#skyetaylor

Chapter Five  

I’m sure Niall would be more fitted to help you.” Chad whispered into the phone. I don’t know what I was thinking, calling him and expecting everything to be ok. It wouldn’t ever be ok and that was because of me.  

“Chad, can we not do this now?” I asked through my sobs. He took a deep breath into the phone as if he was deciding whether to just hang up on me or let me speak.

“Fine, what is it.” He said sharply. “I just, I’m really drunk. I almost got a tattoo to rid myself of my mother. But I couldn’t. She still has a hand in everything I do and say.” I said as my voice shook. I had to pick my words to be careful not sound as intoxicated as I was, though I knew my words came out slurred and shambled.

“Where are you?” He said roughly, letting out one last sigh.

As I waited for him to come get me Harry came wondering outside with his hands placed firmly in his pockets. “Are you alright?” He asked as he sat beside me moving my sandals closer to me.

“Chad will be here any minute.” I said as I slipped my sandals back on. “Are you sure you don’t just want to come back with us? I can talk with you if you need.” Harry said gently as he leaned back on his elbows.

But I shook my head, he didn’t understand anything, we were practically strangers. A stranger that looked at me as if I was broken and I didn’t want to be looked at anymore.

 “Harry let’s not kid ourselves, we aren’t friends. We just happen to live in the same place and know the same people. We will never be friends.” I said as Chad pulled up in his black BMW. Harry got up and put his hands back into his pockets with force, stalking back into the tattoo parlour without giving me another glance.

I pulled myself into the leather covered passenger seat and shut the door. When I saw Chad he was dressed in a sweater and baggy sweat pants, it looked like he had rolled right out of bed. His jaw was tense and I regretted asking him to come if all we were going to do was fight.

He drove for a few minutes before he spoke. “Why did you need me? Niall’s friend couldn’t take care of you?” He said shaking his head as his hands clenched the steering wheel. “I miss you.” I said quick and without thought.

He pulled over quickly and hit the steering wheel with his palm. “No, you can’t say things like that.” He said but his voice shook. “You break up with me, cheat on me and all of a sudden I’m supposed to come running back to you?” He said his eyes boring into me.

When I looked up and we made eye contact he squinted his eyes and shook his head as if this was the most ridiculous thing he had heard.

“Chad, I know..” I began to say when I was interrupted by his voice. “Stop, I don’t even know why I came.” He said throwing his hands up. “You aren’t going to listen.”

I tried to take his hand but he pulled away. “Skye you need to get out of my car.” He said unlocking the doors and reaching over me to pull open the latch. I stared at him. This wasn’t who I knew or who I needed. I had broken him.

He rubbed his mouth with his hand roughly before screaming “Now!” at me. My shoulders tensed at his raised voice and I slowly got out of the car. He sped away leaving the smell of burnt rubber in the air.

I grabbed my phone and pressed the unlock button, but nothing but blackness showed, my phone had died. I groaned as I knew I had a long walk a head of me in the dark.

When I made it near the fountain in the middle of campus I knew I was only a couple of minutes away. Thank god I hadn’t worn heels tonight, though I cursed myself for not wearing a sweater.

I was stopped by two guys coming towards me. One was wearing a Waver University sweatshirt and khakis while the other wore jeans and a polo shirt.

They smiled at each other as they saw me coming. I tried to walk around them but the one in the polo grabbed my arm. “Do you need help, you seem well wasted. You seem wasted.” The two guys laughed and my stomach sank.

I looked around but there was no one to be found. I swallowed as I put on my best smile. “You two are funny. I don’t need help, thank you though.” I said trying to pry his hand off my arm but it only tightened.

“You’re coming home with us.” The other one said loudly and I hoped someone would hear us. “Let go of me!” I yelled. Polo brought me in front of him close, squeezing my arm even tighter. I could smell a mixture of alcohol and weed on him and I wished he wasn’t standing so close. I backed away slightly.

“And what are you going to do about it.” He said trying to give me a kiss.

“Well I suggest that you back away or I will pepper spray the shit out of both of you.” A female voice said behind us. They turned their attention to the woman on the other side of the fountain.

 “You?” They said laughing with each other as the small woman with fiery red hair stepped closer. She hit khakis with her purse catching him of guard then sprayed him once. Leaving him aching in pain as he scratched at his eyes, then she kicked him in the groan and he fell down with a thud.

Polo let go of my arm and put his hands up in surrender. “Sorry we were just playing around.” He said moving toward his friend who was rocking back in forth on the pavement.

“You touch anyone again and it won’t be me you’ll deal with, it will be the police.” She said as she took my hand. “Take the bitch I’m sure she wouldn’t have been a good lay anyway.” Polo said loudly so that we could both hear him. Red handed me her purse and came behind Polo who was now trying to pick up his friend.

She kicked him in the back with her heel and he fell to the pavement. “What the Fu…” Was all he could say before he was crying out in pain from the pepper spray that Red was dousing him with.

 “Where are we going?” Red asked as she took her purse back, straightening out her leather jacket. “Robertson Street, house 230.” Was all I could get out before I passed out on the cold hard concrete. All I could hear was Red shouting “Shit.”

**

The first year of University was full of new adventures, places and people.

I grew up in Orlando, Florida better known as the tourist capital of the world. That is because the Disney theme parks that take over most of the region. I was well adjusted to living in hot and humid Florida, so when I got a scholarship to go to Waver University in Leicester, England I knew I would have to get readjusted.

Finally I was going to be able to get away from pageants being my life, my mother constantly breathing down my neck about, what I ate, how I looked and who I hung out with. Also getting away from my sister being the centre of attention because she was skinnier, had a kinder face, didn’t have to be forced to compete but knew that this was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

I accepted the offer to cold and rainy Leicester before even discussing it with my mother. After all I had a full ride to University and I had enough money saved from pageants to get me there and to live off of.

I finally told her during the summer of my senior year of high school.

 “I’m moving.” I said bracing for impact instead I got the total opposite.

 “Oh that is just wonderful darling, finally taking your career seriously.” She said with a smile on her face that made the wrinkles around her eyes more visible.

“No mom, I got accepted to Waver University. I’m moving to England.” I said hoping she would understand but there was no way in hell she was going to.

“You would just throw away your life for nothing? Do you know how much I have done for you? How I made you what you are today? You’re going to be no one out there, nothing special and you’re going to hate it.” She took a deep breath and pushed her bangs off of her face crossing her arms across her chest. “Now can we please talk about reality, like how you’re going to beat Cindy Lancast to the crown?” She said clasping her hands as if it was a done deal.

“I’m not competing anymore, I need to take a break and figure out who I am.” I said throwing my hands up in frustration as she rolled her eyes. “Don’t be dramatic honey it will give you frown lines. You already know who you are. You are Analeigh my beautiful queen who will someday be Miss Universe.” She said as if my name was already on the plaque, a sealed faith.

“If I don’t do this I will forever resent you.” I said wishing it didn’t have to come to me throwing insults just to make my mother back down.

“You will thank me.” She said standing her ground of the issue.

“No I will not and if you don’t allow me to leave I will involve father.” I said with raising my voice. She put a hand to her chest and held in a breath at the mention my father.

 “Fine, but when you drop out of school and you have no one to turn to, you can go live with your father.” She said with as she stormed off into the other room leaving me stinging from the venom in her words.

The day I caught a plane to London and left Sunny Florida and everything I knew about the world, I felt free. I flew to Birmingham Airport and took a bus the rest of the hour to Leicester and tried to ignore my past, my mother and most importantly pageants.

**

I regain some consciousness when Red was yelling. “You leave her to go with some guy, well you’re all stupid.” She said putting something on my head.

“We didn’t know she wouldn’t be with him.” Liam cried as she laughed without humor. “She was almost taken advantage of today, you’re lucky I was there.” She said back sharply.

“You’re right. Thank you now we can take it from here.” Harry said in almost a whisper. “You’re hilarious. I’m not going anywhere until she wakes up, I can’t trust her to be here with a bunch of idiots.” She said making tsk noise with her mouth.

I faded slowly into a deep sleep and I wondered if Red would be there when I woke up.

**