Chasing Skye

Chapter three

"God, I am so ready for sleep!" Sloan complained as she flopped down on her bed. Spreading herself out. She looked exhausted. Which is sad because we literally did nothing but lay around all day.

"How are you even tired?" I questioned, laughing as she glared up at me. Yes there were times where Sloan could be downright scary when she's mad. But we both know she could never be truly angry with me. We know each other way too well.

"Shut up, you look worse than I do!"

"Mhm, ok. Well, I'm going to go get some water. You want anything?"

Shrugging, she just shook her head. Heading down the stairs, I yet again nearly had a heart attack. Skye was standing at the island, a bunch of ingredients laid about, as she was chopping up some carrots. "You really need to atop doing that."

"Doing what?" She asked with her back to me.

"Scaring me."

Laughing, she turned her head as she said, " I was just cooking dinner. Because this is my house."

"You? Cook?"

"Yes. Not that you have ever noticed. What with being too invested in the latest drama."

I don't know why, but something about what she had said angered me. Maybe its just the fact that she thinks I'm just some preppy cheerleader. When, one, I'm not even a cheerleader. "Well, what are you making?"

"Food."

I kinda just stood there staring at her for a bit. Thinking about why she was always like this.

"Technically, you're not making food. You're cooking. If you were making food, it'd be sort of like you growing a garden." Hey, if she could be an ass, so could I.

"Whatever. Same difference."

Not really knowing what to say, I just stood there. Sort of just staring at her. Watching as she finished chopping up the carrots, then moving onto the potatoes. Throwing them into the pot as well. Then spicing them up a bit. I also realized she was tall. Like really tall. Freakishly tall. She had to be at least 5'8. Which was sad, because I was only 5'2.

"I can feel your eyes on me."

Snapping out of my trance like state, I went to the cabinet and pulled out a cup. "I was just watching you cook."

"Now who's the creepy one."

"I don't think you're creepy."

"Damm, I thought I was doing a good job." She joked. Something in the way she sounded made me think she wasn't really joking.

"So what, you try to be creepy?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"It keeps people away." She paused slightly, before going back to preparing her meal.

She wants to keep people away? I mean, I get it. But, Skye is sister with Sloan. If sh wanted to be popular, she'd have no problem in that. Although yes, a lot of the people at school were jerks. Some more than others. But, is that a good enough reason to completely isolate yourself from the world?

"Why?" I said after a few minutes.

"Why what?"

"Why push everyone away?"

"Because, if there's no one around, you can't be disappointed. And you can't disappoint anybody else."

I was shocked, really. I would never have expected her to actually answer me. And with more than two words. "Why do you say that?"

"Why do you care?"

"I don't. I'm just-"

"Exactly." She mumbled.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you're just like everybody else in this godforsaken town."

I don't know whether or not to be upset with her. So I just looked at her. "And what does that mean?"

"It means you don't really care. You already have your mind made up."

"About what?"

"You have your own little clique. You can't be bothered with anybody else."

Is she calling me close minded? Socially crippled? Should I be offended? Is she right?

"I do care."

"You shouldn't." 

"And why is that?"

"Caring only brings pain. After a while, you just kinda become numb."

"Numb?"

"Used to it. Being hurt."

Why does it hurt hearing her say this? Looking at her now, its different. Like I'm seeing her. Obviously I've seen her before. Its kinda like I'm really seeing her for the first time.

"Goodnight Megan." She sao, nodding stiffly before grabbing her food and going to her room.

What the hell was that?

Shrugging it off, I just headed back to Sloans room. She was still spread out on the bed, except she had started flipping through her massive collection of magazines. "It took you long enough to get some water."

"Yeah, well Skye was in the kitchen cooking, so we talked."

"About?"

"Well, it started with us just talking about what she was making. The ended with us talking about how she thinks I'm just like everybody else in this town." I explained. Plopping down on her couch, grabbing my phone to scrolling through instagram.
"Like everybody else in this town? What does that mean?"

"That's what I was wondering too. She just said that basically I'm socially crippled and don't really care about anyone outside of my clique."

"That's bull. You care a little too much if we're being honest."

"Exactly! I told her that, but she said that caring only brings pain, and that eventually you just become numb to it."

Sloan was quiet after that. Which is weird, because when you're with Sloan, there's usually never any moments of silence. Looking up from my phone, Sloan was sat up on her bed, looking down at her nails. "Sloan?" I called carefully.

She sighed before finally looking up at me. "Skye's really strong. Like, emotionally."

I was confused with her words for a second. At first, I thought she was keeping something from me, which made me upset. Because I've told her everything. And I mean everything. But, I realized that it wasn't something for Sloan to tell. It was Skye's business. And it was her choice whether or not she told me. Plus, we weren't even really friends. So it was completely none of my business.

Taking this as my cue to drop the subject, I grabbed a magazine and looked through it. Falling into a comfortable silence with my best friend.

*ping-ping*

Sighing, I grabbed my phone. An instant gut wrenching sickness washing over me as I read the text.

Evan: We need to talk. I miss you. Call me?

Once again feeling myself get consumed in the sadness. I felt dirty. I felt used. Most of all, I just felt hurt.

"Megan?" Sloans distant concerned voice sounded from beside me, as I felt her arms wrap around me. I guess it was from months of suppressing the tears that so desperately have been wanting to fall. I let myself break in her arms. Letting the tears flow freely.

This was another thing I loved so much about Sloan. She was always down to just hold me if I needed to cry. Or take me out to a club to drown my sorrows with a bottle of vodka. Or even sit there and let me rant. Throwing in a "hell yeah!" Or even a "fuck him!"

She really is my best friend.