Let Me In

“Something’s bothering you,” Skye stated, her head directed towards Tom as they sat on Skye’s soft bed in her neat room. Tom sighed, shifting uncomfortably against the pillows behind him. He looked around at the room with beige walls, the bed with a plain white comforter and pillows. He wished the flat had more color, but he’d never say that aloud.

“Jus’ ‘ad a bad day, I guess,” He said in a monotone voice. It was a couple days after Skye’s small outburst and Tom had had a difficult time focusing on anything. He subconsciously was putting too much pressure on himself and it was exhausting him.

“Don’t lie,” Skye said quickly, taking a carrot out of the white, glass bowl in her lap and taking a bite of it. They were listening to music together, something that they did quite often since Skye didn’t like to go out in public. The music was soft and calming, easy enough to fall asleep too. Rain was pattering against the window and Tom stared out of it blankly, trying to pull together his thoughts so he could formulate a sentence.

“I’m jus’ stressed out,” He said with a shrug, even though she couldn’t see it, “I ‘ave a lot of photo’s I need to print and map.”

Skye nodded her head a little, chewing on the carrot in her mouth. “You could come and live with me if making house payments starts to get hard,” She suggested. A weary grin took the corner of his lips as he looked over at Skye. Her head was still tilted in his direction, the black sunglasses covering her eyes. He secretly loved it when she suggested that he should come and stay with her. It meant so much to Tom that she actually appreciated his presence and wanted to help him out.

“Yeh wouldn’t mind ‘aving meh around all the time?” He asked curiously, even though he knew he wasn’t going to move in with her. Tom already lived with his older brother, even though Oliver wasn’t around much because of his job, Tom wasn’t just going to up and leave. Skye shook her head and swallowed another mouthful of carrot.

“No,” She said softly, “You’re a very nice person to have around, Tom.”

Tom’s heart soared and he grinned. “Fanks,” He said, trying to sound a little bit less excited then he really was.

“You’re a lot better than Jillian,” Skye spoke firmly, “Gosh she really can be horrible sometimes. Did you know that yesterday she tried feeding me brussels sprouts? Brussels sprouts! How disgusting! I swear she’s trying to get rid of me.”

Tom chuckled and shook his head at Skye, “Brussels sprouts are good for your eyesight.”

Skye snorted, reaching her hand down and grabbing a carrot, forcing two others to fall from the bowl without her notice. “Carrots!” She pointed to the small vegetable, “They are good for eyesight too!”

“So are broccoli and green beans, ‘ave yeh eaten any of those lately?” He asked playfully, knowing full well that Skye hated every vegetable except for carrots. She huffed and crossed her arms against her chest, leaning back against the wooden headboard.

“Eating vegetables isn’t going to cure my blindness,” Skye pointed out before taking a vicious bite of the carrot. Tom laughed and took a carrot from her bowl, biting it in half and chewing slowly. They sat in silence for a while just listening to the sound of the rain and the music flowing from the boom box on Skye’s vanity. Skye took a deep breath and lifted the half empty carrot bowl from her lap, feeling around to the right side of her bed to find the small bedside table. She carefully put the bowl down before situating herself on the bed so she was lying down, her head resting on the full pillows.

“There’s a new stem cell research surgery that’s supposed to be able to cure people who have retinal blindness,” She said softly, running a hand through her light hair, “There’s a surgeon in Los Angeles that’s looking for volunteers to try it out.”

Tom’s eyes were wide as he stared at her. This was what they had been waiting for ever since Skye had become blind; a sudden breakthrough that could cure her of her blindness.

“Are yeh serious?” He asked, his voice portraying his shock. Skye swallowed thickly and nodded.

“I don’t know if I want to do it,” She said, her voice quieter than usual. Tom moved so he was lying on his side, propping his head up on his palm.

“Why not?” He asked, genuinely curious as to why Skye would ever refuse a chance to get rid of her handicap. She hated being blind out of all things in the world. Tom figured she would jump on the opportunity to change her eyesight.

“If it goes wrong… if something doesn’t work out, I could be blind forever. There will be more breakthroughs in the future and this one is just so unsure. I don’t want to risk never being able to see again just to act as a guinea pig for a science experiment,” She said with a meek shrug, “But at the same time, what if this does work and then the procedure becomes so expensive I can’t even afford it?”

Tom sighed and reached over, touching her shoulder gently and rubbing it softly. He liked the way her soft skin felt against his fingertips, but he soon stopped in fear that he might not be able to restrain himself.

“I fink yeh should do wha’ yeh feel is right,” He said, watching her as she chewed her bottom lip. Sometimes Skye bit her bottom lip so much that it bled, so Tom poked her bottom lip and she immediately stopped.

“I would have to fly to America,” She thought aloud, “I couldn’t go by myself, Jillian would have to come and I would need a place to stay. It would take time for my eyes to heal as well, how long would I even be there for? I can’t afford the plane tickets and the cost to stay in a hotel as well.”

“Skye I fink fer experiments like this they fly yeh out there and pay fer all yeh stuff,” Tom said, trying to get her to calm down and warm up to the idea. Even if she had to pay for her own tickets and a hotel, Tom would take care of the bills.

She sighed and shifted a little bit, her fingers scratching at the red spot on her wrist. “I don’t like going outside my comfort zone,” She spoke evenly, “And this experiment, all the way in Los Angeles, is so far out of my comfort zone it might as well be in another galaxy.”

Tom’s lips pressed into a thin line and he bit back the urge to lecture her about taking risks and stepping outside the lines. He let go a long breath and shook his head. “If tha’s wha’ yeh want,” He said softly. Skye swallowed before sitting up.

“You’re disappointed,” She stated, sensing his every emotion, “This is not something you should be disappointed about. It’s my decision, not yours. I can very well handle being blind. I don’t need some new medical breakthrough, I’m fine.”

Tom squeezed his eyes tight shut before rolling onto his back. “Tha’ wasn’t wha’ I meant,” He said in a quiet voice.

“Then what did you mean, Tom?” She said, her voice escalating higher. Tom shook his head; she was so sensitive sometimes it really bothered him. She never used to be this fragile.

“Skye, I want the best fer yeh, can’t yeh see tha’? If yeh not willing ta take risks ta gain yeh eyesight back then yeh probably neva will. Yeh ‘ave ta take chances. Life isn’t fair or easy and yeh can’t sit in the safe area fereva! Yer eyesight isn’t jus’ gonna fall right back in yer lap,” He said, his irritation slipping into his tone. Skye realized this and scowled at him.

“Says someone who won’t go back to college and get a degree because he’s too afraid he’ll fail,” She retorted, “You’re not exactly the spitting image of a care-free, risk-taker, Thomas.”

Tom had to look away from her beautiful yet infuriating face. Fighting was something they did often; even though they were incredibly close they fought like an old married couple. Tom was always trying to encourage Skye to do something with her life other than sit inside and mope, but she always pulled the blind card on him and refused to do anything that would make her uneasy.

“I want the best fer yeh, Skye,” He repeated softly, hoping she would understand, “I think a little risk would be good fer yeh.”

Skye itched her wrist again subconsciously. “I want the best for you as well,” She told him, “You know that girl I was telling you about?”

Tom groaned and squeezed his eyes shut. “I don’t need a girlfriend! I don’t know why yeh keep tryin’ ta set meh up wif random birds!” He said, irritation dripping off of every word.

“I think it’ll be good for you!” Skye defended herself, rolling on her side so she was facing him, “You’ve been single since our sophomore year of high school, I think you should go out more often and meet a nice girl!”

“I don’t need a girl,” He grunted, “I’m perfectly ‘appy wifout one.”

“Tom, when was the last time you got laid?” Skye asked pointedly. Tom choked on his spit and his eyes shot open as he looked over at her.

“Wha’?!” He asked exasperatedly. Sex was never a topic they really talked about anymore; it came up from time to time in conversation, but they almost never talked about their personal sex lives. Tom supposed it was because Skye wasn’t comfortable having sex with a guy because she never went out and met someone knew. He personally didn’t want to talk about sex because he didn’t want to admit he hadn’t gotten anything but his right hand for almost a year.

“I’m serious! You need to get a girlfriend to bone, or at least buy a prostitute for a night,” Skye said nonchalantly. Tom was shocked at how she didn’t seem at all phased that she sounded like one of the Italian wannabe’s from Jersey Shore.

“Yeh insane,” He spoke in a quiet, stunned voice, “Completely mental.”

Skye grinned and let out a soft laugh. “I am not; I seriously think you just need to get laid. You’ve been acting rather funny lately, maybe it’s your lack of sex,” She said with a mischievous smile.

“Wha’ makes yeh fink I ‘aven’t ‘ad sex recently? I could very well ‘ave a bird!” Tom tried to stand up for himself and make him sound less pitiful.

“If you had a girl on the side you would tell me,” She said matter-of-factly, “And you’ve been basically living with me for the past few months. I would know if you were going out to have sex with a girl.”

“I- no! I don’t tell yeh everyfing,” Tom defended himself weakly. Skye’s eyebrows arched and she cocked her head at him.

“So what don’t you tell me then?” She asked curiously. He thought about his feelings for her, how long he’d kept that a secret. Quickly he stopped the stem of feelings and shook his head.

“I suppose I do tell yeh everyfing,” He said with a low sigh that made Skye’s gentle smile return on her face.

“Don’t sound so sad, it’s not a bad thing,” She said reaching out her hand with the intent to touch him. Her hand landed on his elbow and she moved it upwards to his shoulder. She smiled and squeezed it before sitting up.

“I need more vanilla ice cream and coconut rum,” She stated as she slowly got up. Tom got off the bed quickly, taking her hand and leading her to the doorway of her simple bedroom then handed her the cane. “Will you go to the drug store for me and get me them?” She asked as she carefully made her way out of her room and down the hallway into the living room.

Vanilla ice cream and coconut rum. The two things Skye could never live without. Almost every night she would have a bowl of ice cream then ask Tom or Jillian to make her a piña colada with her Margaritaville drink maker. He didn’t exactly know why Skye was so obsessed with the two, but she always had to have some in her kitchen or she’d have a panic attack. She wasn’t even 21 yet, but Tom and Jillian always went out and got her the coconut rum.

Tom sighed as she clicked her way to the piano bench. When her cane ran into the bench she reached a hand out slowly until her fingers met the cool, smooth piano. She held out the cane for Tom to take as she situated herself on the piano bench.

“Yeh should come wif meh,” He suggested, knowing what her answer was going to be before she even spoke. Skye didn’t respond at first, her fingers running along the spruce keys. She pressed down on a note then moved her hands accordingly. Tom easily recognized Beethoven’s Für Elise as she began to play it.

“No,” Skye said softly, her fingers dancing easily along the black and white. Tom sighed and nodded slightly.

“I’ll be back in twenty minutes,” He said, putting a hand on her shoulder, “Don’t burn the flat down.”

Skye smiled and continued to play. Tom watched for a moment before taking his hand off her shoulder and heading to the front door. He put on his jacket and shoved his feet into his worn shoe’s; picking up an umbrella on his way as well. With the soft notes of the piano in the background he walked out of the flat and into the hallway.

As he locked the door with a spare key he absently took notice of the boxes outside of the flat directly across from Skye’s. Tom figured someone was moving in, knowing that flat was almost never occupied for more than a couple months. He shoved the key into his pocket when the flat door opened and a guy a year or so older than himself walked out. He had jet black hair and dark brown eyes, his slender body maneuvering two of the boxes into his slightly pale arms. Tom gave him a polite smile, the new neighbor returning it as Tom walked down the stairs and out into the rain.

What Tom didn’t know was that in a couple of weeks he would grow to hate the stranger.