The Bright Side

Chapter 3 - Part 1

SKY

"No offence, mate, but I have to ask. What's with your name?" Tristan grins. "Do your parents hate you?"

The sun is blazing down again today and right now it's just too hot for me to skate, so we sit with our backs against the sprayed wall in the shadow.

"Hah, no. I don't think Mum hates me." I smirk. "I think she was pretty high on pain meds when she decided to name me. High as the sky." Whatever the reason, she obviously couldn't think straight.

"Well, it does suit your eyes. Even though it seems cruel." Tristan grins. "Did she have another name in mind before she decided to expose you to lifetime mockery?"

"I'm not telling." I wipe my face clean. "You, first. I'm sure your Mum had some back-ups."

"Well, my parents thought I'd be a girl, right until the end. I would've been a Marianne then."

"Fair enough." For what he had just disclosed he has earned to hear it. "Steven. Mum wanted to call me Steven."

"Steven. Hah!" Tristan bursts into laughter. "Stevie." He's almost throwing a fit. "I'm so gonna call you Stevie from now on."

"Watch it, Marianne. You call me Stevie just once and I'll have new business cards printed out for you and all over town in no time." I smile politely.

Tristan's face falls as it dawns on him that I played him; the imp comes back right away though, revealing himself through the devilish smile on Tristan's face.

"Sky St. Cloud is a really pretty name," he says earnestly. "Really. I wish I were named Sky St. Cloud. Sky St. Cloud – it practically melts in your mouth." He tries to suck up to me, overdoing it big time, his grin so wide that his eyes disappear behind his cheeks. "Sky St. Cloud. You just want to taste every syllable. Sky St. Cloud. Ok, not that many syllables. But still, wow. Such an awesome name."

"Good. I thought so." I can barely keep a straight face.

"I might just change my name. I mean, who wants to be called Tristan Ashmore when you can be called Sky St. Cloud?" He goes on. "Would you mind? You'd be 'primo Sky' of course, I'd go by 'remo Sky'...."

"Alright!" I cry out. "Now drop it!"

"Just wanted to make my point clear", Tristan smiles. What a pretty smile. "So, care for another challenge?"

It's a game Tristan invented a few days ago. He'd name a trick and how many times I'd have to succeed doing it, like 'Cab – three out of four' and I can either refuse the challenge, which brings no points, or I can accept. If I make it, I get a point – if I don't, Tristan does. The loser has to supply the fags next day.

"Yeah, sure." I take another sip from the Coke I brought.

"Backside Nollie Pop-Shove-it – one out of seven." Sounds easy, but I couldn't do it to save my life.

"No."

"Alright." Tristan ponders. "Hospital Flip – three out of five."

"Accepted."

I get on my board, position my feet and pop, flip, catch – thank goodness, shove it and land on the bolts. Two more times. Tristan is eyeing me intensely, only waiting for me to fail. His eyes on me don't exactly make it easier to concentrate. I try to focus on my moves and yes, I make it.

"Very good. Now, Cab – one out of one."

Tricky. I can do a Cab, but I've only ever managed this summer; I'm still not that confident with it. This is the last challenge and right now it's a tie. If I don't make it, I'll have to go all the way across town to get a new pack because mine is almost empty. If I do make it, well, lucky me.