Less than Perfect

6. New Playmates {part two}

Chapter Six

New Playmates

Part Two

The sky was opened up into a beautiful blue and fuchsia glory. Small white clouds drifted slowly across the blushing sky and the air was fresh and clean, lacking the fog and mugginess that had eclipsed the sky for so many days. The sun was setting in a perfect halo of beauty, and Skye sighed at the beauty of it all. She walked through the perfectly cut green grass with carelessness. She breathed in the heaviness of what real and fresh beauty feels like. Her mind was clear; she felt as if she could take on the world if she needed to.

She let the sun soak up everything and take away the fear still nestled in a little patch of her stomach. She was free of Johnny's menacing anger, and she had been avoiding Bryan's insistent badgering; she wasn't ready to let him back into her life. Skye's lips were hitched into a smile the moment she saw Jules. He was sitting atop the tree-house, his legs dangling off the side and his perfect eyes peering down at her. His face lit up the moment he caught her approaching him; and he jumped down from the structure, his body crouching down the moment he hit the ground. He stood up, tall, unharmed, and completely innocent, as if it had been any normal drop.

Skye let out a gasp and stopped for a moment only to have followed with a sprint the next moment. "Jules, are you crazy?" She shrieked, her voice tinged with surprise and laughter passed the initial upset vibe. How is he standing? That fall was fairly far. She thought quizzically. She ran over to him as he brushed the dirt off of his hands and laughed, most likely at her.

"I would like to think that I am; otherwise I would be even more worried about myself." He teased, grinning radiantly down at her.

Skye ran into him and hastily looked him over, searching for something close to an injury. "Are you alright, you're not hurt are you?" She asked breathlessly. She didn't look into his eyes for long; she knew she would get lost again.

"Never been better. You know, you look really cute when you're worried for me." He said matter-of-factly. "I like it, a lot." He winked when she peered up at his face.

Skye slapped his arm. "Shut up," she yelled through sheer laughter. She was trying very hard not to let him see her laugh carelessly; she wanted him to think that she was still worried about him. He somehow managed to take the fall harmlessly. "I can't believe you're not hurt, are you sure you're not?" She turned his hand over—palm side up—to examine it. She looked at the red but scar-free hand in awe, her smile slipping into complete amazement. "Unbelievable." She whispered.

"I'm not hurt, Skye, I promise." His voice echoed beautifully in her ear. Skye brushed her dainty fingers over his big and strong hand, checking for a scar or something, as she fought her own urge to intertwine her fingers with his. Jules brought his free hand up to her face and caressed it, his thumb brushing gently over it. "Hey, I'm fine." He said carefully, his dark emerald eyes showing nothing less than compassion.

"How?" She asked in awe, her eyes fluttering up to look into those vibrant eyes.

"I've endured a lot. Plus I grew up with an older brother who pushed me off of things a lot; I guess I just got used to falling and catching myself." The moment he realized what he had said, he sucked in a sharp breath. Skye looked at him with surprise.

"You have an older brother?" She asked him.

Jules sighed and rubbed at his temples. "I had an older brother. He passed away last year." Jules' face dropped, he looked devastated as if he was reliving the moment it all happened.