Be Ours

Chapter 3 ~ Dylan

"Now are you going to tell me what's wrong?" I asked her. We were sitting amongst the dunes, watching the grey sea roll in and out in its never ending loop.

"No, you go first. I'm still too angry to explain. Tell me why you've been so down?" Sky said. Ah, so she had noticed. Honestly, nothing got past Sky. That's why I thought I better not beat around the bush and come out with it.

"Well, truthfully Sky, it's just hard for me to see how much you like Joe, because you deserve to be treated properly, y'know ? It's really not my business, but I care about you and Joe isn't good enough for you. I'm sorry." I didn't know how Sky would react. One of my favourite things about her was that she was unpredictable, a constant mystery, and she contrasted with the never changing, sleepy seaside town that we called home. To my sheer and utter shock she burst out laughing. It didn't really sound like a happy laugh, but it was better than her slapping me or whatever.

"Oh, god. How ironic. Came to escape from a Joe-related lecture and here you are." Her smile was weak and her eyes weren't meeting mine. I didn't really understand what she was talking about, but I let her continue.

"Here's the point. I know you love me and care about me like a brother or whatever, but I'm perfectly capable of handling myself. Joe is fine, I'm fine, it's all good. Okay?" Sky said.

"I just don't want you getting hurt. Joe's my brother I know what he's like." I thought back to Joe's player past, how every weekend, there was a new girl, or possibly more than one. It was a wonder to everyone in town that he had stayed with Sky for almost a year. She wasn't even his type. Too much of her own person to be his usual choice; a girl that clung to him like a limpet and hung on his every word. But it was when I realised that their relationship was approaching the year mark, I started to become wary. Players don't change, at least not that quickly.

"Dylan, I'm a big girl now. Joe won't hurt me, anyway. I mean how many teenage couples in our school have lasted a year?" She did have a point. But I would still be keeping an eye out.

"Yeah, let's just forget it for now. It's getting cold, we should make a move" I got up and brushed the sand of myself, before offering her a hand up.

"I agree" Sky said, grabbing my hand.

************************************

We stopped at the tops of our driveways, about to part ways.

"Oh, I forgot to ask! Are you going to the concert at Gull's?" Sky asked. Gull's was the only nightclub in Sandfields, and it was the other side of town, where most of the pubs and corner shops were. It was where Joe and his band Fifth Star would play their biggest venue yet. Their popularity was increasing by the second. Their music appealed to boys and their faces appeared to girls. Guaranteed, Gull's would be packed Friday night.

"Unfortunately, yeah, I am" I told Sky.

"Mum's asked me to keep an eye on Joe. It's probably going to be a little wild. And you remember their last big gig?" I said. I shuddered at the flashback of Joe, totally wasted, making out with this girl called Emily Moore outside. I found them when I went out to get some air. Sky had already gone home, thankfully. I shouted at him there and then but he would've been too drunk to remember, so I confronted him in the morning. He shoved me up against the hallway wall, a hand gripping my neck as he yelled at me, commanding me not to tell her.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you company. We can be his groupies, yeah?" She grinned.

"Somehow, I don't think so" I replied.

"I'm just joking, Dyl. Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow. We have French together, don't we? La save a seat for me, s'il vous plaît!" And she left me at the top of my driveway, with the pink and orange hues of the evening.