Night Sky Page 14

  NINETEEN

  I don’t make a habit of going to Sky’s grandparents’ house. They’re tall, thin and very quiet people, who put me on edge. The problem is, Sky was supposed to come over about an hour ago. We’re meeting up with some friends of mine at the water park. But her phone is going straight to voicemail, even though her car’s in the driveway. It seems like the only option left is to drop in.

  I fiddle with my keys on the short walk to her house. This shouldn’t make me nervous, just walking over to pick her up, but it does. The porch is hot, the sun really hits this spot hard. I stand there waiting, but I don’t know what I’m waiting for. Finally, I get up the courage to knock.

  Her Nana opens the door. “Hi.” Her voice is quiet and her thin lips press together.

  I wonder if she disapproves of me, or if that’s just how she always looks. “Hello, I’m looking for Sky.” Although, she must know why I’m here.

  “Come on in.”

  I follow her up the stairs.

  “It might not be that simple,” I hear a man saying. “I’m not as familiar with what Alaska allows the clans or corporations to do in a situation like this.”

  “It just seems like…” Sky’s voice is smooth and quiet, but she also sounds confused. “It just seems that if all the paperwork is in order, and both parties agree, then they shouldn’t have a say.”

  “Give me a few days to look into it.” Again, it’s that same man’s voice.

  I’m at the top of the stairs now. Something big is going on. My heart responds by thumping loudly, making it hard to hear.

  “I’m going up as soon as school’s out,” Sky explains.

  She’s leaving?

  “So, what about…” She stops talking the second she sees me enter the dining room.

  Sky is sitting at the table with Tony, the guy from AIA who likes her, and a man who must be his dad. He looks like Tony, only older and a little broader. They have the same nose, same deep skin, same dark hair.

  “Sorry, am I interrupting?” I expect that Sky will laugh and tell me to sit—that I’m just being silly. Or maybe that’s just what I want to hear her say.

  “A little.” Her smile is weak. “You remember Tony? This is his dad, Benson.”

  “Nice to meet you.” I nod. But now I feel like an outsider, and I really shouldn’t.

  “Can I meet you at your house in a few minutes?” she asks, as she rests her arms over the papers in front of her.

  “Yeah, sure, sorry to interrupt.” I spin around, and head for the door, pushing past her Nana. I don’t want to hear anything else. My cheeks are hot with anger or embarrassment, or something. Again, I find myself wanting to swim myself to death or have access to a punching bag. What is she not telling me? Why won’t she tell me what’s going on? Why does Tony get to be there? How long has she known she was going back home? How long will she be there? Why hasn’t she said anything when it’s so obvious that this is something big? Why am I not being told what it is? Part of me wants to disappear into the pool. But I also want to disappear to a place where I can be alone with her. Like spending an evening in my shower—together this time.

  I kick off my shoes, and let my feet rest in the pool.

  Suddenly, out of nowhere, I hear, “Sorry about that, Jay.” Sky’s voice is way brighter than what it should be. How could she not be affected by the heaviness I felt in that room?

  “You’re leaving?” I turn just enough to see her walk toward me.

  Her smile doesn’t falter. “Well, there’s another big clan meeting when school’s out. It seemed like a good excuse to visit my mom and my brother.” She sits next to me. “I just found out this morning.”

  Am I a jerk for second-guessing her? Am I reading too much into things? “And what about…”

  “Tony’s dad is an attorney. He got his law degree for the sole purpose of helping Native Americans.”

  “And you need him for…” Am I asking too much?

  “Oh, he’s learning about how the Alaskans do it all so differently. There’s an issue dealing with a few families that he was curious about, that’s all.” She leans over and kisses my cheek. “Are you still taking me to the water park to meet up with your friends?” Her voice is light and happy.

  I’m confused. “Do you still want to go?”

  “Of course.” She smiles like I’m being silly.

  Am I blowing things out of proportion, or have my parents made me completely insane?

  ***

  After riding every waterslide, and downing four hot dogs, I’m sprawled out on a lawn chair. Matt and Kaylee have just come back from another trip around the lazy river, and Sarah is squealing and laughing every time Eric teases her. Which is constant. Has she always been this silly?

  Sky reclines next to me. Our fingers are woven together between our lounge chairs. My eyes are almost closed, but mostly I’m looking at her long, brown legs.

  “Oh, Jay.” Her head turns.

  I move mine to meet hers.

  “Next Friday, after finals, my American Indian group is going camping up at Red Rock. Wanna come?”

  I know next Friday is Prom, but it’s sort of an odd thing to bring up with someone who isn’t in high school any more. So I haven’t. Kaylee opens her mouth to say something, but I shake my head, just a little, hoping she catches my signal.

  “You don’t want to go?” Sky asks. She must have thought I was shaking my head at her.

  “No.” I smile wide. “It sounds great.” Camping with Sky sounds awesome. Like maybe we’ll get to sleep next to one another or…

  “Jamesy!” Sarah leans forward in her chair, staring at me. “You can’t miss Prom!”

  “What?” Sky tenses up next to me.

  “It’s not a big deal.” I flash Sarah a dirty look.

  Kaylee shrugs in apology.

  “It’s your senior year. It’s a big deal.” Sky scoots up further in her seat.

  “Jay, I’m sure you could talk Sky into going with you. Besides not all of us are as obnoxious as this one,” Matt says, throwing a French fry at Eric.

  Eric bats it away laughing.

  Now everyone in our little group is staring at me. “I just…I guess I figured you’d be done with all this high school stuff, you know? And I didn’t want you to feel like you have to come or that…”

  “I actually missed my Prom. We were allowed to go to the high school in Ketchikan for big stuff like that. But I was…sick, and couldn’t go.”

  I chuckle. “So, you really want to go?” The vain side of me loves the idea of parading Sky around in front of my classmates.

  “Yeah, if that’s okay.”

  “Of course that’s okay!” Sarah sounds like she’s trying way too hard. Her eyes are wide and her smile looks forced. I have no idea what’s gotten into her.

  Then I think about spending the night around a fire, listening to the drumming and getting to know some of the people Sky hangs out with. “I really don’t want to miss the camping, though.”

  “You could do both,” Kaylee suggests. “I mean, you two could come to part of the Prom, do the whole dress-up and dinner thing, then head out.”

  Sky’s nodding, her smile spreading across her face.

  Sarah and Eric aren’t part of the conversation anymore. They’re off to the side, back in their own little world of Sarah’s incessant giggles.

  I lean toward Matt. “You and Kaylee should come too—camping I mean.”

  Matt looks over at Kaylee. “That’d actually be great.” Kaylee nods.

  Matt’s jaw drops and his hand slides over her shoulders. He’s probably thinking the same thing I’m thinking—sharing a sleeping bag all night with a girl you can’t get enough of.

  “Do you think that’d be okay with your friends?” I ask, looking at Sky.

  “This is going to be great.” She nods. She’s in. I guess that’s it—dinner, Prom, and camping…with Sky. I wonder if there’s any way to convince her to wear a short skirt to Prom.


  Sarah and Eric have wandered off for more swimming or sliding…or something. Kaylee and Matt head back to the concession stand.

  “Did I…”

  “Is it?”

  We both speak at the same time.

  “You first.” I stop and wait.

  “Did I just totally invite myself to your Prom? And if it’s weird for you, please tell me.” She actually looks worried that I don’t want her there. Ridiculous.

  “I’d have to be crazy if I didn’t want to go with you.” I lean toward her giving her a small kiss. She moves toward me for more.

  “Get a room!” Eric yells, flopping himself in a nearby lounge chair. Why can’t he just disappear?

  “I plan on it.” Sky laughs and kisses me again. Eric’s mouth drops. Well, that’s one way to shut him up.

  TWENTY

  Monday after swim practice, my arms are like rubber. Endurance again. Apparently, it’s what we need to do three days before a meet. Tomorrow, we’ll do some light swims and practice starts. That seems to be the routine.

  I step inside to hear Mom laughing, and then someone else. Is Sky here? “Hello?” I call.

  “Oh.” Mom’s voice gets quiet. “He’s here. You change, I’ll be right back.”

  Mom steps out of her room into the hall wearing a huge smile.

  “What’s going on?” I ask.

  “Sky dropped by and said she had no idea what to wear to your Prom. So, we’ve been playing dress-up.” I’m thrilled Mom’s so happy, but I’m not so sure about her and Sky spending another day together without me. Who knows what kind of embarrassing stuff came up?

  Then I realize the most obvious problem. “Aren’t you…?” How can I phrase this nicely? Mom works out a lot, but Sky is so thin and athletic. Mom has curves.

  “Yes, Jay. She’s skinnier than me, but I have all these designer dresses your father’s bought me over the years. Some fit her, while others can be taken in. Mom is giving me a grin that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. She looks girly…not like a mom with a teenage son.

  “Sky will look amazing, no matter what.” I realize I’m clutching my pack, so I let it drop to the floor.

  “Well, aren’t you sweet.” Sky appears in the hall wearing her standard tank and tiny skirt.

  “Ready to hang out with me?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

  “Only if you’re quiet, keep your hands to yourself, and let me study.”

  I don’t even mean to, but I let out this snort of disgust.

  “Jameson!” Mom slaps my chest with the back of her hand. “I’ll order some pizza and please, by all means, you have my permission to kick my son, if he bothers you while you’re trying to study.” Mom winks at Sky.

  I can tell by the look on Sky’s face that it’s enough to convince her to stay. And I decide it’s actually really cool that she and Mom are getting along so well. It’ll probably bite me in the ass eventually, but it’s nice to see Mom looking so happy.

  The rest of the week passes in a blur of swim meets, school projects, and Sky frantic over finals. I still have time to be excited over our night together…but not a lot.

  ***

  Without being too obvious, Matt and I set our plan into motion. We’re all in this together—he and Kaylee, who got special permission from her parents to go to the Prom, and Sky and I. No matter what, it’ll be less awkward than our double date with Eric and Sarah. We’re all headed to the Paris Hotel for dinner. Afterwards, we’ll leave the Prom early to go camping. It seems easier to go as a group. I’m sure, at some point, sitting next to Sky, I’ll be sorry we have company. But maybe I’ll get a chance to make it up to her, if we share the same sleeping bag. After all Mom had to say about Sky staying over, I’m kind of shocked she’s letting me do this. I guess it’s one of the perks of having your Mom get along with your girlfriend.

  ***

  My tux feels good. I’m so glad I’m a guy. Mom and Sky have been in her room for over two hours. Since they’ve started—I swam, had a snack, shaved and watched a movie—before sliding on my tux. I smooth down my black tie and walk out of my room.

  I can hear their voices coming from Mom’s room. “Can you send a few pictures to my mom?” Sky asks. “She doesn’t check her email often, but she does sometimes. I think she’d like to see how we looked.”

  “Sure.” Mom laughs. She’s probably just ecstatic to have a girl in the house.

  And then I realize I hardly know anything about Sky’s mom. Not even her name. How crazy is that? Come to think of it, I don’t know a whole lot about her brother, either. I should ask her later…if I’m not too busy doing other things. My smile spreads at the thought.

  “I know that look.” Dad’s voice hits me.

  “Dad.” I jerk my head toward the door, surprised.

  “Your mom found me at work and told me I should stop by before you two take off.” He steps inside and stands in the entry, unsure of my reaction. This should be okay.

  “Oh.”

  “Where are the girls?” He leans forward looking around.

  “Getting ready.” I’m afraid to lean on anything or even sit down in my tux, like I’ll get it all rumpled or something.

  “Of course.” He chuckles. He’s still in the entry. This was his house…it still is his house…but I guess that for him it doesn’t feel much like home anymore. I’m sort of amazed that Mom invited him over. Actually, I’m not sure how I feel about him being here. I guess it should be fine. Then my heart stops. Sky steps out of Mom’s room in a black, knee-length halter dress looking like a goddess.

  “Don’t look so surprised.” Sky laughs. Her eyes sparkle and her hair is pulled up into crazy knots or something on the back of her head.

  “I just…” There aren’t words to describe how incredible she looks, but there should be.

  Dad’s eyes catch Mom’s as she walks up the hallway. “The Halston?” He smiles. “Nice choice.”

  “The…what?” I glance between them.

  “It’s the designer.” Mom rolls her eyes.

  “I think we need to get out of here.” I step toward Sky. I’m almost afraid to touch her and all her gorgeousness. Like she’s suddenly something to be looked at, watched, admired—not touched. She’s in heels. I’ve never seen her in heels before. Her legs are amazing, and I feel like I’m just standing here, drooling.

  “Pull your chin off the floor, son,” Dad teases. “And let your mom take some pictures.”

  “Hello, I’m Sky.” Sky says to Dad while extending a hand that’s almost too perfect to be touched.

  “I’m Luke, Jay’s dad. It’s nice to meet you, Sky.” He nods giving no indication that he recognizes her from the parking lot where I yelled at him.

  “Come on.” Sky takes my hand, and I follow her to the backyard. My brain still isn’t functioning properly. The smooth brown skin of her back is almost completely exposed, there’s no way she’s wearing a bra under there. I don’t want to go to dinner, I don’t want to go to Prom, and I don’t want to go camping. I need to be somewhere I can stand and hold her and run my fingers up and down her back, maybe slide my hands through the front of her dress.

  “Jameson.” Mom’s voice is firm. “Stop drooling and look at the camera.”

  Sky laughs next to me.

  After an eternity, we’re off.

  The Restaurant: I stand as tall as I can next to Sky because everyone we pass just stares—everyone. I’m sure I’m grinning like a moron.

  The Dinner: Me sliding my fingers up and down Sky’s back. Sky and Kaylee talk. I think Matt asks me a few questions. I think I eat something. I vaguely remember scarfing down a few French fries.

  The Drive: I’m sure everyone in the car is talking about something, but I have no idea what it is. I slide my arm across her bare back and tuck my fingers just on the inside of her dress. She doesn’t look uncomfortable. She doesn’t stop me. I might die of happiness.

  The Dance: I don’t care if the music is fast or slow—we dance
every dance like it’s a slow dance. Sky leans in close. There is no way that I will ever, ever get sick of having my hands on her bare skin. We are asked three times to separate ourselves and dance more appropriately.

  The Departure: Finally, we’re asked to leave the dance floor. Apparently, we’re still dancing inappropriately for school regulations. So we decide it’s time to round up Matt and Kaylee and go camping. Matt and I decided last week not to tell anyone where we’re going. I’d rather keep our party small since these things can get out of hand fast. I’ll get to see Sky’s friends again, and I can’t wait to slide into our sleeping bag…together. There’s a lot to look forward to.

  ***

  “No,” I complain. “Please don’t change out of that dress yet.” Matt’s driving and I’m in the passenger seat.

  Sky laughs. “Sorry, Jay, I’m not wearing your mom’s designer dress while sitting in a fold-up chair.”

  “Fine.” I sulk. Maybe I’ll be able to talk her into borrowing it again sometime.

  Matt and I are banished to the front seat so the girls can change in the back. I’m trying hard not to think about it as we drive out to Red Rock. I’m afraid to look. I’d rather not get an accidental view of Kaylee. She’s just a friend. It would be too weird. It’s worse than having an elephant in the room because it’s not an elephant—it’s naked girls.

  We pull up, and there are definitely more people here than the last time. I can tell simply by the number of cars parked by the white van. Matt starts setting up a tent, and I follow suit. Sky walks over to help me. I notice she’s in those soft yoga pants again and a black tank…but no bra.

  “Can I help?” She steps up behind me sliding her arms around my waist.

  I turn and kiss her, pulling her close. This is how I’ve wanted to hold her since she stepped out of Mom’s room. My hands are outside her shirt, but I can’t resist the temptation and slide them up her stomach and over her chest.