The Girl Who Chased Stars

XVII

The next morning I wake up alone.

It takes me a moment to recover myself. Last night seemed like a dream. A vision. Me confessing my love to Skai, her kissing me. And kissing me.

And her telling me that she could kiss me forever, and then passing out mid make out.

I laugh.

It's so unbelievable.

Suddenly, the trap door opens, and Skai's head pops up, along with a tray of toast and eggs.

"Food." She states.

I frown. "You made that?"

Skai nods, and plops down next to me.

"In the house?" Skai continues nodding, and throws her legs onto my lap as she takes a bite out of a piece of bread. "Didn't my dad see you?"

Skai stops eating, and looks at me. "Your dad?"

"Yeah. Did he not catch you?"

"Amy... The house was empty."

I look at her. "Is he at the hospital?" She asks me slowly.

"He was supposed to come home."

I pull out my phone and dial his numbers. I can feel my fingers shaking. Dad would have come home to check on me. He was supposed to come back home. Unless something could have happened-

I order myself to stop thinking.

"Hello?" His voice is slow and groggy.

"Dad! Are you alright? Is Mom okay? Why didn't you come home?"

"Amy, Amy, calm down. Yes. We're fine. I just wanted to keep your mother company is all. I stayed the night."

I sigh, and my father pauses. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

Oh shit.

I look at the clock. It was ten forty seven. School started three hours ago.

I mouth school out to Skai, and she laughs and waves me off. Of course she wouldn't care about school.

" oh. Yeah, um. I just stepped out of class to call you."

"Well alright. Get to learning then... Have a good day. Love you."

"Love you too daddy."

I look up at Skai to see a shimmer of sadness in her eyes.

"Hey..." I say as I slide my phone back in my pocket. "We have the day off."

Skai puts her toast down, and Pulls her knees to her chest. "What am I gonna do?" She mumbles. I figure it's more of a rhetorical question.

"Skai...are you really not going back home?"

"That's not a home, Amy."

"What about your brothers?"

Skai sighs. "They're fine." She says bitterly. "They're young. Mom doesn't really hate them like..."

"Your mom doesn't hate you."

"I can't go back."

I sigh, and then nod.

"Stay here then."

Skai frowns, and looks around. "The treehouse?" I grin. "You did say you loved it, and it has protection from the weather...and I could bring you food and stuff."

I already know that my parents would never allow Skai to stay with us. They would tell her that not getting along with your mother is no reason to run away.