chapter two

I couldn't help but stare at Skyler as she led me to her car. If it was possible, she got even more beautiful. All the little things I remembered about her suddenly came flooding back to my memory. The way she swayed her hips as she walked, the way she would glance back at me every so often, and the way she tapped her right hand against her thigh periodically.

Before I knew it, we were on the passenger's side of her blue 2016 Ford Focus and she was holding the door open for me. Such a gentlewoman. I silently threw my duffel bag in the backseat and positioned myself comfortably in my seat; all without making eye contact with her. Maybe I was being too harsh, but I knew the moment I looked into those cerulean blue eyes I would want to confess everything to her and I wasn't ready for that. Hell, I don't know if I will ever be ready to talk about what happened between us.

The car started seamlessly and Skyler proceeded to back out. Neither of us spoke until we were on the highway.

"It's so good to see you again," she said almost in a whisper, "not going to lie, I have missed you."

She missed me. I assumed she forgot about me long ago.

It was a few seconds before I found my voice " I missed you too." 

I hope that wouldn't give her the wrong idea, it would take time for a friendship to form, if one even did. She must have taken those four words as a good sign because I saw her smile from my peripheral vision. A little part of me wanted to forgive her and be friends with her immediately but the rational part knew she would have to earn back my trust. 

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Skyler's POV

"Would she recognize me?" I worried as I stood in the terminal with all the other people waiting for their loved ones to return. Loved ones. Did  I love Samantha? Was I just stuck in the past? Only time will tell.

I was snapped out of my deep thoughts by cheers erupting around me. This was it, I was finally going to see Samantha Cahill for the first time in six years. I was ready to make amends with her and to try to be her friend, if not more. I was ready to come clean about what happened in high school.

The minute she stepped off the plane and into my line of sight my heart went into overdrive. She was beautiful in high school, but now was drop dead gorgeous. Her body was muscular and toned, yet curved in all the right places. Her arms were covered in tattoos; it looked like a themed sleeve to me. Her once long brown hair was now in a undercut pixie fashion. Her BCU fit her amazingly and showed off her defined muscles. I tried to pick my jaw up off the floor as she walked towards me.

Still in lala land, she said something I couldn't quite understand. It was miraculous that I even answered in complete sentences to respond. From the way she responded to me, I knew she was a little uncomfortable, and I could see a glint of sadness in her eyes. I just wanted to hold her in my arms, but I knew I would have to work up to that again.

End Skyler's POV

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Soon enough, we had pulled into the driveway of my small house. Just the thought of being able to sleep in my own bed and have my own privacy was enough to change my sour mood. I genuinely smiled at the thought and Skyler noticed. 

"Uh... So..." she began softly "do you wanna grab coffee or something sometime?"

Was she really asking me to hang out with her, after all this time. I guess this is her extending an olive branch out to me; perhaps to try to rekindle a friendship. What if it was too soon though? All the what ifs buzzed through my mind. 

"It's okay to say no... I understand," came a whisper as she looked away from me.

Now or never, you can do this, I gave myself a pep talk.

"Coffee sounds nice, we can definitely grab coffee sometime"

To be honest, I surprised myself with that answer. But hey, courage is something you are taught to have in the Army. I could sense Skyler smiling next to me. It would take time to heal the wounds of what happened, but I was willing to give her a second chance.

"Thank you for picking me up at the airport and taking me home Sky," I diplomatically said, fully aware that I used the nickname I called her in high school. I didn't mean to call her that, it just slipped off my tongue naturally. To avoid the awkward silence, I took pen from my pocket and wrote my number on her hand.

Slipping out of the car without a word, I hastily walked turned away from her so that she wouldn't see the single tear running down my face. I unlocked my door and rushed in without looking back. Once inside, I crumpled to the floor crying; emotions coursing through me.