Sky and Tuck

Chapter 1

The Going Away Party

Sky – 17

He looks beautiful, every dream he's ever had is coming true. He's only 18 years old and he's going on a worldwide concert tour with his band. His band that's selling out every venue they're scheduled at within the first hour the tickets go on sale. I've loved Tucker Holloway for as long as I've known him, approximately my entire life.

We've lived next door to each other forever, our older brothers are best friends, our parents are best friends, though Tuck is 1 ½ years older than me, we too are best friends.

We've spent countless hours and days lost in each other's wonder. When our brothers would ditch us because we were the younger boring kids, we'd find our own fun, endlessly entertained with one another. Hiding in our tree fort, we'd practice our guitars and write songs. We'd spend the days after school in the summer surfing, riding bikes and skateboards. I think I've learned most of the fun things in life either from, or with Tucker Holloway.

Over the past couple of months, we'd even begun getting a little romantic, in fact I thought that this coming summer was going to be the time when we finally became a couple. We've been talking, secret shared moments, holding hands. Then the band his brother was in broke out BIG. Big as in stadium tours, Coachella, ACL, paparazzi, TV and magazine interview big. When the original drummer left for rehab reasons, they looked to Tuck, and all of a sudden, my best friend Tucker is now the drummer for Clashed.

So instead of Tuck and I having the beginning of our romantic forever, I will be here in boring Playa Blanca California, while Tuck is off traveling the world with the band, groupies, models and all the things I'm not. Yeah, I might be feeling more than a little sorry for myself.

Hiding up in my room while the party goes on at the Holloways, I watch from my window while every girl I know is trying to make an impression on Tuck before he leaves. No subtle flirtations for these girls, nope, they're giving it their all, a last ditch chance to perhaps be the hometown girlfriend of a famous rock star. And believe me, he will be a star. The guy is an amazing drummer, so good that he beat out guys twice his age and experience for this job. Their manager says that he's a musical genius. He is. Sure, Tuck plays the drums, but he also plays the guitar, piano, violin, cello, harmonica, basically any instrument that catches his interest. While the band was working on the new record, they found that he is also an incredibly talented songwriter. Several of his compositions will be on the new record. The founder of Clashed, Jake Turner always wrote the songs before, but he was 'blown away' by Tucks talent. Jakes words, not mine.

Tuck is laughing, smiling and having fun, not really flirting with the girls, but enjoying the fun and attention. He's looking around for me. I watch him scanning the yard, his gaze searching. I know it's me he's trying to locate. I just want to enjoy this private view of him, me watching him, before I share him with the world. He's only going to be mine for a few more hours, then he will burst out into the world, and he won't be mine alone any more.

"Sky, come on, you're missing the party, and the guys are leaving in a couple of hours. You'll regret later not spending this time with Tuck and Keller. Come on girlie, let's get down there!"

My brother Tyler slipped in without me even hearing him enter my room, he's right though, I will be upset later if I don't spend every last minute with him.

"Coming Ty, I just wanted a little break, I'm gonna miss them so much."

My voice catches as I try to keep the tears in my eyes and not on my cheeks.

"I know Sky, but be sad when they're gone, not while they're still here, let's enjoy the now, OK girlie?"

His big arms envelop me in a sweet and comforting hug, I love being in the safety of my brothers' arms.

"I know it's tough, but you guys are young, you still have plenty of time to find one another when you're old enough, if that's even what you end up wanting. I know you don't want to hear it or talk about it, but you guys are too young for the forever love now, maybe later, but not yet."

Ty is trying to be sweet, but right now I think I want to hit him. He has no idea the hole that Tuck leaving will leave in my life.

"Whatever Ty, Tuck and I aren't a couple, we're best friends. He's gonna go off and be a musical genius, I'm gonna go be the best volleyball player in high school. Guess we're both gonna rule our own little sections of the world."

I'm trying to be cocky and sarcastic, but he doesn't pick up on that. At this point he's watching some girls flirt and party, and he's hoping I move my ass so he can get back to them.

Crossing the side yard to get back to the Holloways, I catch Tucks eye and he comes running for me, a giant smile on his way too handsome face.

"Sky, where the hell did you go? I've been looking all over for you!"

He grabs me by the hand and pulls me into the thick of the crowd, we laugh and dance, play around with everyone, he even sneaks a few hard ciders for me.

By 2:00 am, most everyone has cleared out, and Tuck and I are sneaking up to the tree house. The moon is full, so all the trees and plants are softly illuminated, gently glowing in the moonlight.

Lying down on the floor of the fort, our heads resting on pillows, we look out at the night sky.

"I'm gonna miss you so much Sky. As excited as I am about the tour, I'm also so sad we won't be together, and that we won't be able to share this experience. I'm not gonna be back till after Christmas, we've never gone that long without seeing one another."

We aren't looking at each other while he speaks, and I hope he doesn't see me trying not to cry.

"We can talk and text all the time, you'll probably get sick of seeing my name on your phone. And then Ty and I will see you at the concert in San Francisco in a few months, it won't be that long Tuck."

I'm trying to act cool, like my whole world isn't crashing around my head, but my heart feels so heavy right now. I have this feeling of loss and sorrow that I don't want to think about. I don't want to drag down this moment with my sadness, his world is wide and bright right now. I won't let him have the last memories of me being sad and pathetic.

"Ok Sky, I'll try not to be too sad now, but you gotta know that you're kind of everything to me. You've always been a part of my life, and I don't ever want to lose you. Please promise me that you won't forget about me when I'm gone. Promise me that we'll still be strong and tight, and when you're done with school, you can move down to LA to be with me, go to school there, and we can finally be in the same place." His voice is husky, and his hand drifts over to hold mine. Looking in my eyes, he gently pulls my face towards his and kisses me. Kisses me deep and true, in a way I've never experienced before.

"Sky, I've been wanting to do that for years, but you were always too young, and now I'm going to be too far away. Those other girls I fucked around with in school didn't mean a fucking thing, I just wanted you. I'm sorry that it hurt your feelings, it was selfish of me. When you move to LA, we'll finally be together."

He smiles his beautiful smile, and I melt into his embrace. It isn't until much, much later that I remember his comment about the future. He talks about girls in the past, and he talks about me being in his distant future, but he glosses over the immediate future. The years when he will be a musician, traveling with a world famous band. Funny how the words I didn't notice at the time, shed light on what the coming years would be full of.