Becoming Skye

CHAPTER ONE

SOMETHING UNCOMFORTABLE WAS
PUSHING air into my nose. Oxygen tubing. I
glanced to one side of the room. Things seemed
fuzzy, but I saw two chairs, one bench, and a lot of
monitors. From the looks of it, I was in recovery.

Then I stared down. Blankets covered my lower
half, and I pulled them back, careful not to dislodge
the padded clamp on my index fInger. An enormous
brace covered my leg. And I realized it hurt—a slow,
aching pain that began at the core of my knee and
radiated out.

A hunger pang competed with the aching in
my leg. Why wasn’t anyone feeding me?

I looked around for the call button, and my gaze
landed on the most beautiful pair of brown eyes I’d
even seen in my life. “Kellum?”

I had to be dreaming. The best dream in the
world.

He nodded and rubbed my arm through the
blanket. “Hey, Skye.”

“What are you doing here, cutie pie?” I winked
at him.

He chuckled.

“Oh, I love your laugh. It’s so Matthew
McConaughey meets Zac Efron, ya know?”

He leaned forward, an adorable smile coating his
lips. “Sounds like you’re a little woozy from the
anesthesia.”

I shook my head. “Noooooo. You’re a dream
boat. I mean, you know I watch you every day in
A&P.” I slapped his arm. “Not like in a creepy way,
but like in the way T-Swift likes that guy in the
house across the street... I guess that was kind of
stalker-y. You get it.”

He laughed again, those dreamy brown eyes
dancing. “I think I do.”

“Why do you date Safron? Just ’cause you think
she’s cute?”

His eyes drifted down to his lap.

“Oh no, I upset you. Don’t worry. I’m just a little
jealous she gets in on all of that.” I reached out and
touched his muscled forearm.

A choked laugh escaped his lips. “Oh my gosh.”

I laughed too. “I am pretty funny. One of my
many fIne qualities.”

He reached up and brushed some hair out of my
face, and I held his hand to my cheek. “Mmm. That’s
nice.”

A nurse passed by my door, her Crocs squawking
on the way.

“Hey,” I rasped out.

The nurse backed up and poked her head in the
door. “Wow, you’re awake.” She walked up to my
bed and rested her hands on the railing beside
Kellum. “We didn’t expect you up for another half
hour or so.” She jerked her thumb at Kellum. “This
your boyfriend?”

I looked at him. “Um, I wish. Isn’t he hot?”

She chuckled.

“My cousin’s staying in a room down the hall,
and I saw Skye’s name,” Kellum said. “Thought I’d
come in.”

He came to see me? “That’s so sweet.”

He smiled. “Yeah, but I better get going.”

I tried to keep a hold on his hand as he stood up,
but our fIngers broke apart.

“Fine,” I hufFed. “But walk out slowly so I can
watch.”

The nurse let out a peel of laughter. “Girl, get it.”

Kellum laughed. “I’ll see you at school.”

Then he walked out, and I howled at him.

Because he was fIne.