Before I Forget

Shake It Off

"Are you high?" Cody asked as soon as the door closed behind them.

Sky glanced at the boy by her side and frowned. "So what if I am? You gonna judge me?"

Cody let out a soft sigh, pulled his car keys from the pocket of his jeans, and pressed a button, opening the car doors as they approached.

"No, that would be rather hypocritical of me, don't you think? Just wanted to know where we stand."

Sky didn't reply, since - high or not - she had no clue where they stood. She had told everyone repeatedly that this was not a date - to Cody, to Dad, to Moon, to herself - and yet, now that Cody opened the door for her and she sat down in his car, she couldn't deny the butterflies in her stomach.

Which was incredibly stupid.

She brushed off that feeling, and leaned into the calmness and softness the opiates in her system so easily provided, turned her eyes to Cody when he sat down in the driver's seat and started the car. His hands on the steering wheel were nice to look at - big hands with beautiful, long fingers, an expensive-looking wristwatch on his right wrist. He had pulled up the sleeves of his hoodie, revealing his forearms that were slim and toned, the blue pattern of veins was clearly visible on the backs of his hands, it crept up his arms like a map of uncharted territories.

She turned her eyes to Cody's face, and again noticed the fresh-looking bruise and the scraped skin on his cheekbone.

"What happened to your face?" She asked. "You got into a fight?"

Cody let out a small laugh and brought his fingers to brush his cheek. He kept his eyes on the road.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"No, seriously - what happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just a... soccer ball accident." He shrugged and glanced at Sky, flashing her a smile. "It's embarrassing really. I couldn't catch the ball my brother kicked at me."

That image made Sky smirk.

"Awww, poor you," she laughed. "So, you've got a little brother?"

"And a sister. But yeah, David thinks he's going to be the next Leo Messi. He won't shut up about soccer," Cody replied, and suddenly his voice was soft, his smile wide. "I'm still hoping it's just a phase. He's eleven. And Leigh is ten."

"So you're the eldest?"

"Yeah, I'm the big brother," Cody replied, the smile still lingering on his lips. "So, how about you? Any sisters or brothers?"

That question took away Sky's grin and she was engulfed by a sudden wave of sadness. Stupid, so fucking stupid, how any innocent, little thing such as Cody's small talk could bring back Kat, and every single time the loss was a dagger through her heart.

Sky swallowed and glanced at her hands that lay in her lap, trying to fight away the threatening tears. Kat was gone, and she was never coming back. She had been dead for a year and a half now, but the pain was still fresh - different now than before, because now she knew there was an afterlife, she knew she'd one day see Kat again, but still—

Sky could still feel the grip of her hand on her own, the fierce love she had felt for Kat, that she would always feel for her, no matter how many years passed.

"What?" Cody asked, clearly confused by Sky's silence and the grief she couldn't hide. "Did I... did I say something wrong?"

Sky shook her head, trying to force away the lingering sadness. "It's nothing. I don't have any siblings. Just me and my dad."