Jaye and Skye's Story CH. 3

After a few more hours of uneventful cleaning and closing up the store, Skye was more than happy to turn off the lights and head up the hidden staircase to her lofty apartment.

“Home, sweet home” she breathed in a sigh of relief to herself.

The vixen would begin to take off her work clothes as she walked to her room dropping them as a wadded ball into the laundry basket that sat next to her bedroom door.

“Mmmm…..I wonder what time it is?” she would lazily meander over to her bed and look at the clock, which read seven ten.

“Fifty minutes till rendezvous.” she groaned.

It wasn’t that she didn’t look forward to hanging out with her friends, she just preferred a night in, with her favorite wine (or liquor depending on the night) and a good book, or movie. Sometimes she’d sit in the living room and skype with her friend Mehoe, who was a short haired cat with dark fur with black stripes.

“Huh… I wonder how he and his brother Loki are doing.” she would look over at the picture frame on her bedside table that contained a picture of Mehoe, his green eyes and facial expression showing his disdain as his younger brother Loki, a maine coon with the same fur and eye color as Mehoe, though longer fur, jumped onto his brother while the photo was being taken. Loki’s expression showing his careless goofy personality with a wide smile, tongue hanging out as one of his paws makes a peace sign. Giggling to herself Skye would stand up and head to the bathroom for a quick shower, turning on her spotify playlist before she entered.

“I only called you when it was half past five, the only time when I could call you mine.” she began to sing to herself, her melodious tones filling the air around her. Skye loved to sing, she really did. She just didn’t do much of it lately.

As skye minded her own business in the shower, singing to her heart’s content where she knew no one could hear or see her, the alarm on her phone began to go off. “Fine! Fine! I get it!” she would say to the object as if it were a person. A sigh would leave her as she stepped out of the shower, shaking herself free of the water that still clung to her fur. Skye would take a deep breath the scent of her lavender and mint body wash filling her nose. “The smell of heaven” she would say to herself as she dried her body off a bit more thoroughly. The vixen would walk over to the closet as she dried her hair. “I don’t even know where I’m going tonight” she sighed as she looked at her clothes. “Fuck it!” Skylar would finally say as she picked out a pair of shorts and a cute cami.

“This will have to do.”

“Oh! Miss sugar pink liquor liquor lips, hit me with your sweet love steal me with a…” Skye would grab her phone as her best friend called. “Yo! I’ll be down in a sec. I’m almost ready” she would say into the phone as she was doing the last bit of makeup and hair fixing. “Kay! See you in a bit!” Henry would say before hanging up. Giving herself a once over in the mirror, Skye would fix her long hair into a half up half down style with a braid on each side. “If he says I stole this hairstyle from Legolas I swear to god!” she would mumble before leaving out of the fire escape, making sure to lock up behind her.

“Lookin' good guuuurl!” Henry would comment as Skye descended the ladder of the fire escape.

“Not too shabby yourself” Skye would ruffle Henry’s hair as she got close to him.

“Aw! Come on! Not the hair! I spent forever on it!” Skye would chuckle as pouting from Henry ensued. “I can totally believe that. But it still looks cute I swear” Henry would simply grumble as he opened the passenger side door open for Skye.

“So where ARE we going?”

“You’ll see. It’ll be fun though! I promise!”

Skye would sigh. She trusted Henry, and knew he had good intentions. But sometimes… he could be a bit off in the idea department.

“So who did you get dressed up for?!” Henry began to pry.

“No one.” Skye’s answer was a bit harsh at first. She would give a sigh and look over at her best friend apologetically. “I’m… I’m sorry.” she would shake her head. “I’m not dressing up for anyone but myself.” she responded truthfully. Henry understood and would nod.

“Well. With a look like that! You won’t be single for long!” He would rub his shoulder against Skye’s as he began to pull down an all too familiar street. Skye would look away from one of the building’s in particular.  
“Eh… Henry…” She would say after a long pause.

“Hm?” he wouldn’t look in her direction as he drove towards a parking lot.

“We’re… not going to circus by any chance? Are we?” Skye would say after a nervous giggle.

Henry would pull into a parking spot before resting a hand on Skye’s shoulder. “He won’t be there, I promise” Skye’s eye would open wide. She felt almost slightly betrayed.

“HENRY! I told you! I told you I never wanted to come back here!”

Henry would look at Skye apologetically and place a hand on her shoulder. “Skye.. Skye! Breathe!” he would say in attempts to calm her. She would only calm down to look at him when he gently turned her gaze to him. “Skye. Breathe. Just…” he would begin to inhale and then exhale, in attempts to get her to do the same thing. She would nod, and begin to do the breathing exercise with him.

After a few minutes had passed, Henry would hug Skye. “Look. I’m really sorry. But you can’t stay in that apartment all the time, and he’s not in there. I promise. He won’t be. I wouldn’t do that to you, ok?” There would be a pause, but Skye would finally nod.

“O-okay… fine… I’ll go. But after this, I’m not coming back. Ever!” she would stare him down with her blue and green eyes.

“I promise to never bring you back here, after today.” Henry nodded firmly.

“Fine. Let’s go” Skylar would say after a very long sigh, beginning to head towards the circus staircase with Henry in toe.

Skye’s heartbeat filled her ears with a drumming that was so loud she almost didn’t hear Henry speak to her.

“Come on Skye, I’m right here. Nothing is going to happen. Just you. Me. A drink, and some music.”

Skye would look from her friend towards the short walk up to the circus doorway. She would only give a heavy sigh before taking the first step. And then another. Henry would simply place a comforting hand on her back while giving her a warm smile. She took another deep breath and nodded walking the rest of the way up quickly.

Heading past a group of chattering smokers, who gave Henry a quick “Hey!” Skye walked up to the large metal door and pulled it open.

“Hello again Henry! May I see your I.D. miss?” Came the quick words from a large grizzly bear, that was working as a bouncer.

“Hey Man!” Henry replied cheerily, holding his arm out to the other bouncer, an average looking human named Larry.

Skye held out her arm to Larry, watching in silence as he put the paper bracelet on it, while the grizzly bear nodded at her I.D.

“Wow. Nothing has changed has it?” said Skye as she looked around the venue with her mismatched eyes, finding the bar.

“It’s only been what? A few months since you’ve last been here?” Said Henry following Skye to the bar.

She would shrug not caring to recall. She was already trying her best to avoid looking towards the pool tables.

“Remember, he’s not going to be here Skye.” Said Henry in a low reassuring tone.

“I know. Sorry. I just.” Her ears would droop and her tail would curl around her feet. Henry instinctively put an arm around Skye.

“You don’t get out enough. And I know this will be good for you.”
Skye nodded.

“I know, and I’m sorry. I can do this.” she said more to herself than anything.

She would pick up the drink she ordered and go sit among the tables that were slightly closer to the stage. Her eyes followed Henry as he walked past the table and up to the D.J. booth. A tall charismatic looking man stood behind a laptop and smiled at Henry as they talked for a moment. Henry would soon hand him a small piece of paper and walk away, taking a seat next to Skye.

“So what are you singing?” Skye asked as she took a swig of her beer.

“I will not bow” Henry leaned in with a devious smile and Skye slowly realized what he had done.

“No.” She would say firmly.

“Yes. And no worming your way out of this one. Unless you want putrid green fur.” His smile would widen.

“I’m going to hurt you.” She growled.

“No you won’t. Cause you’re up!” Henry would chuckle and lay back in his chair as Skye’s name was called over the microphone. Her eyes would widen as she looked over to the stage.

“No. You didn’t!” she squeaked.

Henry would give her a push while still sitting. “Go! One drink, one song.” He encouraged.
Skye growled at him before shyly and shakily making her way up to the stage. The place wasn’t too full yet, so that helped her relax slightly.

“WOO! GO SKYE!” she would hear Henry say from where he sat. She would simply close her eyes and breathe. Attempting to steady herself as the song began.

Her voice was strong, yet melodic. “Now the dark begins to rise.” She began gazing out at the room before her. She could see more people coming in from outside, and some even started to bop around to the music. Skye could feel with each word and each breath, that she was becoming less nervous. The fear that resided in her stomach was beginning to subside. She just started to feel joy when suddenly a large wave of terror engulfed her.

“Sing for me Skye. Sing only for me.” His voice echoed through her head.

Skye’s voice would squeak, and she stopped singing. Her hand covering her mouth as she looked towards Henry, eyes wide and filled with terror. Henry’s face would go from joy to sadness and sympathy. Henry would jump to his feet and hop onto the stage with her grabbing the extra mic.
“I WILL NOT BOW! I WILL NOT BREAK!” Henry began to sing as he hip bumped Skye. She would give a small smile and look away, placing her mic back in its spot before walking off stage to go sit back down at her table, her face in her paws.