Winning Skylinn

75

When I hung up the phone, a surprising wave of calm passed over me. Well, after I dealt with the stinging accusations and mental burns from him verbally slapping me in the face.

I let out a deep breath and set the phone on my vanity, letting the events of the past thirty minutes pass through my brain.

Denver and I were over.

I was single. I no longer had a boyfriend. I was no longer anyone's girlfriend. I was just Skylinn.

It had been awhile since this title defined me. Single. But as I thought more about it, I realized it didn't feel like a title at all. It felt freeing, like I was no longer attached to someone, like I could focus on pleasing myself and not a boy.

Although the thought of being free of him was comforting, and I didn't mind being single, I knew there was still some unfinished business between Jonny and I.

He'd told me himself, he was getting impatient. He wanted answers. He wanted to talk to me again, be around me, be the people we used to be, before all this craziness happened. But did I want that? Did I want things to go back to the way they were before? Or was it possible that I wanted something else entirely?

I didn't know if we could ever be the Jonny and Skylinn we once were. The inseparable best friends that called each other by annoying nicknames and fought over who was paying for movie tickets. But, I realized, maybe that was okay. Maybe it was time for a new chapter in our story. Maybe it was time to leave behind the old us and start anew, with something we'd never had before.

And, I decided, I liked that idea very much.

I didn't want to wait any longer to tell him what happened, or how I felt. Lord knows he'd waited long enough for this! Seven years, and he was still here waiting. It would've been shocking if it wasn't so unbelievably Jonny. He was patient and punctual and he didn't forget my favorite movies. He was thoughtful and caring and trustworthy. He knew practically all my secrets, and had lived all my best stories with me. How could I ever think we weren't meant to be?

The only problem with my absolute need to tell him right this instant? It was 10pm and everyone in my house was sleeping. Except for me, of course.

And honestly? I didn't know how I was gonna tell him. Should I make it special, considering he'd waited all this time? Or should I be more nonchalant, acting like it was nothing when it absolutely was not? They both sounded like good ideas, like something I would do.

I thought about surprising him at work, then remembered he didn't work on Sundays. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to have so many people around, anyway. This should be just for the two of us.

Maybe I should ask him on a date? I'd never believed in that guy-asks-the-girl-first idea. But I quickly realized I wasn't ready for something quite that drastic. Even if I was open to a change in our relationship, I wasn't sure how I felt about going on a date just yet. A date would require going somewhere. With other people around. All with questions in their mind that I would feel obligated to answer. So, uh, that was out.

Finally, I couldn't take it any longer!

I picked up my phone and called him before I could chicken out. He picked up on the second ring. "Hey," he said lazily. It was late, but he was awake. Always had been a night owl.

"Hi," I said, suddenly shy. "Can you, um, meet me on the roof?"

For a split second I thought he might say no, but then I remembered this was Jonny. "Yours or mine?"

"Mine."

"Be there in five." He hung up.

I was breathing heavily, so I sat down to steady myself. My heartbeat quickened, which didn't help the whole 'peace' thing.