Behind Closed Doors

24: Second Home

"Skyler, you called."

That's the first thing that Trevor says to them when he picks up the phone.

"I need a ride home from school," is all Skyler says in response

"Won't Ashton be done after school to take you?" Trevor asks.

"Not after school, right now!" they say, trying not to yell at the person they're trying to hitch a ride from.

"Oh, okay. I'll be right there, okay? Gather your things and wait in the office, I'll come check you out."

Skyler had always wondered why Trevor had the power to do so, but now it made more sense. Even the stupid office ladies knew who Trevor was to them before they did. How pathetic.

Since they were already in the main office, they take a seat in one of the very uncomfortable chairs. Skye resists the urge to punch the back of it as if that would make it less of a sensory overload. Eventually, Skyler gives up on the discomfort and plops down on the gross grey tile flooring.

Skye pulls out the article that they'd gotten from their teacher, and starts to read it. They make annotations like the teacher had told them. But they can't focus on reading long enough to get past the first page. All they can think about is that they're going to have to deal with Trevor.

It feels like forever until they hear the door open, and Trevor steps in. Skyler stands, collecting their things and going to stand next to him.

"I'm checking Skyler out," Trevor tells the secretary.

"Alright, no problem, fill this form out," she tells him. She hands him the half sheet of paper and a pen with a pipe cleaner flower attached to the end of it. He writes in Skyler's name, chooses his name on the list of the people allowed to check them out. Then he adds his phone number to prove his identity. Skyler sees him add sick as the reason for the check out. He slides it back to her, and she verifies the phone number before giving him a smile.

"Feel better, Skye, we'll see you tomorrow," the secretary says, giving them a smile as they left. Trevor and Skyler walk to the car, neither saying anything. It takes a couple of minutes into driving back to Trevor's house that he finally works up the courage to speak.

"So, want to talk about what happened?" he asks.

"With you or school?" Skyler snaps, making Trevor flinch.

"Whichever you'd like to talk about first," he says.

"Well, for starters, I'm mad at you because you didn't say anything to me about that bitch of a girlfriend," they say.

"Ex-girlfriend," he clarifies.

"Oh. Good, I hated her," Skyler grumbles.

"Yeah, I know. But why did it upset you that much?" he asks.

"Because you tried to hide her from me! And we weren't keeping secrets from each other. It felt like a double betrayal after learning that you're my biological dad. It was all too much," they admit.

"I get that, Skye, and I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you myself, but Bea kept telling me you weren't ready," Trevor says.

"She didn't think I was ever going to be ready," Skyler admits.

"I know, but if I would have went against her wishes she might have never let me see you again. I'm sorry that it had to happen like that. Your biology teacher should think her assignments through more," he grumbles, muttering a few curses under his breath.

"I know. And I forgive you," they say, face emotionless. They can't let him know how much they'd missed him, otherwise their anger would have been for nothing.