospital. Why the hell did they bring me here?

“Sky?” I hear my name called and I turn toward the voice. It was Ryan. Of course he would’ve come.

“hey.” I say, smiling. He looked exhausted, like he had been up all night. “I know it’s cliché to ask, but how long was I out for?”

“five hours or so. Next time though, I’m walking you to your door, no arguing.”

I laugh and then stop when I felt the pain travel to my head, “ow.” I simply say.

“you hit it pretty hard.”

“Amanda pushes pretty hard.”

His eyes widen in shock and a little bit of fear, “Amanda did this to you.”

“um. I thought Stan called the police…I saw him on the phone.”

“he called 911 and reported you hurt. They got away.” He explains.

“of course they did.”

“Katie has been here for the past two hours or so though, waiting for you to wake up. Would she know?”

“of course she would. But let me talk to her first, please? Could you have her come in.”

Ryan nods and gives me a short kiss before walking out of the room. Moments later Katie appears at the doorway, in tears.

“I’m sorry.” She cries.

“Katie, you didn’t do anything.”

“but I didn’t stop it. I should have stopped it.”

“it’s not your fault. Amanda would have just jumped me some other day without you.”

“are you okay? You seem okay. We ran off when that guy started dialing a number. I reported them though, and myself, though they aren’t charging me yet. Unless a witness confirms that I was a part of it.”

“you reported the attack?”

“of course I did.”

“Katie, that could ruin your life, you do realize that?”

she takes a deep breath, “if your neighbor hadn’t shown up, who knows how far they would have gone. You could be dead right now Sky. She wants you dead.”

I sigh, knowing that Katie was telling the truth, “I know, but I thought it was just some stupid thing to get Ryan back. Killing me wouldn’t do that.”

“I know. And I think she knows that too. But she still wants you dead nonetheless.”

“no offence, but why do you hang out with her. You’re so sweet and she’s so…not.”

“I honestly don’t know anymore. I joined the cheerleading team and she was just there.”

“well, whenever you need to get away, you’re welcome to come sit with Ryan and I.” holy shit, did I really just suggest that.

“really?”

“of course.”

“if you don’t mind me asking, what has been going on between the two of you?”

“I’m telling you this believing that I can trust you, okay?”

“you can totally trust me.”

“you won’t go tell Amanda?”

“I swear I won’t go tell Amanda.”

I nod, “okay, it started in October. I just got bumped up from a sophomore to a junior.”

“I thought you were a junior.”

“yeah, well, I wasn’t. I just turned sixteen. Anyways, Ryan and I have always had this weird relationship where he only asked if I was okay about five times a year. Unlike other kids who would bug me everyday. He asked that day and I told him I was just bumped up. Then the whole play thing came along and we had to do that together. Obviously you know Ryan and I were caught on the couch together. That was my first time at his house and his family wasn’t there. The next time I was over his family was there and I got to meet them. Ryans nephew and niece adore me and started talking about me, his mom just assumed I was his girlfriend and since Ryan was slightly embarrassed about Amanda, he didn’t deny it. So I became his girlfriend for his sisters wedding and his sisters wedding only. That same day we had to practice kissing for the play, and, well, let’s just say it went from practicing for the play to much more than that.” Katies eyes went wide, “but we didn’t do anything more than making out…on the pool table. I decided it was alright since Amanda had cheated on him so many times. Halloween came along and that’s when he found Amanda in bed with his best friend and they broke up.”

Katie intervenes then, “so you guys got together, for real, right?”

“no, we didn’t. actually, that night he kept trying to kiss me and I didn’t want to. I’m not one to want to be the rebound girl, you know? He even told me he liked me that night and even though I believed him, I wanted him to get over Amanda fully before moving on. Ryan didn’t talk to for about a week after that. We went out on my birthday and then that following Monday we kissed again at school and Amanda caught us. I said we were practicing and he got mad about that. After school that day we went to the park and I admitted a bunch of things to him and we talked and kiss for hours and all that.”

“so that’s when you got together?”

“nope. Keep in mind that this whole time I was pretending to be his girlfriend at home while trying not to at school.”

“right, everyone thought you were together.”

“well, we weren’t. I went to his families thanksgiving, which was big, and, well, big. We stayed at a resort and his parents got us the honeymoon suite.”

“you’re kidding!!”

“not at all. This was the first time we were really forced to be a couple for days on end. And when I started flirting with his cousin, he wasn’t too happy about it. Thought I just did that to make him jealous and have some fun.”

“okay, seriously, you got together than, you had to!”

I laugh, “no Katie, we didn’t. We spent the past two weeks as friends at school and a couple at his house and then tonight came along when Amanda flipped out to the crowd. And then in the lobby, Ryan came up behind me and we kissed. Since we’re so lovey-dovey for about half the time, I didn’t think anything of it until someone freaked out that we kissed. We were kind of stuck then. We couldn’t deny the relationship because then his parents would know we were lying, but at the same time I didn’t know if I was ready.”

“seriously? You guys aren’t together yet? You do realize he was here before anyone else and hasn’t left the room since-“

“we became a couple on the way to meeting his parents.”

“oh my god! So you guys are officially together now?!”

“yes.”

“weren’t you afraid that he would have moved on?”

“it didn’t matter if he did. we weren’t planning on breaking up until after the wedding.”

There was a small knock on the door, interrupting our conversation. Katie and I both look toward it to see Ryan standing there with his hands stuffed into his jeans. He looked really cute leaning against the door way. “you guys finished?” you could tell he was anxious to see me.

Katie smiles at me and then leaves the room. Ryan walks over and sits on the side of the bed.

“hey.” He says.

“well, hello.” I reply.

“I’ve missed you.” this made a giggle escape my lips, “did I just make you giggle?”

“no.”

“I think I did.”

“I don’t giggle Ryan, I think you’re hearing things.”

He smiles down at me, “The doctor said you can leave now. But to be careful and slow and that you should have someone watching you for a few days.”

“and that means…?”

“that means you’ll be staying at my house with me.” He sounded a tad bit too happy about this.

“whatever. can you leave now so that I can change?” I ask.

“sure, sure.” He kisses me and then gets up off the bed and closes the door behind him.

I get dressed as fast as I could without hurting myself too bad then left the horrible hospital room. Ryans whole family was waiting for me when I walked into the waiting room. They asked the usual ‘are you okay’ questions for about five minutes until I finally told them I really just wanted to get to the house to sleep. Everyone agreed this was a good idea and Ryan walked me out to his car. We got to his house before anyone else and I slowly made my way up the stairs to his room.

I was in bed with Ryan not far behind when the door opened, “oh, there you are.” Lydia stated as if they were trying to find me. “we were going to put you in the guest room.”

“could that wait until tomorrow? I’m still shaken up from the attack and feel as if it would be best if someone was beside me tonight.”

“of course, stay here as long as you need. I’ll see you in the morning Sky.” She smiles and then closes the door.

Ryan comes out of the bathroom and quickly makes his way over to me. In less than a minute we were situated so that I was curled up beside him. He leans down a little and gives me a small peck on the lips.

I groan in frustration and sit up a little, “will you stop teasing me already?!”

Ryan laughs, “I’m teasing you?”

“yes! What is up with these short kisses? We’re actually a couple now and all I get is a kiss here and there.”

“is that your way of asking me to make out with you?”

“oh, is that what I was doing?” I question innocently.

“I believe so.”

“hmm…”

Ryan rolls his eyes at me. He leans over and gives me a semi-long kiss, “go to sleep sweetie.”

I scrunch my nose at him, “sweetie?”

He laughs, “just go to sleep sky.”

“but I just woke up. I’m not tired.”

“fine. Read a book”

“you’re no fun.”

“I’m tired, that’s what I am.”

After another short argument I finally let Ryan sleep. Not long after I was also asleep, cuddling close to him. I was pretty excited that I wasn’t allowed to go to school for the next two weeks. Though that didn’t mean I was out of the play. Nope, I still had to do that. Even if everyone didn’t expect me to, I wasn’t about to let some other girl kiss Ryan…wow, I was already becoming the typical girlfriend of Ryan Richards. How did that happen?