Discovering Rowan [on hold]

Chapter 17

I was woken up by an tapping noise. As I surfaced from deep sleep I realized It wasn't tapping it was knocking from downstairs. Someone was at the door. I stood up and let my eyes adjust to the light before throwing on a dressing gown and heading downstairs. I opened the door without looking to see who was outside. Big mistake. Standing at the door was Skylar dressed with a grin fixed on his face. His dimples were even showing. My heart melted a little and before I could stop myself I let him in.

"I brought you a present," He handed me a box with a black ribbon and silver wrapping paper. I frowned.

"What for?"

"For being my soulfinder, for being so lovely, to say sorry for whatever I've done and to say well done for Band Act. I watched your set from the side of the stage."

"Oh Skylar," I reached out before I could stop myself and hugged him.

'You're going to have to break up with him' a voice in my head nagged.

But in that moment I truly didn't care. I wiped my eyes to rid them of the tears that were threatening to slip out.

"Hey, this was meant to make you happy, not sad! Open the box," He smiled, a smile that would warm the heart of any person. I untied the bow and tore the wrapping paper off carefully.

"You didn't," I gasped and opened the blue box. Inside was a black penny board with purple wheels. "Oh Skylar,"

"I'm glad you like it," Skylar said. He stood beside me doing this thing where he smiled and bit his lip at the same time which made him look immensely cute. I got up on my tiptoes and kissed him.

"Thank you so much," I beamed at him from ear to ear.

"Oh and that's not all. You need to meet me outside your gate at twelve for your next surprise. But before I go," He lent down and pressed his lips to mine. Somewhere, something insie me was telling me to stop, but despite that I kissed him back moving my lips in sync with his. He held me in his arms and it felt so good.

You've got to break up with him. Today.

I broke off the kiss and ran up the stairs to my room and collapsed on the floor.

"Bye!" Skylar called. He sounded so cheerful. I wiped a stray tear from the corner of my eye.

You've got to break up with him Rowan. It's safer for him. 

I crawled back into bed tears spilling down my cheeks. I could barely see my clock as I set my alarm as my eyes were swimming. I buried my head into my pillow silently sobbing. It felt like my heart was slowly burning a hole in my chest.

And it was painful.

***

After I stepped out of the shower I settled on a slightly baggy Panic! at the Disco tshirt with marvel leggins. I placed small pentagrams in my ears and a choker to match and put on some eyeliner, filled in my brows ever so slightly and red tinted lip balm. My black nails were looking slightly less chipped than usual and my wrist was already covered in bracelets. I plaited my hair on one side and stuck this flower crown contraption El had brought for me on my head. I grabbed my denim rucksack, which was covered in pin badges, put my phone and headphones in the side pocket and a bottle of water, my lip balm and penny board in the main compartment. I slung a black hoodie over my arm and slipped on my converse and looked at the clock. It flashed 12:11 and I almost had a mini heart attack. Luckily the clock was 15 minutes slow (I realized after a moment of panic) and I sat and waited by the tv watching whatever Zoe had on while Zed was playing with his train set in the corner. 

"Hey, I never knew you liked this Zoe," I said my face lighting up in surprise at the fact that the progamme on the TV was Adventure Time. 

"I like the pwincess. The bubblegwum ladwy," Zoe said "and her wainbow powny."

"Okay," I grinned "I like the rainbow pony too." We sat there watching the episode with ice king, or "nasty man" as Zoe called him, for a few minutes until I heard a knock on the door. I left a note for Luke telling him what time I would be back and walked out the door with Skylar. He tried to hold my hand but I pretened to ignore him.

"You're not angry exactly, so whats wrong?" I looked up at Skylar, lost in a daydream about how me breaking up with him would go.

"Huh?"

"You wouldn't hold my hand, and your aura has gone a funny colour."

Shit. Forgot about that one.

If I slammed up my shield so high that my aura becomes too faded then he would figure that I'm really shoving him out.

Plus my aura is stronger than others and my shield is crap against him because he's my soulfinder. Damn.

"I don't know what I've done but I'll leave it and hope today will be good enough to make it up to you."

Why did he have to be so nice? It made it super hard to break up with him.

"It's fine I croaked up at him managing a weak smile and grasping his hand. As soon as I grabbed it I felt a warmth spread through my body. This was what having a soulfinder was like.

Shame Skylar's soulfinder sucked. Big time.

We entered the woods and I soon forgot everything as I usually did, having with Skylar with me. We walked hand in hand weaving in and out of trees following faint paths climbing along the top of fallen trees swinging on branches until we reached a small clearing. I could hear cars in the distance and I gathered we were nearer Chiltern than Latham. The clearing consisted of a bench and a flat surface with a few ramps all overgrown. Vines crept everywhere and wild flowers grew between the cracks in the concrete.

"Its beautiful," I breathed "I just don't want to run over all the little flowers on my penny board."

Skylar through back his head and laughed his sweet laughter echoing around the clearing. 

"You know what?" He said taking my flower crown off my head, "I'll pick the paper ones off this one and decorate it with the real thing. That way they don't get ruined." 

I smiled, a true smile one which lights up your and reaches your eyes. Skylar Chase was one of the most precious humans. 

"Okay," I whispered, "thank you." I placed a featherlight kiss on his lips and got out my penny board. Skylar walked up and down picking the flowers until all that was visible were the leaves. When I first started to skate along Skylar took my hand and helped me keep my balance. When I got the hang of it he left me to skate by myself. He went over to the bench and set up a picnic area for us both, leaving the food in the basket. It wasn't a summers day for sure but despite the fact it was autumn, the sun still shone and birds still sung in the trees. It was chilly day and I was glad of my hoodie. I kneeled down on my penny board holding onto the edge whilst going down a small slope. I looked up to see Skylar at the bottom with his camera and I grinned as the flash went off. I got of my penny  board and noticed him waving a small piece of paper in the air.

"Hey, you've got one of those polaroid cameras!" I exclaimed looking at the little photo he held in his palm.

"Yeah," He smiled, "I've now got the real life photo of the day I took you to my favourite place."

Oh no. I had to break up with him. Now.

"Skylar," I said my voice wavering, "I...I can't do this anymore."

"What?" I felt like I had just kicked a puppy. "Rowan, no, please," He reached out his hand and I shrunk away from his touch. He raised both hands out towards me but I backed away.

"No!" My voice was faltering, "Don't touch me! Please!"

"Then don't run away from me! Rowan please! I love you!"

And with that I turned and ran.