The Flames that Engulfed Us

Chapter 19: I'm The Picture of Normal

There was no way for me to try to laugh it off. There was no way for me to try to put an optimistic spin on anything. Gary had left some time ago, and Lincoln and I hadn't moved. We'd only sprawled out next to each other on the same patch of floor. My head was on his chest, and the warmth of his body kept me there. Lincoln didn't look remotely tired. He looked shattered, but not tired.

I'd always had an untested belief that he was invulnerable. I guess I'd always been his Achilles heel, and I guess the arrow had to hit its mark eventually.

"I can't believe that bastard hurt you. I swear I'm going to kill him."

I thought Gary was immortal. It didn't really matter though.

"No," I told him, "you're not."

"Sky, I can't let him get away with that."

I ran my fingers over his chest. I looked into his eyes.

"Don't try to fight him. Please."

"But..."

"Please."

"Fine, but what do you want me to do?"

I looked him in the eye, raising myself up, "Nothing. Just be here. Just be with me."

He returned my look with the same seriousness. "Okay."

I didn't move for a while, my eyes still firmly open. I watched a clock on the wall, the hands chased each other around, playing a little game that didn't seem like it would stop.

"He lied to me."

That was an abrupt statement from Lincoln, but I knew what he meant. The devil had told him I would be safe. I didn't think it was an intentional lie.

"Gary said he was breaking rules. I don't think he meant to lie."

"I should have known better than to trust him," his voice cracked as he looked up, "but I needed to believe you, at least, would be alright."

"And I am fine. It doesn't hurt anymore."

"Don't you lie to me either."

"I didn't say I was spectacular," I grumbled under my breath, "just fine."

I put my head back on him, feeling like the epitome of fine as he brushed the hair out of my face. He seemed so calm, but I could feel all the emotions pulsing through him, just below the surface. He was angry. He was hurt. He was betrayed. He was uncertain. And the thing was, so was I.

Lincoln didn't say anything again, and the next time I looked up at his face, he was asleep. He needed it. I didn't even mind that he was asleep that night. I didn't really think about much, just letting myself find patterns in the wall, hidden silhouettes in the shadows.

I let the hours tick by, feeling uninclined to move. The door opened gently and closed gently as well. Only then did I prop myself upright.

Kassidy. She looked down at me.

"Skylar," she smiled, "good morning."

I peered up at her. "Not so loud. You'll wake Lincoln up."

"Yeah," she whispered, "sorry. I just wondered how yesterday went."

I couldn't help it. That made me feel irritated, and sarcasm came out.

"It was the best time I've ever had."

Kassidy didn't manage to pick up on the insincerity of my comment. She looked at me blankly until I felt guilty.

"It was horrible," I finally muttered out.

"What happened?"

I suddenly didn't know how to explain it. I just made a dismissive hand gesture and looked up at her. She looked worried, and suddenly I realized how odd I was acting.

"It's nothing you need to worry about. Should I wake him up?"

She looked startled by the question.

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever."

"Do I need to wake up because I'd rather let him sleep, if that's an option."

"No," Kassidy decided, "wake him up."

I leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Lincoln, wake up."

His eyelids fluttered open, "Sky, what's going on?"

"Nothing," I answered, then thinking again, "Kassidy's here."

He turned his head to glance at Kassidy who gave a brief wave. I looked at him as he groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Can't it all just stop for a day?"

Kassidy looked down at him. "It doesn't at first, but for most people it slows down later. For some reason, you two seem to be getting a lot of extra attention, so I really don't know."

He made unhappy noises, standing up. I put my arms straight up, He didn't even think, pulling me up. Kassidy looked at us, shaking her head.

"What?" I asked, confused by why she would shake her head.

"Skylar, I don't know what happened to you, but you are acting so strange."

"I don't think I'm acting that strange."

"I said good morning and you told me to lower my voice. Then I asked a question, and you got mad, and then after a minute you deflated, and now you seem normalish."

Lincoln wrapped his arm around me. "I think she's allowed to be however she wants."

"But I'm not acting weird or odd or anything."

I wasn't. And why did it upset me so much that they thought I was? It shouldn't have.

But it did.

"I'm not," I insisted, and Kassidy just looked like she pitied me, and Lincoln leaned over and kissed my head.

"I'm not," I repeated, perturbed by how neither of them said anything.

"Lincoln?"

"Sky?"

"Am I acting odd?"

"Well," he said, trailing of.

They were all wrong. I was fine.