Lovestruck (EDITING)

62: Moments

"Skye? Skye, are you okay? Please tell me you're okay."

Everything is white for a moment. For a moment, nothing matters. Nothing can hurt me. I feel nothing. But then the moment passes.

Then, I feel everything.

"Talk to me, Skye."

The tears come before words can, blurring my vision just as it returns to me. But I don't have to see - to know exactly who's kneeling in front of me, eyes no doubt wide and full of concern. Full of anger. Over me.

"Landon..." I manage to choke out his name between sobs.

My back is against the brick wall of the building that isolated me from the rest of the bonfire celebrations. The wall that held me captive. That kept me from running...

"Skye, did he hurt you? I swear to god, if he..." Landon places his hands on my knees that I'm hugging to my chest and stares at the ground, shaking his head in anger.

"I'm fine." I try to reassure him, wiping my eyes, but not slowing the stream of tears down my cheeks.

"You're not fine. I'm such a fucking idiot. I should have come sooner." He runs a hand through his hair.

"You couldn't have known..." I sniffle.

"I know Tyler. He's a piece of shit, Skye. Why the fuck would you come here with him?" He raises his voice in frustration and I flinch away.

"I... I don't know..." I struggle to come up with a reason. Is he seriously trying to pin this on me?

"Stay away from him." Landon's blue eyes pour into mine and I nod my head, hypnotised. "Are you cold?"

I notice I'm shivering - probably not due to body temperature - but before I can object, Landon is wrapping his coat around my shoulders. It's a nice gesture. The nicest I've experienced tonight, at least. I force a small smile and stare at the ground as he moves to sit against the wall beside me.

"Nothing... happened." I feel the need to assure not only Landon, but myself.

"I know." His voice is calm as we both stare ahead.

All we can see from where we're sitting is a few street lights and the school parking lot in the distance, but it's a nice enough view for me. I'd choose it anyday over a view of the senior orgy occuring on the other side of the building . The last thing I want to do is face another horny, drunken teenager tonight. I'd rather just be alone, staring at an empty parking lot. Or with Landon, I guess.

"I'm sorry, Skye." Landon mutters after a few minutes of silence.

"I know." I repeat his previous words quietly and they feel good.

They feel like letting go, in the best way. Letting go of negativity. Of fear. I know that I was unfair on Landon. That he wasn't  to blame for my insecurity... I know that now. He really had no obligation to apologise to me, but I'm so grateful that he did. His simple apology was what I needed. It was closure. Evidence that we can be civil. That even though we're both so insanely stubborn sometimes, we know how to swallow our pride in the end. We're two opposing forces with the power to destruct, but also with the power to balance.

"Come on, I'll give you a ride home." Landon takes my hands and I'm pulled to my feet.