Beautiful (6 page)

“Stop chewing your lip off, Sky,” Michelle said.

My eyes scanned the bleachers. Everyone seemed to be so preoccupied with socializing, so maybe they wouldn’t even notice I was here. Besides, most of the girls who were bitches to me were cheerleaders. Hard to believe I’d once considered them friends.

“Maybe this was a bad idea,” I said.

Rolling her eyes, Michelle handed the lady money for us to get into the football game.

“Come on, let’s go get a Frito pie and find some seats.”

Snarling my lip, I looked at my best friend. “Frito pie? Seriously?”

Michelle shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, don’t judge me. It’s the only time I allow myself to eat it.”

I followed her closely as I scanned the crowd. No one was glaring at me or whispering, so maybe all was good.

Once we got up to the concession stand to order, I was feeling more at ease.

“One Frito pie with a Diet Coke. And what do you want, Sky?”

My eyes quickly looked over the menu. “I’ll just take French fries and a Diet Coke.”

The older lady behind the counter smiled sweetly as she repeated our order, “One Frito pie, one order of French fries, and two Diet Cokes.”

I paid for our food since Michelle had paid for us to get into the game. My heart started speeding up as we got closer to the bleachers. The guys weren’t out on the field yet. I had to admit, I was super excited to see Wyatt in his uniform. We weren’t officially dating, but after the whole picnic thing, I was almost positive our relationship had moved on to a different level.

“Want to sit here? It’s mostly parents, so no one should bother you.”

My heart broke for my best friend. She had caught so much hell by sticking by my side, and now, she was willing to sit with the parents, so I wouldn’t have to deal with the assholes of our school.

Squaring off my shoulders, I shook my head. “No, let’s sit over there.” I motioned toward the student section.

Michelle grinned and gave me a wink. “That’s the Sky I know and love. Hanging out with Wyatt has been good for you.”

I couldn’t help but smile wide. “Yeah, it has.”

By the time we finished eating, the guys were coming out onto the field. We were sitting at the bottom of the bleachers, and Wyatt’s face curved into a smile when he saw me. Lifting his hand, he waved, and I returned the gesture.

“Damn, that boy has the hots for you.”

Bumping Michelle’s shoulder, I replied, “Be quiet!”

Wyatt had yet to make any kind of move, even after our picnic date, so I wasn’t so sure where he really stood on things. I could tell he liked me, but I could also tell he was being super cautious.

The game started off with a bang. Mitch ran the first play in and scored a touchdown. I had never screamed and cheered so hard in my life. None of the other students around me seemed to even care I was there. I got no looks, no snickers, nothing. For the first time in a long time, I felt my guard slowly coming down.

At halftime, Wyatt turned and gave me that breathtaking smile of his. I lifted my hand in a wave. My eyes never left him as I watched him jog off the field and head into the locker room. Placing my hand over my stomach, I tried to calm down the butterflies.

I’d vowed to myself not to get lost in a guy again, not until after I was out of high school and far away from Marble Falls. But Wyatt was not just some guy. He was different in so many ways.

“Want to tell me what you’re thinking about?” Michelle asked as she leaned in close to me.

Feeling my face get hot, I looked at her with an I-don’t-know-what-you’re-talking-about look.

“Please, you look at Wyatt like how I imagine I look at Mitch.”

“Ew. That’s gross.”

Michelle laughed and pulled out a bag of licorice. “Here, want some?”

It was black, my favorite. Reaching in, I pulled a piece out. I went to take a bite when Jenny stepped in front of me.

“Wow. So, you’ve come out of the safety of your house, huh? Who are you on the prowl for tonight, Skylar?”

Michelle let out a laugh and said, “Your pigtails must be too tight.”

Her smile faded as she glared over at Michelle. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“If you’re going to come over and harass Skylar, I thought you would have had something better to say than that.”

Jenny rolled her eyes and focused back on me. “You always let your flunky friend talk for you?”

“Jenny, why don’t you just move on?” I said.

A few cheerleaders behind Jenny giggled.

“Do you seriously think Wyatt is interested in you? He’s only using you until you break down and give him a piece of ass.”

I quickly stood up, and Jenny jumped back.

“I’m asking you to please just leave me alone. I don’t bother you, so why are you so damn concerned about me?” I said.

Her eyes narrowed as she looked me over. “God, what guy would ever be interested in trash like you?”

“Hey, Jen, we need to get back down on the field.”

My eyes darted over to Casey Romp. We’d started preschool the same day, and I couldn’t count how many times our families had gone on vacations together. After the whole Charlie thing, she’d defended me until Charlie’s dad had paid a visit to Casey’s dad and told him it didn’t look good for his daughter to be hanging out with me. The county judge couldn’t let his daughter hang out with someone who slept around and then cried rape.

Jenny pulled her arm from Casey’s grip. “I heard Wyatt’s been talking.”

Swallowing hard, I tried not to let myself get sick.

“That’s right. He’s been telling everyone how he fucks you in the old Miller cabin.”

“Jenny!” Casey cried out. “That is
not
true.”

My head snapped over to Casey. I couldn’t stand the look of pity in her eyes.

“Shut the hell up, Casey,” Jenny snapped.

“No, you shut up! Now, you’re just spreading lies, and I’m not going to be a part of it. I’m out of here.” Casey turned and stomped off.

Three other cheerleaders followed while one called back, “Come on, Jenny. She isn’t even worth it.”

I fought like hell to keep my legs from going out from under me as I stood my ground against Jenny.

Jenny wiggled her fingers in front of me and said, “Later, whore.”

The moment she walked away, I fell back onto the bleachers and tried desperately to get air in.

Michelle wrapped her arm around me and held me tight. “She’s lying, Sky. You have to know she is lying.”

I closed my eyes and fought to keep the tears in. Coming to the game was such a bad idea.

Once I got my emotions under control, I opened my eyes and focused on the field. I felt someone bump me on the back, but I didn’t want to turn around. It was probably someone who wanted to continue where Jenny had left off.

“Skylar, she’s a lying bitch. Wyatt hasn’t said shit, and anytime someone says something bad about you, he threatens them.”

Slowly turning around, I saw Rose Miller, Jacob’s sister. She and I used to be so close when I’d dated Jacob.

Tears built in my eyes as I gave her a weak smile. “Thanks, Rose.”

Rose squeezed my shoulder and looked back up toward the field. The guys were beginning to come back out. I dragged in a shaky breath.

“I’m sorry she does that to you, Sky. She has always been so jealous of you,” Michelle said with such sadness in her eyes.

The last thing I wanted to discuss was Jenny. “It’s okay. Let’s just move on. I don’t want to talk about her.”

Wyatt turned and looked up at me. His smile instantly faded. I forced myself to smile and wave, like nothing was wrong when my heart was breaking the entire time.

I will never be able to get away from the rumors until I leave this town.

And that meant, I’d need to leave Wyatt.

“No surprise we won with your brother and Wyatt on the team!” Rose said as she walked up to Michelle and me.

For a moment, I was taken aback that she was even talking to us.

“Um…yeah, it was a great game,” I said, looking around.

Rose put her hand on my arm. “Skylar, I couldn’t care less if anyone saw me talking to you. I’m tired of ignoring one of my good friends because of a stupid rumor. I miss you.”

My eyes watered, and I fought to hold the tears back. “Thank you, Rose, for earlier. I know Wyatt would never talk about me like that, but Jenny knows how to get under my skin.”

With a frown, Rose looked down to the field. “Yeah, tell me about it.” Turning her attention back to us, she grinned and said, “See y’all in school.”

“See ya,” Michelle said.

“Bye, Rose.”

My phone buzzed, and I looked to see a text from Wyatt.

Wyatt: May I give you a ride home?

I chewed on my thumbnail as I stared at his text.

Michelle bumped my shoulder. “Oh, for Pete’s sake, let the boy give you a ride home, Sky.”

Swallowing hard, I felt my stomach drop at the idea of spending more time with him. With a smile, I responded back.

Me: Only if you take me for a cup of coffee first.

It didn’t take him long to reply.

Wyatt: Deal!

I felt him before I even saw him. When I turned to look over my shoulder, his eyes pierced right into my soul.

“Hey, angel.”

Oh my goodness…

My stomach felt like a butterfly convention.

“Congrats on winning. It was a great game.”

With my eyes feasting on him, I couldn’t stop the way my heart was racing. Wyatt was so handsome. His hair was wet from the shower he had taken. He looked sinfully delicious.

Closing my eyes, I shook my head to clear my wayward thoughts.

“You ready for that coffee?”

With a slight nod, I dared not talk because I was sure I’d sound like an idiot.

Wyatt reached down and laced his fingers with mine, and we walked, hand in hand, out of the stadium. For two minutes, I felt like I was walking on a cloud. Then, the whispers started. Jenny and a few football players were standing in a group outside the gates.

I tried to pull my hand away, but Wyatt wasn’t having it.

“Ignore them, Sky.”

“What a little tramp,” Jenny said.

Stopping, Wyatt turned to them.

I pulled on his arm. “Wyatt, please don’t. It’s best to just ignore it.”

“Hey, Wyatt, you aren’t going to Jacob’s party?” Mike asked.

My heart stopped. I was keeping Wyatt from celebrating with the team.

I dropped his arm and took a few steps back.

Wyatt turned and looked at me. “Angel, what’s wrong?”

Jenny let out a fake laugh. “She’s realized you’re way out of her league.”

“Shut the hell up, Jenny. For once, just shut up,” Jacob said in a frustrated voice.

My eyes snapped over to Jacob. He was glaring at Jenny.

“Sky?” Wyatt’s voice pulled me back to him.

“If…I mean, I don’t want to make you miss the party.”

His smile had my entire body warming up. “I don’t care about a stupid party.”

My teeth sank into my lip, and I quickly realized I was about to draw blood because I was biting so hard.

“I want to be with you.”

My chest squeezed while my mouth parted open to say something, only nothing would come. Glancing over Wyatt’s shoulder, I noticed Jacob watching us. The look in his eyes was one I hadn’t seen in a long time. He was jealous, and somehow, that bothered me.

Bringing my attention back to Wyatt, I said, “Come on, let’s go get that cup of coffee.”

Wyatt

Walking into the kitchen, I grabbed my mother’s hand and spun her around, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Good morning, my beautiful mother.”

She blushed and playfully hit my chest. “You’re in a good mood this morning.”

“Why shouldn’t I be? We won our football game last night, and I had coffee with the most gorgeous girl in Marble Falls—hell, in the state of Texas.”

My father chuckled, and he took a sip of coffee. “I’d say someone has it bad.”

Grabbing an apple, I took a bite. “Can I ask you guys something?”

“Of course you can. You never have to ask that, Wyatt.” My father looked up from his newspaper and grinned.

It was nice having him home more often. He worked for the FBI, and although I thought I knew what his job was, I often wondered if I really did.