Less than Perfect

28. Live {part one}

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Live

Part One

A HARSH, BITTER gust of wind swept passed Skye, almost knocking her over as she grasped the cool, steal door handle of Omar's Coffee House. With only one hand clutching onto her crutches for dear life, she pressed herself against the wall beside her and used the leverage to assist her in opening the heavy door. When she finally managed to slip inside (not without many difficulties) she had to catch her breath from the effort. Even after five days experience of walking with the obnoxious things, she still hadn't gotten used to using the crutches. She imagined she never would.

Wiping a bead of sweat from her brow, she sneaked a peek towards the service counter, searching for the familiar face of the man she'd fallen so madly in love with over the summer. It didn't take her long to spot the boy she longed so deeply to see, flashing his trademark half-smile at one of the costumers at the counter—a girl she recognized from school but couldn't recall her name—as he handed her a steaming mug of something Skye could only assume was either a mocha or tea.

She sighed heavily, body gone week from the sight of him, and if she hadn't been using the crutches to support her, she could've only imagined that she would have tumbled to the ground in an entirely less than graceful manner. Something fluttered in her stomach as she watched him, and licks of heat spread from her core all the way to the back of her throat. She swallowed hard on the foreign sensation and licked her chapped lips, preparing herself to move forward.

Her heartbeat sped up, fluttering like bird's wings against her rib cage, and she took a deep breath, closed her eyes. With the darkness that welcomed her behind closed lids, she slowly began to recall the memories of their past time spent together: memories of Jules resting beside her, holding her hand, watching over her even as she slept, and never once leaving her side unless she asked him to; memories of Jules portraying her protector, savior, and healer, rebuilding all of the hope she'd once lost because of Johnny's dark games—all the memories of the past six days she'd spent with Jules—and her loved ones—since Johnny's death.

Those were the memories that held so much promise for a brighter future. A future where she not only had new hope for a life void of burdening pains and fears, but also a promise of a new love that could carry her through even the darkest of storms. A future where she was no longer hiding secrets and pushing away the people she loved most.

When she finally peeled her eyes open again, and disregarded the wondrous thoughts drifting around in her muddled mind, Jules was watching her, with his beautiful, trademark smile luring her into his captivating gaze. For a moment she forgot to breathe. Her entire body and soul lost to the depth of the connection they shared.

Without giving it a second thought, compelled by a drive she couldn't ignore, Skye moved towards him, with her hands tightly gripping the crutches so that she wouldn't lose her grip and stumble. He moved too, around the counter and away from where he'd been stationed for work, hustling to meet her. When they met in the middle, he instantly crushed her into him, held her securely in his arms. She accepted him without question, desperate to feel him close again.

"Hey, Trouble," he cooed against her ear, softly, tenderly. "How are you feeling?"

She curled further into him, appreciating the instant feeling of security and warmth that smothered her by his embrace. "Better now that I'm here, with you."

"Perfect." He kissed the top of her head, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Did you have fun last night? I know I sure did." He chuckled, pressed his lips against her temple. "We should have movie nights more often." His low, husky voice provoked a feverish frenzy inside her, releasing chills throughout her entire body.