« Skylar's POV »

__________________

"What happened? Are you alright?" I heard Alex the moment I placed my phone back over my ear.

Blowing out a sigh, I laid back down on my bed.

"Yes. It wasn't even me who screamed, Alex." I pointed out.

"Who was it then?" He asked.

"The woman living next door. A big lizard fell down on her...hand." I murmured. That thought still scared the shit out of me. I'd die if a lizard dropped on me like that.

"Seriously?" He asked in disbelief.

"I would've screamed louder if I were her." I said defensively.

He just clicked his tongue in response. "I seriously thought somebody got killed."

I had thought the same. But I was trying my best not to think about stuff like that. Not now, anyways.

"Anyways, what were you saying about Blake?" I asked. Chicken, who had followed me outside, came in and hopped up on my bed. Curling up beside me.

"I don't understand why Caden didn't tell you." He answered.

"Tell me what, Alex?" All I wanted to do was sleep. I wish he would get the clue.

"Blake broke out from police's custody." He said.

I felt my eyebrows furrowing in response. And I could also hear my heart beating a little faster.

"What do you mean?"

"He escaped the prison bars, Sky. And the police can't find him." He said. "It was all over the news the past week."

I hadn't paid attention to any news. Other than the stuff that concerned me.

"What about Kevin?" I couldn't help but notice how my voice had dropped to a lower one.

He was silent for a while. "It was just Blake who escaped."

I closed my eyes shut, trying to comprehend it all. How did Blake escape? Why didn't Caden tell me? Where was Blake now?

"So, Blake's out there? Anywhere?" I asked after a while.

"More chances of catching him are here. In Philadelphia." He said. "The police found traces of him here."

Maybe that's what Nora had been talking about. A criminal on loose. That must've been Blake.

"Oh God." I whispered under my breath. Why was this happening?

"Let's just hope they catch him." He muttered. "Before he does something bad."

I didn't even have to ask what he meant by that.

************

"I think this looks good." Josh beamed at the line of retro photographs in front of him. "You're really good at this, Sky. Like real good."

I smiled in response. "Oh, it's no biggie."

"All I need to do is get them stacked on that film. And then I'd be done." He dragged a hand through his neatly combed, dark brown hair.

Staying in college after my classes got finished wasn't one of my favorite things to do. But then again, I couldn't have said a big fat no right to his face when he had asked for my help.

"You can go now." He looked at me with the same grateful smile. "I'll be done in a while. And you've done enough already."

"You sure?" I asked, clearly aware of my phone vibrating in my bag. Someone was calling.

"Yeah. Thanks again." He nodded before getting indulged in the photographs in front of him.

I saw him opening up the photographic film before I finally decided to leave.

"Alright then. Bye." I said before slinging the strap of my bag over my shoulder and and pulling out my vibrating phone.

Walking along the hallways, I answered the call. "You finally decided to call." I was aware of the lack of enthusiasm in my voice. Because I was kind of...crossed at him.

"Here I thought you'd be enthusiastic to hear my voice." Caden replied. A small smile formed on my lips at the sarcasm despite the fact how I was just crossed at him.

"I am. What's up?" I asked.

"I called you yesterday." He pointed out. "Three times."

I hummed in response. "I know. I found that out when I went back to my apartment."

"Are you outside?" He asked, off topic.

I had exited the college grounds and was out on the street. And there was a car honking behind me.

"Yes." It was already evening by now. And the entire street was busy in work.

"I thought your classes ended earlier?"

I was touched by the fact that he remembered such small detail.

"I had to help some friend." I told him.

Thankfully, my apartment wasn't that faraway from my college. Unfortunately, that was the only reason why my parents still didn't buy me a goddarn car.

"Some friend?"

I frowned at that. "Yeah. He needed help with his photography project."

"You–"

"Anyways, how are things back there in New York?" I cut him off at whatever he was about to say. I really wasn't looking forward to talk about Josh when Caden had called after so many days.

I could almost imagine him narrowing his eyes at that. I really wished I could his green eyes. See him.

"Things are normal." He replied after a while. "The way they usually are."

I was expecting him to tell me about the Blake incident. What Alex had told me. But surprisingly, he didn't.

"Nothing out of the blue happened?" I asked.

"I don't think so."

Why wasn't he telling me about Blake?

Maybe he has moved on from that topic and doesn't care if Blake escaped from the prison. Maybe I shouldn't care about that either.

"I heard about Blake." I blurted out. I could see my apartment nearing. It's light orange walls were hard not to notice.

"What about him?" The mere fact that he wasn't surprised by my outburst made me confused.

"He escaped the prison, didn't he?" I asked.

He was silent for a while.

Did he not know about that?

"He did." He finally said with a sigh. "What about it?"

"And you didn't tell me because?"

"I didn't see a reason to tell you." He replied. I just rolled my eyes. Typical Caden words. I really should just get used to them.

"And why–"

"I miss you, Sky." It was him who cut me off this time.

I got inside the familiar apartment, going upstairs. Ours was on the second floor. The highest one. I could clearly make out the noise of television as I trudged upstairs.

"You did not just dodge it off." I spoke up.

"I was just trying to copy you, babe." He replied in a voice which clearly told me how he was smirking right now.

A small laugh escaped my lips. "You are so annoying, Caden." I shook my head even if he couldn't see me.

"I know." He said. "And I really want to kiss you."

Even if I shouldn't have, I still felt my face heating up. After all, it had been so many days since we last kissed. Or saw each other.

"Why can't you come here?" I asked, stopping in front of my house door. "You know, for just a visit? We can see each other. I mean, it has been days since–"

"It would be hard going back, Sky." He interrupted.

Which was true. But I still missed him. I missed everything about him. Even his rude remarks.

I sighed and was about to take out my keys, when I saw few envelopes beneath the door. Pulling them out, I realized how they were just mails. Mostly the bills.

"How are things with your gang going?" I asked casually. That's how casual conversations with your boyfriend went. If he happened to be a gang leader.

"They're the same." He replied.

Looking at the envelopes, I realized how one of the smaller envelopes was addressed to me.

"Nothing special?" I asked. I was kind of hoping he'd tell me the reason of joining the gang back again. Since the whole crystal thing was over, it clearly didn't make sense when he had started getting involved with gangs all over again.

"No." He replied. "Like I said, it has been the same."

I opened the envelope and pulled out a folded paper from inside. Opening it up, I saw how the whole paper was empty. Except of the few bold words printed in the middle.

For a whole wide second, I forgot that Caden was on the other end when I read those words.

Confused, I read it again.

“He's lying, sweet Skylar.”

_______________________________________________________________________

Make sure to click the ★ below ↓ if you liked this chapter.

Xoxo, 

Crystal 🌿