Blue

Chapter One

The day began like any other. No blood, no bullets, no ringing ears. Only a book spread across Alex's lap and a girl's fingers enlaced with her own. Together they watched as a car pulled up in their driveway.

"James is here, Bella," said Alex, tugging on her little sister's hand as she stood. It was enough to break Bella's morning daze slouched on the porch. As soon as she caught sight of James's truck, she sprinted out from Alex's grasp with a bounce in her step.

"James!"

After the truck parked, a door slung open and out walked James. His hair was a mess of brown curls that Alex had drawn her fingers through countless of times. Freckles dusted his cheeks, something that was so permanent to him as was his towering height. The sun shone over where it tanned his skin after many hours on the baseball field. It was a contrast to Alex and her sister's deep brown. He swooped Bella up in his arms, a smile etching across his face. Alex was guilty of one herself.

"Did you do your homework?" he asked her.

Bella giggled, her black, beaded braids fighting against the wind. "Maybe."

"You can't judge her if she didn't, James," Alex said, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, you never do your work!"

"But you see," James set Bella down and patted her atop the head. "You're supposed to be better than me, little one."

"I already am."

James feigned being punched in the face, rubbing at his cheek with a glitter in his eye.

"I sense a great pain. Letting a little girl bust your ego, huh?" Alex smirked.

After a moment, James tossed away his persona with a roll of his eyes. "Do you guys want the breakfast I picked up or not?"

The answer needed no words because none of them in their right minds would pass up food. Alex tucked her book under her armpit and opened the back door of the truck. She pulled off Bella's book bag from her small shoulders and placed it on the floorboard.

James pressed a kiss to her temple as she gave her sister a hand into the back seat. The quick touch tingled against her skin and she couldn't contain the sigh that fell from her lips. James did things like this all the time ever since they started dating. Kisses when her focus was elsewhere. Each time it was a reminder that he had given his heart to her nearly a year ago. Being with him felt like a dream, one she feared would one day reach a blissful peak that would fall through her fingers like sand caught by the wind. When Alex shut the door, his eyes caught with hers and he winked. "Beautiful as ever, Al."

Her cheeks warmed even as he turned away to move to the driver's side. As soon as Alex stepped into the truck, the aroma of coffee and a freshly baked chocolate chip muffin itched at her nose. She breathed it in with a sigh and before James started his truck, he stuffed her hands with the goods. Pressing her mouth against the cup was enough to make Alex swear there was nothing better than the first drink of coffee in the morning. Bella mirrored her thanks with Alex's after James handed over her own breakfast.

James snatched up her hand when he was settled, pressing it to his lips. "So, who's about to ace a test?"

"Me," said Alex. Her voice squeaked, ending off as if she were asking a question. She always hated herself for letting school stress her out to the point where she would sometimes break down, air feeling toxic to her lungs. Whenever this happened, James would drive over to wherever she was, and rub her back until she was able to take deep breaths with him. For someone who was infused with confidence to the point where it seemed to drip off his every move, he always knew what to do for her who struggled to ever feel the same. As much as Alex liked to mess with him, James was not hard at all to keep around. In fact, the thought of him being gone made her feel as if a hand were squeezing tightly on her heart.