Free My Skylar by Penelope Ward

say?”
    I shook my head and glared at him in a silent warning not to push it. Davey gave me a
    knowing but amused look.
    Skylar returned Seamus to his perch in the cage and lay back down on my bed. “Are you guys
    cold?”
    “Not really,” I said.
    “I have the chills for some reason. I think I’m coming down with something. Do you mind if I
    use your covers?”
    “Not at all.”
    My sheets were going to smell like her tonight.
    The three of us opened our books and quietly got to work. From time to time, I would look up
    at Skylar in my bed. She was still shivering. Davey seemed to catch me staring at her at one point
    and rolled his eyes. I gave him the finger, and he didn’t return it like he usually did. He would get back at me later in his own special way.
    “When it comes to Skylar, I can’t figure out if you’re Himeros or Pothos, Mitch.”
    “Say what?”
    “I’m studying for my Greek mythology test. We have to memorize some of the Gods.”
    “What does this have to do with me?”
    His dreads flew around as he just laughed hysterically and didn’t say anything.
    Skylar looked up from the bed but didn’t seem too affected by the comment. She continued to
    shiver.
    “You okay?” I asked.
    “Not really. I’m feeling kind of achy. I think I have a fever. I should probably go home.”
    “Let me walk you.”
    She took one of my coats, and we walked across the street. It was already dark, and light
    snowflakes were starting to fly. We could see our breath.
    Skylar continued to shiver as she knocked and rang the doorbell. “She’d better be home.”
    Tish answered the door. “I got your text. You lost your keys?”
    “I think I left them in my locker.”
    “Hey, Mitch.”
    I waved to Tish and followed Skylar inside.
    “I am not feeling well, Mom.”
    “What’s wrong?”
    “I think I might be getting the flu or something.”
    Tish felt Skylar’s forehead. “You should go to sleep early tonight.”
    She took off my coat and handed it back to me. “You gonna head back?”
    “I’ll hang out for a few minutes.”
    For some reason, I just didn’t want to leave Skylar. She rarely got sick. In fact, I couldn’t recall a single time before this. I followed her into her room, and as she got under her covers, I sat at the edge of her bed by her feet.
    “You should get back to Davey.”
    “You kidding? He’s probably having a field day searching my drawers and raiding the fridge.
    He’ll be fine.”
    Her teeth chattered as she laughed.
    “Do you have any NyQuil? That shit will knock you out until tomorrow.”
    “Oh, good to know. I’ll have to be sure to take some with me down to Florida for Oliver’s
    wedding.”
    “You decided to go?”
    She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. “I think so.”
    “That’s the right decision. It sucks, and it might give you angina, but you’ll get through it.”
    “It might give me what? Vagina?”
    “Angina! My grandmother says that all of the time. It’s like chest pains or something. You have
    a dirty mind, girl.”
    “You love that about me, though.”
    “You’re right. I do. Nothing gets past you, and nothing bothers you. I like not having to walk
    on eggshells when I talk to you.” I playfully squeezed her feet.
    “That felt good.”
    “What?”
    “When you squeezed my feet like that.”
    “You want me to do it again? Give you a foot rub?”
    “No, I don’t want a foot rub…said no one ever.”
    “Okay.” I laughed and repositioned both of her feet onto my lap, squeezing her toes with both
    of my hands in firm pulses.
    “Speaking of dirty mind…what was up with our bird talking about boners?”
    “I have no idea.”
    “You sure about that?”
    My phone chimed. Saved by the bell. Maybe not.
    Stop going down on her and get back here and make me a sandwich.
    “Fuckin’ Davey.”
    “What? What does it say?”
    “I can’t tell you. It’s—”
    “About us?” She put her head down for a bit then looked straight into my