Sink or Swim

Chapter 2

A week in the hospital had been a nightmare come true for Skye. Just seven days had felt like years of staring at plain, white walls and watching as visitors came and went. Thankfully after those seven days and a couple of different operations, she'd been released to go home. The relief the swimmer felt was remarkable, but home didn't feel quite the same when she could only spend each and every day sitting on the sofa watching television or curled up in bed.

Skye lived with her younger brother and two cousins, although her brother was currently away at uni. Her sister, Marcia lived only down the road too so she was always around family. The Lovelace family were all from London but the five cousins had all followed one another to Wales after Marcia had attended Cardiff University.

All day long Skye could feel her family's glares, scared to speak to her too much in case she uncharacteristically snapped at them like she had so many times already. The coffee table in front of her had become her best friend. Well, other than the sofa of course. She was sure she was wearing it down with the number of hours she'd spent sitting there.

Today, the rest of her family had all gone to work and university leaving Skye at home in peace. It was hard to believe that could be even worse than their stares, but the silence was throwing her into an even worse mood.

Her sky-blue eyes rolled to gaze hopelessly at her crutches. It hadn't taken her long to get the hang of walking with them but they didn't help as much as she'd hoped they would.

Lost in her daydream of depression, Skye lifted her head with interest when she heard a knock at the door. It was weird to think that a knock at the door was the most excitement she'd had all day. The postman had already been earlier on and she wasn't expecting anybody else.

"Who is it?" she shouted loudly. The windows were open and the front door opened directly into the living room. She liked the fresh air coming in, despite the fact it was early March and Spring hadn't quite arrived yet.

"It's Jake," the person called back.

"Oh really?" She hadn't been expecting him. Skye quickly ran her hand through her messy hair and rearranged her top to make herself look presentable. She sat herself up, forcing herself out of her slouching position. "Come in, it's open." It was easier than taking ten minutes to get up from the sofa to open the door herself.

Jake shuffled his way in with gifts in his hands. "I heard you need some cheering up." There was a cheeky smile on his face that lit up his dark, blue eyes. They didn't especially match his dark, brown hair, but plenty of girls seemed to swoon over him.

Skye sighed and tilted her head up to look at him. "Marcia told you?"

"Maybe," laughed Jake. He dropped some chocolates next to her before promptly running along to the kitchen to put the flowers into a vase. Then he ran back out to his car and returned with two hot drinks in his hands. "And finally...coffee".

Skye looked at him hopefully. "Soy vanilla latte?"

"Of course."

"Perfect," replied Skye, eagerly taking hold of the takeaway cup.

Feeling visibly pleased with himself, Jake carefully put his drink on the coffee table and took a seat next to his friend.

"You really didn't have to." Skye meant those words, even going as far as to roll her eyes at him. The mock-disappointment didn't last for long however and she altered her posture so that she could look at him more comfortably now that he was sat down beside her. It was true though, all of this sympathy was unbearable.

"You've always been there for me, Skye. Let me do something for you for once. They're only flowers, drinks and a few chocolates, nothing big."

She and Jake had acted like strangers only two months ago, after Cassandra had forced her to stay away from him. Jake and Cassandra had been a couple, the kind that had been on and off for years. Skye didn't know the details of their breakup, just that the final breakup between her two friends had been ugly.