Free My Skylar by Penelope Ward Page B

too. Normally, we stayed in with Angie and Cody or with
    Davey. Tonight would be the first in a while where Mitch and I were going out somewhere
    together alone.
    I was nervous, not for the movie but for what would be happening when we got home.
    I put on a pair of dark jeans and a flowy, yellow tunic that had gold sequins on the neckline. I
    blew my hair out pin-straight and sprayed on some of my mother’s expensive Jean Paul Gaultier
    perfume. What the hell, I’d put on some heavy eye make-up and go all out. He needed to
    remember what I looked like tonight.
    It had been about six weeks since the night in my room when Mitch admitted he wanted me
    while I was holed up in bed with a fever. In the days that followed, I had continued to feel off-
    kilter physically. Some days, the fever returned and other days, I just felt lethargic.
    My mother finally convinced me to go to the doctor a couple of weeks ago. My assumption was
    that Dr. Stein would send me home with a prescription for antibiotics, and that would be the end
    of it.
    The doorbell rang, startling me out of my thoughts.
    “Skylar! Mitch is here,” my mother yelled from downstairs.
    “Tell him to come upstairs!”
    When the door opened, my breath hitched at the sight of him. His hair was wet, perfectly wavy
    with a loose piece falling over his forehead. He was more dressed-up than I had ever seen him,
    wearing a navy sweater under a black, wool jacket. He smelled like heaven: a mixture of musk,
    shower wash and masculinity. The sweater hugged his muscular frame, which was more sculpted
    lately. He had just turned seventeen, looking less like a boy and more like a man everyday.
    He swallowed. “Skylar…you look—”
    “I know. I worked hard at it. I damn well better look good.”
    “Better than good. I was gonna say…beautiful.”
    My heart fluttered. I took a deep breath, inhaling him. He hadn’t ever called me beautiful
    before. It should have felt good, but instead, it felt like someone had punched me in the gut.
    “Thank you.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    Mitch continued to stand in the doorway. It was quiet except for the noise of my radiator when
    the heat turned on. When his eyes wandered down the length of my body, it felt like I could feel
    him on me. My nipples hardened. I didn’t know whether this was technically a date, but tonight
    felt different in more ways than one.
    I held up my necklace. “Will you help me put this on?”
    He approached me and took it from my hands. I lifted my hair, and he reached his arms over
    me and connected the lobster clasp. Mitch’s hands lingered on my shoulders before he gave them
    a light squeeze, and his breath warmed the back of my neck.
    I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent before turning around to find his blue eyes, steely
    and striking, staring back at me. He licked his lips and seemed anxious. About what, I couldn’t be
    sure.
    It shattered me because he had no idea what was going to be happening tonight.
    “Ready to go?” he asked.
    “Yeah.”
    Mitch played Metallica as we drove the few miles to the movie theater, which was packed.
    He held the door for me and winked, speaking in a faux British accent. “After you, my lady.”
    “Why, thank you.” I smiled. He didn’t know that his attempt at charm in that moment had
    almost made me cry. He didn’t realize how badly I was trying to hold it together.
    “You want something to eat?”
    “No, I’m not hungry at all.”
    He examined my face. “You’ll regret that decision when you see me eating. I’ll get something,
    and if you change your mind, you can have some of mine.”
    “Okay.” I forced another smile.
    The show was nearly sold out, and we struggled to find two seats together. We managed to
    snag some way in the back.
    The lights dimmed, and a feeling of dread came over me.
    About fifteen minutes into the movie, I could feel Mitch’s eyes on me. My body quivered when
    he suddenly moved closer and whispered in my ear, “Is