The X in Skye

Valuable lessons

Skye's POV

Baxter puts the small box of medical equipment back, Tyler is throwing nuts in the air and catching them and Grayson is silent.

I twist around to see him sat with his head doweled down, supported by his arms on his knees. I hadn't expected him to be the chattiest of the room but the absence of his voice might just be worse.

"Hey, I think we need to talk" I quietly say approaching him,

I catch his attention "Please" he responses.

I pick the furthest room away from the bar. It makes for the best peace, and we stand of a chance for privacy. Hopefully!

I gesture for him so enter first, he complies with a shy smile, it's never been so awkward. He takes a seat on the sofa while I walk to one of the cabinets. He looks to me with a puzzled expression but I pull out a towel answering his unspoken question.

"You'd be surprised what they keep back here" I laugh handing him a towel to help his damp hair, the smell isn't so toxic anymore.

"Skye. I don't know where to begin"

I smile "How about from the start" he chuckles at my slight sarcasm but it isn't my normal sassy sarcasm, it's the kind I use when my other defensives don't work.

"Arthur took me a few weeks ago. I had no other choice to leave"

I nod "I'm aware, you've said it a thousand times. But I need to know why" at this point I'm begging.

He sighs, a heavy and dreadful sigh like what he's about to say will crush me "When he said he would kill everyone and destroy everything you have. He wasn't kidding"

I narrow my eyes "And what exactly did he have?"

"Everything!" he snaps. He realises what he's done and closes his eyes to compose himself "Everything. I thought he was bluffing, but it changed when he showed me"

"For god sake spit it out Grayson!" I bit

He drags his glazed grey eyes to me; his face is so emotionally drained it's painful "He had everything. Pictures of your house, the dance studio, the hotels, the school, the club even that diner we went to" The night at the diner with Axel and Vanessa seems so long ago, when thing were beginning. Although, it was the first time I felt like I was doing something normal. This Arthur feud started way before I ever thought "But I knew it was bad when he had pictures of everyone. Us in the car, your Mum out, Vanessa at college, Brooke with Josie. It went as far as you and Lou at the Christmas show"

My chest tightest at the mention of Lou. She's just a little kid and Arthur viewed her as a target. Any ounce of remorse I had for him which is zero has turned to minus infinity. I'm starting to see why he couldn't tell me, there's no way I would have acted sain if I knew that. However, I should have been able to make that decision.

"You have no idea how much I wanted to kill him but my hands were tied. Either I did what he said or you lose everything. And that wasn't even an option, I would never let that happen" his hand holds my arm.

I groan "I hate that he did that"

"I know, but it's over" he says cupping my cheek. I smile showing him I'm okay. "I didn't expect you and Tyler to break through like that"

I lean back, he may be less of a fool than I thought but it just isn't like before "It was simple really. I played the game"

He narrows his eyes "You know I'm always two steps ahead. But I had to start playing the game in order to win. Going by the result I'd say we won" I smirk

He grins, I haven't seen that cocky impressed grin in a lifetime. "Hey Skye" he's nervous state has returned "Did you read my letter?"

I nod "Yes I did. I don't know if it helped or made it worse, but I read that piece of paper hundreds of time hoping to find an answer. Turns out I needed to stick to my gut. I'm X for a reason, I just needed to use that side of me"

He smiles "I meant what I said, I never want to hurt you Skye, not again"

"I know"

He slowly leans in with his hand still placed my cheek. I lean closer to where I can feel his warm breath on my lips. "Gray" I whisper making him stop.

His sigh pulls at my heart however, he doesn't look angry "We can't" I say "Actually. I can't"

He remains close to me but not where we were, I fear the comforting feeling he provides me may put me under his spell all over again

"No, I get it" he nods "When I left I realised how I didn't treat you as fair as I should" his words are surreal to me "I shouldn't have questioned your intentions with Baxter and Tyler, because I do trust you. And truth be told without them I wouldn't be alive right now high on fumes" I laugh at his making a heartfelt speech funny, just the way I like it.

His chuckle does sound nice to hear again "Can I ask. Are you and Baxter together?" his conflicted face makes it clear he need to know rather than want

I give him a small smile "No" "To be completely honest I've lost track of most things in my life but, I have all of you and I'm happy" he nods looking away, I place my hand over his "But this doesn't determine the future. You have taught me many valuable lessons. I got a semi normal high school experience. New people coming into life aren't always so bad" I laugh nudging him.

My phone buzzes next to me. I open the text message from the unknown number, I hate those numbers.

Skye, it's Allison. I wanted to congratulate you on your Elite offer. I hope you take the opportunity. If you have any questions this is my main number, message or call me whenever you would like ~ Allison

"That's the biggest smile I've seen in a very long time" Grayson says observing me

I nod and lock my phone "Uh, yeah" I clear my throat "I got an offer from Elite dance academy and that was Allison"

He pulls me into a hug "Skye, that's amazing" "Your family must be so proud"

"Well, there's a lot you missed" he leans back with inquisitive eyes "There was a disagreement and it's pretty much sorted out but it's still a little tense"

"How many people know?"

"Vanessa, Baxter, Brooke and now you"

He looks taken back. It could be the fact I have been given this huge opportunity or the fact the Red's weren't so united as before.

"I guess it's time for X to have a step back" he laughs

I smirk "Something like that"

After a few minutes the awkwardness has gone. Things can't go back to the way they were, it got too complicated. I feel like we haven't spoken so openly since before we were dating, we tried to hard to stay connected it became forced.

I pick myself off the sofa and head to the door "Hey, Gray" he looks up to me "About the whole I love you thing. You didn't mess it up, because I felt the same" he nods with a smile. "Oh and" I put my hand in my back pocket and throw the black engraved ring through the air, he catches it. I've kept it in my pocket in hopes this moment would happen "You're always a wolf. We may not belong to each other now, but we're still Skye and Grayson" I smile and walk out the door.