SKIN & EARTH

Skylar hadn’t ever had that sort of praise. His family had always been sort of absent, and he grew up on his own. With no positive enforcement around him, Skylar had grown to think very little of himself,his work, and his accomplishments. Scarlett was an important person to Skylar though, her every opinion was taken with the highest regard. She gave him a friend and a family that he’d never had. He respected her.

The tears came back as Scarlett spoke and he couldn’t help them because really, Skylar was an absolute cry baby. It started soft, just little pricks at his eyes that he would wipe away with the backs of his hands but soon he felt his shoulders shaking and his hands went to cover his face. Scarlett believing in him was more than he could have ever hoped for— he saw her success, and he saw her drive and if she saw the same in him then he had to be worth it, whatever it was. He had to have some sort of value. He could do this.

“I’m sorry,” He stammered out, wiping at his face with his sleeves. “I’ve just… never, like, had someone say that to me. And I know that’s cliché, but it’s true— like, I’ve never had that kind of encouragement before.” He shook his head as his voice quavered, embarrassed at the way he had cracked under her praise. Skylar had prided himself on keeping his emotions in control, but between his recent outbursts with Danny and now him crying in front of Scarlett he felt like he was vastly changing from the somewhat collected person he had taught himself to be. “It means a lot, especially coming from you.”

Three months ago, Scarlett would have excused herself first chance she got at the sight of tears but now when she looked at Skylar, she was just concerned. She cupped his cheek and thumbed away a tear that had fallen, a sad smile painting itself on her features. Then she used her other hand to rub circles on his shoulders. Anything to ease his sadness. Scarlett knew where he was coming from. When you’re a kid without no support at home, it was difficult to make something out yourself. Growing up, no one had ever said the words ‘I believe in you’ to her so she learned to say them to herself.

Charlie rolled her eyes just a little at the girl. She couldn’t help but think it was silly that she was almost apologizing for Charlie offering her help. “Don’t worry about it, really. It was either this or go back to my loft and groan about how fucking bored I am.” She got that they were in a hurry but held back on walking much faster knowing that the other of the two didn’t exactly have the best track record for staying on her two feet. She pressed the button on her keys to unlock it as they came upon the bright white car. Charlie really did have an eye for anything and everything expensive. She tugged the door open for sawyer. “Your chariot awaits, my dear.” She said with a small smirk playing at her lips.

Only a mere 5′2″, Sawyer was used to walking faster just to keep up with those who were taller than her, but she appreciated the other’s consideration for she was still a little dizzy. Not from the near falling to her death but just being in Charlie’s presence. Breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth, she knew she needed to stop being so smitten. Her green eyes almost bugged out at the sight of the car. It was more expensive than anything she’s ever touched. Sawyer looked to her counterpart again. Who was she?

Skylar was very anxious to see her response. He had worked hard on every track that he’d posted, and yeah they worked the best quality, but Skylar had spent every extra penny he had on the equipment that he recorded with. It wasn’t much, but it was the best that he could do. All of these fancy tones that were being played back at him were worth literally every dollar he had.

When Scarlett reacted positively Skylar felt a weight off his shoulders and his head fell back against the couch. “Holy shit,” he mumbled, listening to her praise. This wasn’t what he expected, sure she was his friend and would tell him things gently, but Scarlett had never lied to him, he was certain. He gave a short laugh, wiping at the tears that had pooled in the corner of his eyes out of nerves. “God, you’re such an old person— but you mean that, right? You believe in me?” He asked as he sat back up, looking at her seriously.

She furrowed her brows in as she awaited his reaction to her response--and he was crying. Why? Was he worried she was going to come down on him with a hammer, insult his work? Scarlett knew she could be cruel, intentionally or not and usually it was for the other person’s best interest. She knew she could be honest with him. He could take it since he was able to handle all these months in her company. “Don’t get all mushy on me now, sweetie, I’m only on my third glass. Wait until number five and we can get the water works going.”

Charlie smiled wide at how the girl reacted to her offer as she spun her keys between her long fingers. “Yeah, blood for me is a big no— but I’m Charlie and I drive an Audi so I can get you there in no time.” She motioned for sawyer to follow her to the parking lot, still fiddling with her keys. That name absolutely fit the smaller blonde and she couldn’t believe how fucking previous she was. “D’you need anything else while we’re out? Grocery stop?” Charlie made a point to always be as kind and helpful to a stranger as she would want them to be to her, it was in her nature.

Sawyer tugged on her bottom lip, still on the fence in accepting her offer. “I couldn’t imp--” Then she stopped mid-sentence, her eyes lighting up at her being called pretty and she just nodded her head. “I don’t even know your name. M’name’s Sawyer and I’m a little nervous right now. Because it’s not every day a pretty girl asks me to ride in her car.”

It’s not the type of music she would listen to by any means. But that’s not what mattered. His voice, his tone. The reverb in some of the longer notes. That’s what drew her to the song. That’s why she smiled. Her wine glass was empty again once the song finished all the way through and she gave his phone back to him. “I like it,” she put it simply with a shrug. “It’s not exactly my cup of tea but then again all I do is listen to Barry White.”

She poured herself another glass. Her third one in just forty minutes. “It’s not professionally recorded, I mean, you can kinda tell but--” she sighed, “it’s good.” Scarlett thought back to what she said before and placed her hand on his knee. “It could be great. You could be great.”