Would Anyone Care?

Twenty Six

I wake up groggy, then I realise that it is Christmas Eve, and excitement hits me. The first thing I do is check my phone, I still haven't heard from Skye and it is really worrying me. But I Try to push it from my mind as best I can, I will try to ring her again this afternoon. I get up and get my pajamas on, Christmas eve is always one of my favourite days of the year. Me and mum always spend it in the kitchen, playing music, preparing the food for the next few days, then this evening we will have out traditional meal of cheese and crackers, and mum lets me have a glass of wine as we snuggle on the sofa and watch 'It's a wonderful life'. That to me is the moment Christmas starts, dad usually sits there chuckling at us as we cry at all the crappy things James Stewart has to go through. But those couple of hours on the sofa with mum. They are always my favourite hours of the whole year. And this year with everything we have both endured, it is only going to feel even more magical.

I go downstairs and find mum and dad in an embrace behind the kitchen island. Her head on his shoulder, his arms wrapped round her stroking the back of her head.
"Morning munchkin" he says as he sees me walk in. Immediately mum breaks away and walks around the back of him to the sink, unsuccessfully trying to hide the fact she has been crying.
"Morning muggles" I say as I look towards mum trying to see if she is ok.
"Morning sweetheart" she says as she wipes her eye with her thumb, seeing the concern on my face she adds "Oh don't worry about me Luce, I was just having a moment. This time of year always gets me emotional. You know that." She gives me a weak smile and starts to fill the kettle. I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist as I lay my head on the back of her shoulder.
"No getting upset today ok. It's Christmas." I say soothingly.
"Not til tomorrow its not missy." She chuckles.
"It is for me, you know my Christmas starts with the food." I say as I squeeze her softly.
"Ah ok, that's true. I thought you was trying to wangle an early present for a minute." She says with a sideways look.
"Noooo. I can wait til tomorrow for the Michael Kors bad don't worry." I tell her with a little smirk. And both mum and dad laugh. Just then my phone beeps in my back pocket I pull it out and I see a red number one over the envelope icon making my heart stop. I open my messages and see a new message from Skye.

'Hey you.
I'm sorry I haven't messaged back, but really need to talk to you. Are you free for an hour today? I can maybe come to yours if you want?'

My heart races, I have been praying for this message since she left Saturday night, but now that I have it, I don't know how to react. I catch mum looking at me and I show her the message.
"Text her back, tell her of course she should come over." Mum tells me.
"What if it is bad news?" I say.
"Then it is bad news sweetheart, but at least you will know. Would you rather just ignore it? Skye deserves more than that, and so do you." She tells me as she strokes my hair behind my ear.
"I know." I say aprehensively, and I text Skye back
'Hey babe. Yeah I am free today. Just let me know what time you want to come over." She messages me back saying she will be over in a hour if that is OK. I say yes then grab some breakfast quickly before rushing upstairs to grab a shower and get ready.

I am sitting in my room when I hear the doorbell ring, my body tenses, I hear mum saying hello but struggle to hear another voice but I hear the creak of the stairs and then a knock on my door.
"Come in." I say, my heart hammering so hard in my chest I am sure it is going to break a rib. The door opens and she is there, standing in front of me, looking as amazing as she ever has. Looking down at me as I sit on the bed.
"Hey you." She says as she shuts the door, giving me a little smile, and even though it doesn't quite shine like it usually does it still makes me melt.
"Hey." I reply back softly, returning her smile, staring into her eyes. I move over on my bed making room for Skye and she comes and sits next to me, we spend what feels like an eternity sitting looking at each other.
"I want to start off by saying sorry." Skye says finally.
"You have nothing to be sorry for." I tell her.
"Yes Lucy, I do. I shouldn't of run off, and I shouldn't of ignored all your messages. I just didn't know how to respond to any of it, I am sorry." She says sincerely.
"Honestly, I totally understand. I think it shocked both of us." I tell her.
"You're telling me!" She says with a smile. "It wasn't what I expected at all. At least not totally" She adds.
"I'm sorry." I say as I look away.
"Lucy, don't be. I am not saying I didn't want it to happen." She says.
"Oh?" I ask. Looking up at her again, I can see how conflicted she is.
"I am attracted to you Luce. I think I always have been, but since you told me about being gay, I don't know, it has just kinda been more obvious to me." She gives me a half smile, as I feel myself blush, my brain struggling to process the information and my heart struggling to keep any rythum.
"But I also have a boyfriend, who I do care about. " She adds.
"I know. It was wrong of me to kiss you." I say, knowing it is what I should be saying, but also knowing deep down I am not really sorry.
"Well we both got caught up in the moment I guess." Skye says.
"Yeah, can I ask you something?" I ask.
"Of course babe. Anything."
"Do you like girls? I mean you know, like, like them?"
"To be honest Luce, I don't know. Like I said I have always thought you are very attractive, but you're kinda the first girl I have ever thought about this way. I am a confused mess right now." She shrugs, giving me a look that is half smile, half pout.
"I'm sorry Skye, this is all my fault!"
"No, it really isn't. Why do you think I bought that alcohol? I wanted to tell you about my feelings, but was too much of a chicken shit. I thought if we had a couple of drinks I might loosen up a little. I do like you Luce, I just gotta figure out how much, and in what way." She says.
"There's no pressure Skye, you take whatever time you need. I know you're head must be spinning. I just don't want to lose you altogether." I look long into those beautiful big blue eyes as I say that. Needing her to see how much she means to me.
"I don't want to lose you either, I don't know where my head is totally at, at the minute. But I do have a boyfriend babe, no matter what I can't betray him any more. He doesn't deserve that." She says ruefully.
"I know he doesn't." I tell her as I get up off the bed. "Maybe you just need to concentrate on you guys more, and get that back up and running?" Skye looks up at me as I say that.
"Too be honest lovely, I do care about Dean, but we are kinda just fizzling out. He is an amazing lad, but the spark just doesn't seem to be there right now." She says as she runs a hand through her gorgeous hair, I can't help but notice the way the movement makes her breast rise and flatten a little, quickly I look away.
"Well maybe you need to just see where that goes, give it the attention it deserves, and just see what happens you know." I tell her as she gets up too.
"Yeah, I think you're right babe, and we are good?" She asks.
"Of course we are good Skye, like it never happened." I reply, trying to keep my voice as natural as possible.
"Right I need to get going. I told mum I'd only be an hour and she gonna have kittens if I am late." She says as she walks up to me and wraps her arms round me. I return the hug, taking in her scent, holding each other for a little longer than we usually would. "Thank you for being so understanding babe, I really dont know what I'd do without you, ya know." She says quietly into my ear. As she slowly pulls away, our eyes lock, the fire behind hers is obvious as I know it will be in mine. My hands run down her sides reluctantly pulling them away from her body. My breathing heavy.
"Well I better go, happy Christmas beautiful." She says with that smile, as she puts her coat on.
"Yeah, you have a good Christmas babe." I say as she opens my bedroom door. My eyes watching her every move knowing them all off by heart.
"Ah fuck"she blurts out pulling my out of my daze. "I almost forgot, here" she hands me a paper Christmas bag inside is a card and a small present.
"Oh Skye, you didn't need to do that. I didn't even get you a card or anything ." I say solemnly.
"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to. You're not allowed to open it til tomorrow though ok!" She says sternly.
"Yes ma'am" I say with a mock salute.
"Good girl" she replies with a wink, that makes my tummy tighten.
"Bye gorgeous" she says leaving before I can reply.

I stand in my bedroom staring into the bag, for I don't know how long, thinking about the conversation we have just had. Feeling more confused than I was before. So she does like me, but needs to give things with Dean a go first. s that even what she said? I can't remember. She finds me attractive but doesn't like girls that way? My brain a total fuzz. The more I try to concentrate on what was said the more it seems to blur, but one thing is for sure, one thing I know is a truth beyond a doubt as we hugged and as we pulled away, she wanted to kiss me, she definately wanted to kiss me as much as I did her. That idea is enough to send my heart into the stratosphere. I can't help myself, I get the present out of the bag. I can tell she has taken her time wrapping it. All the corners of the bright red paper are neatly folded, the two triangle tabs the exact same size. Neatly taped down. I give it a shake and hear a slight rattle. I can't help myself, I rip the paper and gasp. I see the tell tale white box of Pandora inside. My heart racing I push the inner box out of the outer one and lift the lid. My hands shaking as I lift the most beautiful silver necklace out and hanging on the end is a heart shaped pendant with 4 tiny blue gemstones on one side of the heart. Tears fill my eyes as I am consumed by love, love for the most special girl I have ever met, all of a sudden I realise this has the potential to be the best Christmas ever.