3. I Got You – Bebe Rexha
Shay – 17 years; Skye5 years
“We’re not friends anymore. You suck and my bottom hurts.” She rubbed her rear, wincing.
“Aw, come on, Blue, you can do it.”
Hands folded defensively across her chest, bottom lip jutting out in a fierce pout, her blue eyes sparking fire, Skye shook her head vehemently. “Nope. I’m going to tell daddy you dropped me. It’s my birthday, you’re not supposed to.” She turned her back on me.
For the last week, I’d missed several meets with friends in favor of teaching her to ride the bike Dad bought her for Christmas. Today, I’d taken off the training wheels. Grinning, I righted the pink bike and leaned it against a lamppost as Griffin arrived.
“Dude, you’re not ready?” he grumbled, jumping out of his truck. “It’s time to party it up, get cross faded, and score with more hot chicks.”
I grinned. “Last night wasn’t enough?” After we rang in the New Year at a party, I came home this morning to shower and planned to head out again with Griffin for a booze cruise on the river.
“Is it ever?” He rolled his eyes.
“She asked if I could help one more time before I left.” I tilted my chin at Skye. “Did you bring it?” He nodded. Despite the twelve-year age gap, my sister had me wrapped around her pinkie. I literally dropped everything for her, sometimes to the detriment of my social life. And even though it didn’t matter, it still didn’t stop me from baiting her. Not the best encouragement but it worked. “Hey, Griff, did you see how good Laika is on her over the bars dismount.” I winked at him.
“Yeah.” He caught on quickly and ramped it up a little. “Some serious skill that little girl has for her age. She even gave Grady a run for his money.” His brother was now ten years old.
Laika was in the same grade as Skye. While they were best buds, my sister hated if I complimented anyone else, especially her friends. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the slow turn of her head leaning in slightly to listen to our conversation. I chuckled. “Maybe we should invite Laika to go up the mountain with us, I’m pretty sure, she’d make it.”
“You wouldn’t?” Skye mumbled.
I turned fully to look at her and the flash of hurt sprinting across her face tightened my chest. No matter what she did, I hated seeing her unhappy. Insane as it sounded, but Skye could commit murder and I’d gladly hide the body for her.
“You want to give it another try,” I softened my voice enough to let her know I wouldn’t.
“Can I have the training wheels?”
I dragged both my hands through my hair, trying not to tease her about being childish. “Blue, no matter how many times you fall, bust your knee or elbows or knock your head, you’ll learn to get up again. I did, Griff did. Practice makes perfect, you know. And each time you get up is a sign of strength.”
“I am strong, but I fell because you let go. Look at my elbow, I’m losing all my blood.” Her eyes narrowed making me want to laugh. For her age, she had spunk but could be melodramatic when she wanted to.
Nearing her, I dropped to my haunches, bringing me to her level. “Yeah, because you were doing so well. You almost made it to the end of the driveway and that’s an awesome distance alone.” I nodded to Griffin standing behind her. He leaned into the truck to grab what I asked him to bring. When he reached me and handed over the single flower, I held it out to Skye.
Her expression immediate elation, she took the blue rose and kissed the sweet-scented petals like she always did since age two. Grandpa, an avid gardener once told me that blue was rarest flower color in the world, and I knew why. Skye with her tropical blue eyes and silvery blonde hair, would grow up to be one of her kind. Every year on her birthday, I gave her the unique colored flower I’d discovered grown on a farm close to us.
“Anything is possible if you have the right person there to support you. I’ll never let go again. I promise to hold your hand, every single time, no matter what. I got you.”
“And what if you’re not around?” Her suddenly watery eyes crushed my heart.
I tapped her nose with a gentle finger like I always did whenever she was unhappy. “I’ll never leave you, Blue.”
