Blank Skies

35

Rebecca

I put on my jacket long enough to get in the house, "You cold?" Andre asks turning off the car, "I'm always cold." I say making him laugh. We all make our way out and as I predicted the wind picks up. I stand behind Andre and use him as a shield, "Wow I'm a human shield." I pull my sleeves over my fingers and push his back, "Stop walking slow, you're making it worse!" I say pushing him a little.

He sighs and starts walking slower, "Dude." I say laughing. Once we get to the door I'm practically a frozen block of ice. The slight breeze and I'm freezing my ass off, it's sucks. Andre opens the door but blocks me so I'm the last in, "Andre!" He laughs as I try to push him, "I hate you." My teeth are chattering when he lets me inside. For it being March the wind around here is treacherous. I shove my phone in my back pocket and huddle in my jacket.

I send Andre a glare as he walks over to me and has his arms crossed over his chest. He breaks and opens his arms, I snake my arms around his waist and under his jacket. He wraps his arms around me tight and starts walking.

I'm having trouble keeping up, "Slow down." I laugh taking an extra step as we walk in the kitchen, "You're gonna make me fall." He laughs and the warmth in the kitchen makes my soul smile.

The food smells amazing as always, "Thank you so much for picking them up for me." Victoria comes over and I loose my footing. I slip on something and fall down taking Andre down with me. We land with a loud thud and everyone gasps and comes over to help, "You alright?" Victoria asks and I nod. Andre was able to catch himself so his full body weight didn't crumble me, "Good thing I mopped the floor." His grandma says making him chuckle.

He stands up and looks down at me, "Come on." He bends down stretching out his arms and I take his hands, "I'm coming." I say and he pulls me up, "Shut up!" Victoria screams and I fall out of his grasp.

She screams again jumping up and down tackling Andre in a hug. She must've seen the ring, "Victoria you just put the girl back on the ground." I sigh and sit up. I fix my shirt so it's not stuck to my boobs, "Lets try this again." Andre takes hold of my wrists and I grab his and he pulls me up.

This time I make it all the way up, "Now what was all that screaming about?" His grandma points a spoon at Victoria. Andre rubs the back of my head, "You alright?" He whispers as I keep ahold of him, "I think so." I say twisting my bad ankle around keeping it from going stiff, "Is it bothering you?" Andre asks looking down at my foot, "No, I was checking it." I chuckle smiling at him.

"Andre Williams." His grandma says standing next to us, "Well let me see it." I hold out my hand and she smiles taking my hand in hers, "Where's the rest of it?" She asks and I look at her shocked expression, "It's being made into the band." He says and my jaw drops, "Oh that'll be pretty." She says smiling at him, "Wow." I say to myself, "What?" She asks and I shake my head, "Oh nothing, I was just mumbling." She nods, "Mhm." Now I know where he gets it from.

He holds me close as some of the girls look at the ring, "You are full of surprises aren't you?" I nudge him in the stomach and he shrugs, "It was supposed to be a surprise." I smile at him, "Just don't let me see it until you put it on me." He smiles and kisses my temple, "You got it." I lean into him and he holds the back of my neck, oh lord. I can feel myself fall into a puddle when he rubs his thumb against my neck.

"Well dinners ready guys!" His grandma yells and the kitchen disappears into the dining room. There's no room for me, like we couldn't fit a chair in if we wanted to. We stand there and I hold the back of a chair, "Oh no." Victoria sighs, "Who wants to give up their seat?" She says smiling sheepishly, "No I'm not taking anybody's seat." I say and she looks at me and places a hand on her hip, "It's okay you guys eat, I ate a late breakfast." I gesture for Andre to sit down.

He knows I'm lying, but he sits down anyway. His fingers wrap around my wrist, I give him a light head shake. He takes off his jacket and lays it over the back of the seat. I follow him and do the same with my jacket. His finger coils around my belt loop and pulls me onto his lap. I sit on his thigh and he lays his hand on my hip, "That works." Deja laughs sitting next to me.

We hold hands and say grace before we all dig in, "I don't know how you guys do it." His younger cousin, Evie, says passing the food along. I shift so I'm facing forward and balance myself on his leg, "You make PDA look cute." She rolls her eyes, "I just don't get it." I dip out some mashed potatoes and pass the bowl along. After the passing of the food bowls ends the silence is deafening as we eat. I don't eat a bunch, but I eat enough to hold me over.

Andre leans forward in the chair and wraps his arm around me resting his chin on my shoulder. "Andre how's work?" Jordan asks from across the table, "Criminals are there and so am I." The younger girl from the car chuckles sitting next to Deja, "I forgot how funny you are." She sends him a smile and I take a drink of my water. I watch as Deja gives her a look of confusion.

Girl I'm crazy.

"I didn't realize you were coming Paisley." Victoria says and the girl nods, "It was a last minute decision, but I thought since I hadn't seen you guys in so long I'd come out." Andre squeezes my thigh and rests his mouth against my shoulder, "How long has it been?" Victoria asks and I pick up my drink, "High school graduation?" She says looking at Andre and I take a drink, "Or was it that after party?" She gives Andre that look, she bites down on her bottom lip staring at him.

The look of 'remember we had sex'. I choke on my drink and get up from my spot and walk into the living room. I cover my mouth as I cough a lung out. My watery eyes turn into where I'm crying, or that's what it looks like. Andre walks in and rubs my back, "I'm fine." I say in between coughs. I use the pads of my hands to dry my face. I sober up and rub my chest to try to stop the cough, "I'm okay." I say closing my eyes and hear him sigh.

"I didn't know she was coming." He says in a low voice so only I can hear him, "We dated in high school and she was my first." I open my eyes and look at those brown eyes, "I figured the last part out." I say and cross my arms over my chest, "Well now you know." He says closing the space between us, "I know." I say and he takes his hands out of his pockets.

He leans in and holds my face with one hand and presses his lips against my ear, "Don't make me take you into the spare bedroom." He kisses my earlobe, "We both know-" I stop him by covering his mouth, "Stop it." I narrow my eyes at him, "I'm not worried." I say, "We both know what I can do." I kiss the lip tattoo and he smiles, "Nicely done." He says and I smile and he kisses me softly.

I smile as he treats me so well, "Let's get back." I speak up when we break away, "Not yet." He says staring at my mouth. He molds my mouth to his in a way that makes my knees go weak. I hold his cheek in my hand and he pulls me into him.

I can tell you something, Paisley doesn't have anything on me except for knowing the old Andre. She's the past and I'm the present and the future. I know that he loves me and I love him and we'd both be crazy to deny what we have together.