Colliding with Skye (On hold until I move! Sorry guys!)

Chapter 10 - Promise Me

It was late and for the life of me I couldn’t sleep. Tori, Leda, and Rachel had gone to bed hours ago and I was aimlessly playing with my phone, replying to people on twitter for something to do. I didn’t want to bother any of the guys, they were tired. They’d had a long day and were all asleep, or so I thought. I got up out of my bunk, careful not to wake anyone, finding Mike sitting on his phone in the main part of the bus. 

“Can’t sleep?” he asked as I sat down next to him. 

I shook my head, “Nope. I have too much on my mind.”

“Same here,” he replied, locking his phone and turning to look at me.

I scratched the back of my neck and looked down at my arms. I kept looking down at the worn away scars tracing over them in remembrance. Mike noticed and stuck his large hand over my wrist.

“I hope you don’t do that anymore,” he said, squeezing lightly.

“I’ve been clean for 6 months. It was a long and hard process and I still get triggered easily, but I’m proud of myself. I’ve come a long way from when I was younger. 

“Promise me that you’ll stay clean,” he said, removing his hand and picking up the bottle of Jack that was sitting on the floor by his feet.

“To be honest, I hate alcohol,” I said, yawning and stretching my arms behind my head, “I have no clue how you can drink that stuff, it’s nasty.” 

He laughed, taking a long swig from the bottle. 

“With practice,” he added.

I rolled my eyes at him, sighing again.

“So are you going to tell me what’s going on?” he asked, as I yawned again.

I shrugged, “It’s kinda dumb really. Do you wanna hear it?”

“Well, if it’s dumb then why is it bothering you?”

Good question. I guess, I just didn’t want to bother him. He said himself he had his own worries, so why should I even tell him mine?

“It’s nothing, really. I promise.”

He rolled his eyes at me, “Kiddo, you’re bad at lyin’.”

“I know,” I chuffed.

I yawned once again, as I looked out the window of the bus. It was almost daybreak. The sky was a deep purple as if the sun was waiting just a little longer before getting out of bed. Sleep was finally hitting me, but I knew Mike wasn’t going to let me go to sleep til I told him what was on my mind.

“It’s just your brother,” I admitted. “He’s so damn confusing.” 

He nodded in agreement, “He might be confusing, but he’d never lie to you Skye.”

I kept replaying the conversation of the day before in my head. 

“You’re really beautiful, you know?” Vic asked. I turned red as I tried to hide my face in my hands.

“Don’t hide your face!” he demanded playfully and removed my hands from my face, holding both of them in his left hand. He stuck his right hand to my face and stared into my eyes. I looked away, removing my hands from Vic’s grasp and running my fingers along all the calluses he had created on his own fingers over the years. I traced along them as he ran his other callused hand along my jaw and tilted my face back up towards him. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t even know if I was breathing. All I knew at that moment was that this was really happening. He leaned in, ever so slightly and pressed his lips to mine. This wasn’t the first time he had done so, but this was the first time I kissed back. We sat there like that, lips touching for what seemed to be ages. My heart was racing. What was this feeling? What did any of this mean exactly? He removed his lips slowly, still keeping them hovered over mine, barely centimeters apart.

“Never doubt for one second that you aren’t beautiful…” he breathed

Mike’s nudging my shoulder brought me back out of my thoughts.  

“Did you hear me?” he asked.

I nodded, “Yea, sorry… just lost my train of thought.” I scratched the back of my head.

“My brother might be an idiot sometimes,” Mike started, “but he speaks so highly of you. I hope you know that. Hell, according to him you’re one of the most beautiful girls he’s ever laid eyes on.”

“I find that really hard to believe.”

“I never said that I agreed with him on that last part!”

“Hey! That’s not nice!”

“Just teasin’ kiddo. Don’t go breaking my brother’s heart, alright? I don’t think I’d ever be able to forgive you,” he said, which I hoped he was only joking or at least half joking if anything.

“I don’t think I could ever do that to be completely honest. I’m more afraid of him breaking my heart,” I admitted. I had finally come to the conclusion that this was in fact the truth.

“Nah, I don’t see that happening anytime soon,” he said smiling at me. He sure had high hopes for Vic and me.

“It’s really early,” he said looking at the time. I agreed, the sun was starting to peek up from behind the clouds and sooner or later we’d make it to our destination.

“I’m gonna go crash,” I said, standing up and walking towards the back of the bus to were the bunks were located. 

I climbed up to my bunk, trying to be careful not to disturb Adam Elmakias who was sleeping in the bunk underneath mine. I almost slipped though, gasping and clenching my eyes shut hoping I didn’t wake anyone up as I regained my balance and hopped up into the bunk. 

“You alright?” Mike whispered, as he walked his way back to his own bunk.

“Yea, I just slipped. I’m so short I can barely climb up here,” I said, in a hushed tone.

I could hear him chuckling, “Don’t forget the promise you made me. Goodnight kiddo.” 

I was about to retort with the fact I never agreed with the promise he asked. Then I realized that I actually hadn’t agreed to it. Not verbally, anyway. Even if I had refused, I still subconsciously would have agreed. I think he knew that too. 

“Goodnight,” I replied, though he was already up in his bunk and my voice was so hushed that I was sure he didn’t hear me.