New beginnings

|5| Thank you

-Ryker-

She looked almost peaceful as she slept on my bed, her face soft and relaxed a stark contrast to the guarded expression she always wore around school. The light caught the faint freckles dusting her cheeks, giving her a slightly sun-kissed look. Her long brunette hair spilled over the pillow in messy waves, hair covering her face, like she barely had time to care for it.

As I watched her, I noticed the way her oversized sweater clung loosely, almost swallowing her frame. It was like they were made for someone else. She was carrying something, why else would she be in this state on a school day?

I don't know why I cared. She was always a mystery, and maybe a part of me wanted to figure her out.

As she stared to stir, her brow furrowed, and she blinked awake, her eyes hazy with confusion. I handed her the bottle of water I'd grabbed, knowing she'd need it.

"I saved your ass," I said with a grin, watching as she slowly paced together where she was.

"What?" she asked, still groggy. She looked around my room, disoriented.

"You were high.. in school," I added, trying not to sound too smug. Honestly, it wasn't even about saving her, it's just that seeing her like that, all spaced out and unaware, it didn't sit right with me.

"No, you didn't," She protested. Her voice raspy as she rubbed her eyes. "I was doing just fine."

I raised an eyebrow, amused by her stubbornness. "Yeah sure, red eyes, barely acknowledging your surroundings-definitely fine"

She narrowed her eyes at me, but i could tell she wasn't really mad. "I didn't take you as a stoner," I teased, leaning back in my chair.

"I'm not," she muttered, looking away. "Just.. wrong place, wrong time"

I could tell she was trying to downplay it , but it only made me more curious. "What does that even mean?" i asked, my tone light but prying."Come on, you owe me for saving your ass"

She crossed her arms, clearly not in the mood for my question. "Not if you don't tell me why you were suspended from football."

"And why should I tell you?" I countered, feeling the conversation shift.

"Because, i've been buying extra packs of cigarettes for you to join me during my alone time, uninvited i must add," she shot back, a small smirk playing on her lips.

"Touché" I chuckled. "Alright, fine, I got into a fight"

She raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to elaborate. "Why?"

Just as I was about to answer, i felt a tap on my shoulder. Skye had wandered into the room, her big brown eyes wide with curiosity. She was wearing her usual set of headphones, her little hands gripping her text to speech ipad tightly.

The robotic voice of the ipad broke the moment. "What are we having for lunch?" Siris voice asked for her.

Madeline turned towards the sound, her confusion evident,but there was something else in her expression. A softness, maybe. She didn't look at Skye like she was different, I appreciated that.

I pointed Skye towards Evie, our housekeeper,
"Just ask Evie, okay?"

She nodded and wandered off, leaving us in a moment of silence. I noticed Madeline's gaze lingering in the doorway, as if she had questions but didn't want to ask. Finally, I broke the quiet.

"She has autism," I said, surprising myself with how easily the words came out. I didn't talk about Skye with anyone except Aaron. She was delicate, I always felt the need to protect her from everything and everyone.