The Trouble with Love

❝ i'll make you okay ❞

(unedited)

Drink up with me now,
And forget all about,
The pressure of days.
Do what I say,
And I'll make you okay,
And drive them away.

"Between the Bars" -Elliot Smith

I woke up sick the next morning.

It wasn't horrible, probably just a bit of a cold from the incident yesterday. Most of the Elite didn't know the full story about the Jet Ski accident. Jacen had fed them some story about how I had fallen off while trying to do a sharp turn and the emergency brake had been defective. He didn't mention anything about how he believed it was intentional, or sabotage, though I had a feeling Ashton, or Keira, or both, might have been suspicious from their expressions.

When I woke up, the house was quiet. It was almost eleven, so I doubted that everyone was still in bed. I threw on a thin sweatshirt and a pair of black shorts, too tired to even try and make an effort, then made my way downstairs. I froze outside the kitchen at the sound of voices.

"-told me if it's not okay," Ashton was saying.

There was a loud, metallic clatter, maybe a pile of plates and silverware being dropped in the sink? "I'm fine, Ash!" Skylar exclaimed. "Seriously."

"No, you're not," he said. "I can tell they're back. The impulses-"

"The impulses?" Skylar repeated. Her words were followed by another small crash. "You make it sound like I'm going to tie someone to me and jump off a cliff!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if you did," Ashton replied evenly. I blinked. What the hell is that supposed to mean? Dragging someone off a cliff with you? What kind of impulse is that?

There was another smash, making me jump. How many things did Skylar have to drop? Assuming that it had been Skylar this time and the times before, of course. "I'm better, Ash, quit worrying already."

"Cameron made you better," Ashton said. "You guys aren't together anymore."

I almost expected another bang, but I guess Skylar had run out of things to drop since all she did was raise her voice. "I don't need a guy to make me better!" she yelled. "Why do guys always overestimate the worth of their gender?"

"He made you feel better, Sky."

"He's just a guy!" she replied. "You guys all think that just because you have a dick to wave around, you're a superior species or something."

"That's not it and you know it, Sky," he said. Skylar didn't reply, causing a harsh silence to fill the room. I wasn't even in the room and I could feel the tension. "You're my best friend; I can tell when you're lying."

"Don't be hypocritical, Ash." Skylar didn't sound so loud and angry anymore. Instead her tone was quiet, reserved, and almost icy. Something I had never heard from her before. "It's not like you're a saint when it comes to telling the truth."

"I'm trying to help." Ashton didn't sound reserved like Skylar did. Compared to her emotionless tone, his sounded like he was bursting with emotion. He sounded tired, and wary, and a little bit desperate for her to believe him.

"The hero complex is more Nate's style," Skylar remarked. "You always were better at playing the villain when we were younger." She was so distracted when she walked out that she didn't even notice me standing beside the door.

I glanced into the room to see Ashton sitting at the table, head in his hands. I hesitated for a moment, then walked in and took a seat beside him.