US

+ p a r t o n e: 3 +

That night had been very cold. It seemed like winter was just at the corner and maybe, maybe this was the day I actually started cigarettes even though I never actually took them at the time.

But then, I had craved it tremendously.

I was seventeen then and had bruises all over my body and face, with a cut lip and a throbbing head but all I could think was that Agnes, were ever she was, would be proud of me.

Proud that when my Father had caught me kissing a girl in my room and had began to blame Agnes for sending some curse to me, I told him I was the one who kissed Agnes that day.

My Mother was begging me to retract my sentence. Begging that I spoke the truth but you see, Father I knew I was many things but I wasn't a liar.

He could never summon whatever courage Agnes' parents had to take me to church and get me beaten, not because he couldn't bear his daughter being heralded, no, he just couldn't imagine the detriment of it.

Mr Castle had a tinted child in the family. That was never in his plan.

He had beaten and kicked and hit me as much as his fists and legs could. He had also told me to never come back as he threw me out.

And even though out was terribly cold and extremely dark, I had never felt as free as I felt that moment, all I needed was a cigarette to keep me warm.

Or that was all I thought I needed, but that's the funny thing about life. It always fuck's you over.

Someone draped a jacket over my body, and I can already tell from the cologne who it belonged to. It'd been five months but my brain recognized it.

He sag next to me on the sidewalk. He didn't ask why I looked like crap. He didn't even speak until I did. "Got a cigarette?"

He shook his head. "I don't smoke."

I expected that. He always smelled so pure and sunshine like so I just shrugged and looked away.

"Do you need a place to stay for the night?" He asked. I doubt Jamie was ever really shy when he had his mind set on something. Just like how he had his mind set on taking me to his place whether I liked it or not.

I liked that side of him. "No, actually."

He nodded, standing. "I'd tell my parents I'm bringing my friend over."

I shrugged again as he brought out his phone, calling them quicky. When they picked, he said that he had to bring someone over. He didn't specify who it was. Then I had thought it was really stupid his parents didn't ask.

Stupid parents had stupid kids.

I knew I'd like them.

His house wasn't half as big as mine, but it had a homely feel to it. There were many pictures and I could smell food. Food that didn't have to be under the classification of pure and impure.

Their names were Holly and Rob Cullen and they were psychologists. I could tell Jamie took Rob's face but he had Holly's soft eyes.

He had no other sibling. Mrs Cullen couldn't have any other child.

They were nice, no one asked about the bruises so I told them myself and added that I didn't need an apology. Holly had chuckled at that. "James had said that you were a bit tough."

Jamie whined softly, "Come on, Mom." Then he turned to me. "And you can call me Jamie."

"Jamie." I tasted the name on my lips. It tasted earthly. It tasted heavenly and I would be lying if I didn't taste hell either. "I like your name."

"You didn't know his name?" Rob asked.

I shook my head. "He doesn't know mine either."

"Skyler."

I turned to him then. He was giving me a small smile. I still wasn't like them at the time. I hadn't met people who smiled so easily.

Gently, I poked him with a fork. "Did you stalk me, kid?"

He chuckled, "No. It was on your picture."

Oh. "Call me Skye. I'm more into that anyway."

"Skye."

I liked the way he said it. Like I was a cloud and he laid on it when he spoke my name.

When dinner was over, they gave me a room and told me I could stay as long as I wanted when they realized why my parents kicked me out and that could talk to them whenever I wanted.

I never did but I was grateful, so I said that.

After I managed to bath and clean myself, wearing Jamie's old clothes. I laid on the bed but I couldn't sleep.

Everything felt new. And different. And so unplanned. The only thing that calmed me was Jamie's shirt.

I loved his scent because it was familiar, but the shirt wasn't enough.

It was about one am when I creeped into his room and laid on his bed.

He stirred, but he didn't turn to look at me. It was just a whisper when he spoke, "Skye?"

I loved him saying it. I loved it very much. "I couldn't sleep."

He doesn't try to talk me out of it. He just says goodnight and goes back to sleep.

He had no idea that I took in the smell of his shampoo in his hair before I slept.

That night and the rest of the time I spent sleeping next to him, I didn't dream of Agnes.