Before I Forget

Christmas Lights

A strange feeling filled Sky's chest when she descended the stairs and realized it wasn't Miggy at the door, but Cody. Her steps grew slower, her hand gripped the railing as she heard how Dad and Cody conversed with low voices. She couldn't make out what they were saying - just a word here and there - and then Cody looked up and saw her. He fell silent mid-sentence.

Suddenly Sky was reminded of the day they had gone to have milkshakes, almost exactly two months ago. Cody had stood right there, at the door, and she had walked down these stairs, and at the sight of her, his eyes had grown soft, wide, as if he was looking at the moon.

That was the way he was looking at her now too, and it went straight to Sky's heart like a knife into butter. And just like that day, he was so beautiful it took her breath away.

"Hi," Cody said, and his throat bobbed. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," Sky replied, glancing at Dad who was still standing by the door too. "If that's okay, Dad?"

Dad gave a nod and stepped aside. "The kid has something to tell you. Be nice."

Sky felt her cheeks heating, and she lowered her gaze to the floor, waited until Dad had walked away, to the kitchen. He closed the door as he went, to give them some privacy, of which Sky was grateful.

When they were alone, Sky turned her eyes back to Cody. He stood in front of her in his jeans and a hoodie, the evening air ruffling his dark hair and pushing strands of it to his forehead. His cheeks were red, but otherwise, he was pale, the shadows under his eyes had grown even darker. The contrast between his serious, haunted face and the bright, cheerful Christmas lights Dad had put up a couple of days ago, was striking.

"Is— Is everything okay?" she asked, as a sudden worry crossed her heart.

"Yes," he let out a nervous laugh. "No. I– I have to tell you something."

Sky's heart turned painfully in her chest. She leaned a hand on the doorway and swallowed, but the air felt thin, she couldn't breathe. It didn't help that she had known they'd have to have this conversation sooner or later - now that it was time, Sky felt like the wind was blowing right through her.

"Okay," she said. "Then tell me."

For a heartbeat or so, he hesitated. The breath he took was shaky, he twisted his hands - but when he looked up and met her eyes, there was no hesitation in his gaze, and Sky knew, even before he said the words, she knew what he was about to say.

"I—" he swallowed hard. "I am in love with you."

Sky couldn't help the gasp that left her lips. "Oh, Cody—"

"Please let me finish—" he said, a tremor in his voice. "I– I have been, for some time now. And... I know you don't feel the same for me. But I— I just had to ask if—"

He looked like he was falling in pieces, like every word was a struggle. It wasn't just his voice that was trembling, his hands were shaking too, and his chest was rising with fast, uneven breaths. Sky had never seen him like this, like he was falling apart at the seams.

"To ask me what?" her eyes searched his face.

"If you— would go out with me?"

Her chest felt hollow, like it was collapsing on itself.

"Cody, I— I don't—"

"It's okay, I know. I know you're not over Hawk, I know you're not in love with me—" The words were falling rapidly off his lips, he sounded out of breath, strained, anxious. "I'm not a fool. I'm not asking you to love me now. I'm asking if there is a chance - however small - that you could someday feel that way about me. If there's any hope. Sky— just, please, give me a chance. I– I love you."