Her Broken Rainbow

Forgetting is the hardest part

“Sometimes I sit here feeling like a ghost

It’s that emptiness I think that hurts the most 

But a piece of me still holds a little hope

I should just let go

But I can’t let go.”

~Forgetting is the hardest part  

Kane Brown

Stuffed full of pancakes and coffee, we sat in our booth oblivious to the world and engrossed in each other. Jumping from topic to topic Sky has been able to keep up with my over active conversation skills. I have never had something keep my attention for as long as this man has tonight. It’s almost like we’ve known each other for years and never run out of things to talk about. I’ve had my fair share of awkward or uncomfortable blind dates and this is nowhere near that. I mean technically it’s not a date but I’ll pretend in my own head that’s what this is. I’ve also already planned our wedding and named all 4 of our kids. Alright, I’m not that creepy in reality but damn if this guy doesn’t draw the psycho out of a woman. “So you’re really fuckin’ short AND you have the shoe size of my little cousin. Oh that’s so cute.” His attempt to hold back laughter was really weak. “Yeah, Yeah. Laugh it up, go ahead. At least my shoes are cheap. You big-foots have to pay for all that material they’re wasting.” I smirked and sipped my coffee. 

“Oh wow! Shots fired.” He says, dramatically wounded. “Now now, no need to be mean. You know what they say about men with big feet right?” 

I couldn’t help myself. Feigning innocence I say “Don’t walk close to them, they trip easily?” He barks out laughter, the sound just makes you want to laugh too. “You're something else Rae, I swear. It’s intriguing. So how come I never saw you around Nick’s before?”

“Beats me, I’ve known Alaria since we started middle school. All four of us are thick as thieves. I was pretty much at every party after the age of 15 when we’d sneak down to Nick’s house parties. We didn’t drink, just danced for hours then went back to Alaria’s room. I don’t ever remember seeing you around there either. I’d sleep over and we’d have girls day the next day. Going to the mall or amusement park. Those were the good days.” I smile thinking back to all our shenanigans. “So what about you guys, what kind of s**t did you guys get into?” 

Sky leans closer to me across the table, my breath catches just a little. “Remember when they closed the pool down because someone dyed the water red and left a blow up shark floating in the water?” “OMG! That was you and Nick? Damn you guys took our idea! We just needed to get the blow up shark. We lost the first one we bought and had to get another.” He smirks at me, “Yeah I know. I found it by the couch in the living room and that’s how we got the idea.” 

I was shocked! They got their idea from us and stole the shark! “You jerk! I knew Nick was somehow involved but Alaria said he denied it. I knew he was lying!” We laughed and talked for a little bit longer before it felt like we should probably leave so the waitress could clean up and close. Leaving the diner we get into his car and he drives us to my house by my direction. “I had a great night Rae, thanks for having dinner with me. Maybe we can do this again sometime.” His hand is lightly placed at my lower back and his thumb is rubbing slowly up and down on my skin. Chills and tingles flood my body from just that simple touch. “No, thank you for dinner. I had a great time.” I feel all giddy as he walks me to my door like we’re still in high school. 

“Give me your phone and I’ll put my number in, we can plan for another date.” He says so casually. I hand him my phone and giggle to my horror like I’m 13 again. “So that’s what this was? I don’t recall you asking me out on a “Date” officially.” Good recovery Rae, I pat myself on the back internally. 

“Oh no, you aren’t taking this away from me. If I say it was a date then it was a date. The fight to keep my hands off you and respectfully sit across from you makes it more intimate than just dinner.” His voice drops low as he holds my chin with his thumb and index finger. My heart is beating fast and my hoohah is strung out on desire and lust. His thumb lifts up and pulls my bottom lip out from between my teeth. I hadn’t realized I was biting it. “Don’t bite your lip, it makes me jealous it’s not me doing it.” He needs to stop talking or I'll melt in his hands from just hearing his voice alone. It has me transfixed on every word. Maybe I’m a little dramatic but I’m telling you, this just gets me so riled up. 

He leaned forward and placed a soft whisper of a kiss on the side of my mouth. It took all I had not to moan out a little at the action. The breeze hits me as he steps back, the air cooling my body from the heat he caused. “Have a good night Rae, see you around.” His smirk does things to me but also tells me he knows what I’m thinking, and none of it is innocent. 

“Good night and thanks again for dinner.” I say again and watch him walk to his car before turning and unlocking my front door. Holy pineapple that was deliciously tortuous. 

******

My alarm goes off and I turn, smacking my phone off my end table. I hate mornings but I don’t like sleeping in either. Makes me feel lazy and unproductive. I get up, picking my phone up and throwing it on the bed, I walk to my bathroom to get ready. Showered, dressed, teeth brushed, hair done and make-up in place, I walked out of my room and down stairs. It’s just after 8 am and my mom is already halfway through making breakfast while my sister squeezes fresh orange juice. “Good morning beauties, how did you both sleep last night?” I ask, grabbing a mug and fixing a cup of coffee. 

“Great, didn’t even hear you two come in last night.” My mom says as she flips a pancake. “That’s because I came back alone and Rae came back some time after 1 am from her oh so spicy date last night.” Shyne grins at me and winks.

“Please it wasn’t a date,” not what he said last night. “Besides, we just had dinner at a cute diner close by and talked. It was nice.” I tried to play it off casually, but I know that Shyne knows that we both know, it wasn’t just dinner and conversation. It was a romantic, captivating interaction between two people who had more s****l tension than rabbits. Without the naughty ever being involved. I set the table and helped plate the food. We sat and started to eat our breakfast.

“So are you gonna tell me about this mysterious date?” My mom asks, as she stuffs a fork full of pancakes and strawberries into her mouth. “His name is Skylar. He’s just someone I met when I was out in downtown yesterday. He was dressed up for that convention they had so I drew him. It was literally nothing. Just casually talked. He was at Nick and Ria’s house party last night.” 

“Nothing was casual about the way he ate you up visually from a far at the party all night. I swear I thought he was going to jump you right there in front of everyone. Either that or Hannibal Lecter your ass any minute.” I swear if we weren’t so open with our mom, this would have been so much more embarrassing than it was. “You're so dramatic!” I reply, rolling my eyes. 

“It wasn’t like that, I didn’t see him watching me all night, you’re over exaggerating.” I kept my head down, shoving a couple strips of bacon in my mouth so I didn’t show my embarrassment. “Woo woo, someone’s got a crush!” My mother, the ever gallant savior, joined in poking my cheek. I brushed her off and chugged the rest of my coffee. “Shut up, you both suck. I have to get ready and head out. I’m helping Alaria pack up her room before we start redecorating it.” I stand and collect my dishes before carrying them to the sink. Shyne and mom follow along with their own. 

“Has she decided on a color she wants to paint once they're done?” My mom loves decorating. She’d live in Michael’s if they let her. “Yeah she’s going with purples, I don’t know if it’s dark or light but she said she has a few swatches she wants to show me so I can help her pick one out. Zoe is coming along too but Shay has to work.” I walk out of the kitchen and into the foyer. Grabbing my leather jacket and bag I yell out a goodbye. Walking out I pull out my bike and strap my bag on. Helmet on, I zoom down the drive and off towards Alaria’s house. 

Half an hour later I pull up into Alaria’s drive, instantly spotting a red chevy parked outside as well. I power off Alfred and swing off, setting him on his kickstand. I pull off my helmet and shake my hair out. A whistle calls out loud and strong causing me to turn towards the front of the house. “Damn, well ain't you a sight for sore eyes.” He whistles low again as his eyes trail down my body. I’m dressed in low cut dark blue skinny jeans, a purple crop top with thin straps and my hair is unkempt from my helmet, as it’s too short to do much with anyway. I laugh at his antics, grab my bag and jog up the stairs. 

“Hello to you too sir.” I chuckle and lean forward to hug him. I feel his arms wrap tight around my waist to draw me in as close as possible to his chest. Squeezing my hip just slightly. I wanted to jump on him and wrap my legs around his torso, kissing the breath out of him. “Are you here to help us move everything out of Alaria’s room?” 

He nods, “Yeah they said it was mandatory because Nick won’t let you lovely ladies lift anything heavy.” Knowing Nick that could be possible but knowing Alaria, it wasn’t his idea to begin with. I laughed and walked past him into the house. We go straight to the kitchen and find Alaria, Nick and Zoe waiting at the island chatting away. “Finally, take you long enough bitch.” Zoe grabs me in for a hug and smirks at the man behind me. Great, she probably thinks we arrived together. 

“Speaking of bitches, where did you run off to last night Sky?” Nick says with a grin spread across his face. His eyes drift to mine like he knows something I don’t. I squint accusingly at him. 

“I had something better to attend to than your lame ass baby boy.” walking over to Nick to get a cup of coffee, he smacks Nick’s cheek a little hard. I laughed at the look on his face and how he dejectedly rubbed his cheek. “That was mean, why’d you hit me.” They horse around and My attention switches to Alaria. 

“So where’s the paint swatches, let's see what you’ve narrowed it down to.” Alaria squeals and jumps, grabbing my hand as she drags me to the office just down the hall from the kitchen. “This is what I’ve got it down to.” She lifts a small box of tabs with paint strips on them. She hands me a collection of purples and another of different shades of white. 

“So, I’ve decided on a few different ideas, the first is all off white and one dark purple accent wall. That would be cute and simple. However …. I had a better idea this morning and wanted to know if you’d do something special for me.” Alaria gives me a cute big eyed look, batting her eyelashes and pleading with her eyes for me to say yes. 

“Don’t do that, it makes you look desperate.” I deadpanned. “What exactly are you asking? I don’t know if I want to do more than you’ve already demanded of me?” She scoffs. 

“First off you agreed to help, I didn’t demand. Second, I was hoping you would grace my walls with your magically artistic hands.” I rub my chin in a thinking pose, nodding my head like I’m pondering the idea. “What would you want me to put up?” I ask. 

“Well I was thinking maybe a cherry blossom tree, that way I could do the accent wall a light lavender purple and the rest white. What do you think?” I have to admit that sounds pretty cute. I agree and we go back into the kitchen to show Zoe which colors she’s chosen before we all head upstairs to start packing up her room.