Brigetta 25-47

Don’t you forget about me

LAKE MICHIGAN

IV

The breezes of late summer air hummed lightly through the open crack of a window in the black classic looking Lincoln that accelerated along I-32. The road it sped along wound through beautiful country-sides and a glimpse of Lake Michigan glittered in the distance. The rural surroundings were beautiful, the vehicle was a classic, but it was the cargo inside of it, which was the most precious.

“About twenty minutes left, Miss Christopoulos.” The driver said over his shoulder.

He was cute, 50-something and looked a little like Skye’s grandfather. “Alright, thank you.” Skye smiled at him graciously.

She then turned to her sister sitting next to her, “Serena?” She paused and tucked a long dark lock behind her ear. “Do you mind if we… make a little pit-stop?”

Serena looked up from French Vogues fall edition. “What might that be?” She asked and cocked her head knowingly.

“Well,” Skye swallowed, “I was thinking, maybe, before we have to deal with all the hassles of moving… would you mind if I stopped to see Asher?”

Asher McCullen was Skye’s on again, off again, boyfriend. Tall, dark, and handsome, Asher was always mysterious from his sexy artist looks to his bad boy acts. You never knew what to expect with the two of them, Skye always found she was either heartbroken, or head over heels, swept off her feet. He was from the city as well, and had quite a rebellious rep. But Skye found something sweet and endearing in him, and never let go hope, no matter how bad it might’ve been.

Serena chuckled at her sister’s eager plea, “Whatever floats your boat, sis.” She shook her head and returned to her magazine.

Serena and their brother Phoenix had tried to convince Skye to let him go countless times, but all their tries went by unsuccessfully. Skye could never quite see the bad in people, no matter how much it was hurting her. She found a way to still find some light, something good within them that made it worth it. Asher could walk all over her, betray her, and lie, but no matter how much her siblings tried to help her, Skye would still love him at the end of the day. So at that point, Serena chose to not share her views, and just stay out of it. Her efforts always proved to be useless. And it was her sister’s life, not hers, after all. But no matter how indifferent Serena acted, she had an obvious distain for him or anything Skye had to do with him. This bothered Skye, for she wanted nothing more than for Asher to prove his love to her, and prove the doubts of her family wrong. “You will like him in time, once you get to know him better. Trust me.” She told her Serena in a confident tone, then looked away.

Skye twiddled her freshly manicured fingers, then laced them together. She held her hands as a reaction to aggravation, so she simply placed them upon the soft true religion denim over her knees, and sighed. “I mean it, Serena. I love him, so much.”



Skye gazed her brilliant blue eyes out the window at the passing fields, and the love was obvious in her expression. Silence dwelled between them in the small confines of the luxury town car, the tension and conflicting views creating a wall between them. Skye simply turned her head out the window, searching for some clue of what to say. Serena sat in front of her, silently rocking her crossed legs and flipping the pages of the magazine.

“I know what you mean, Skye. If you want to talk about it though, you should try talking to Phoenix. He knows him better than I do,” She tried. “I’m sorry I can’t be much of a help; but you know it'll be better once you see each other.” Serena told her, still with no response. She shrugged, and gave up. “Skye, really. You know it’ll be fine once you talk to him.”

A light went off in Skye’s mind. “You know what?” she sat upright in her seat, and faced her sister. “I’m going to call him too, right now!” She proclaimed.

“Do whatever you please; I’m just here to enjoy the ride. But don’t take too long, Hannah’s waiting too you know.”

Skye nodded as she retrieved her blackberry from her new Balenciaga bag, and pressed one, Asher’s speed dial. “Thank you for… not making this difficult.” She stuttered. “I do know how you feel about him…” Skye searched for the right words, and then stopped, as she obviously heard his voice. Little did she know, he would quickly hang up.

“Hello? Asher? Hello?!” Skye put her phone out in front of her checking to make sure the phone was connected. “Helloooo?!”

No answer. Hoping he had a bad connection, or that the call was simply lost, Skye quickly pressed redial. It rang three more times, then the dial tone cut off.

“Hm.” Skye huffed, a frown and disappointment on her pretty face. “I’ll try again later” She nodded, trying to seem sure of herself.

Skye instantly became worried, but tried to not get so easily discouraged. He could be busy moving in himself, or just landing. Who knows what he could’ve been doing. But Skye couldn’t help but wonder, what was the voice inside of her that instantly led her to assume the worst? She didn’t know, but that feeling wasn’t very comfortable. Sometimes following your intuition was a little too unpleasant for her taste. Skye always chose to remain positive and happy, and that was just what she was going to do.

“Rather I see Ash before I get there or not, I know I will, very soon.” She assured herself.

Serena agreed as she set the magazine down beside her. “Exactly. So why worry?”

Skye didn’t respond. Her full pink lips were pursed, her eyebrows knitted. She loosely twirled one of her jet black strands of hair with her finger, and then raised her eyebrows. “It’s been since July, you know. Since I’ve seen him.”

“Wow!” Serena quickly said aloud. “I can’t believe it’s been that long.” She more calmly added, as she shook her head. “But I agree, once you get settled, the two of you can then meet up. Maybe he’ll be waiting for you when we get there! You never know.” she positively added, and gave her a trying smile. Serena never liked to see her sister worried like this. She could sense the tension Skye held inside, and she looked lost in thought.

Skye sat back in the smooth leather seat, and was trying to not feel so defeated. Serena, who was usually the negative one, was even being optimistic. So, Skye thought, maybe I should try a little harder to not be so… dramatic… It is day one back after all, and we have a whole year to be together.

“You’re right; everything is fine.” Skye concluded. “In fact, I really am excited right now. I wish words could describe it.”

“I do go to college too, you know. Just because it’s near home, I still know the feeling. You’re going through a big transition, dealing with a lot of emotions. It’s only natural to have some worries.”

But… just how big should my worries really be? Skye asked herself. For everything else in her life was in sync, from school, to family and friends. She knew it would all fall into place, like it always had. But with Asher, no matter how positive she acted, Skye herself never knew. What had he done that summer? Why was he avoiding her? When would she get to talk to him? The list of questions Skye handled was endless.

However, all of these worries and thoughts were washed away with one simple ring. She reached for her blackberry that she had just spoke to her best friend Hannah with shortly before. Soon after that call she placed, she called her boyfriend, Asher. And that’s who the new text message in Skye’s inbox was from, Asher himself. Her heart skipped a beat as she clicked “open”. Bracing herself, Skye opened her eyes, and then read the screen:

- From: Asher
- To: Skye

Sorry babe, just getting to school…I’ll call ya when I can.

“Asher?” Serena asked.

“Uh huh.” Skye mumbled, not taking her eyes off the short few words he sent. She re-read them a few times, and then dropped the phone in her purse. She squinted her large eyes as she scanned her thoughts for how she felt about it. The message was simple, only twelve words. Though in essence, the words were meaningless to her. For no amount of words, no paragraph he could’ve typed could give her what she wanted, the feeling, the relief she wished to have. Nothing he could say could give her the warmth, the belief, the assurance, of three simple words: I. love. You. Skye had scanned the message back and forth, and sure enough, no sign of what she hoped for. She didn’t know how to explain this to her sister because it seemed a little silly after two years of being together, that she needed to hear them. But she did, she desperately wished to have seen them, for they would’ve meant more than any explanation he could’ve gave. This was difficult for Skye to express, but Serena needed an answer. Skye didn’t know what to say; so she finally looked away...

All I want is everything

Northwestern university

V


Eight letters, three words. I l-o-v-e y-o-u. Seemingly simple. When written, no different then: A c-o-o-l c-a-t. Same, eight letters, three words. But the meaning of those particular three words, “I love you”, is different to each person. It’s amazing how humans can have the ability to throw around the words, I hate you, so easily, yet the words I love you, are rare. They can be powerful, strong, and life changing.

As Skye contemplated the meaning of “I love you” to her, only a dozen miles away, her dearest roommate was as well. Skye was shook by a text from a lover, the lack of “I love you.” But it was the call that Skye made previously to that, when she herself spoke those words that affected her best friend and roommate Hannah. Skye didn’t think twice about it, it was common, short and sweet. She had moved on from their call instantly, and focused only on the situation with Asher. Whereas Hannah, who was only a short distance away, was still fixated upon it. They had similar concerns however with the thoughts that plagued them, they were over the issue of love. Love is a funny thing, it can be felt so easily, yet when spoken, it is a little more difficult. Skye was grasping the lack of love, when Hannah was meanwhile just trying to grasp the presence of the love. The love she felt from Skye was irreplaceable, and in actuality, was the only love in her life she felt. Skye had spoken the three words, “Love you, Han.” And Hannah had responded, “I love you too, Skye.”

After hanging up on Skye and ending that call, Hannah paused, and began to think. She processed what just happened, and the last three fateful words hanging in her mind. Staring at all her things strewn on the ground, for some reason she couldn’t bring herself to pick them up. She was frozen, those three small words sinking in to her core. Oh, how she missed her beautiful roommate. “I love you too, Skye,” Hannah repeated to herself in a whisper.

Aside from her ivory locks blowing gently in the wind, Hannah was motionless. With her perfectly still posture, she looked almost like a statue. The complex young woman stood beautifully, angelic even, as blonde waves blew around her face like a halo. Staring blankly, her expression soon changed from confusion, to sadness. The word’s meaning and strength hit her like a semi truck when they dawned upon her. She felt her stomach drop, and her golden eyes were suddenly wet with tears. Contemplating no more, Hannah quickly caught a hold of herself and kneeled to the ground. “Stop being silly,” she said under her breath, and patted her eyes dry. She shook her head and gathered her bags, and emotions, back together again.

As she returned binders and books to her bag, something in the distance caught Hannah’s ear. She thought she heard someone say her name. She stopped, flipped her hair out of her face, and looked up. Her confusion would soon be answered.

“HANNAH!” a voice clearly called ahead of her. Scanning the quad, Hannah then found in the front of the parking lot, two of her closest friends running towards her.

“Rachelle, Claire!” Hannah stood to her feet, bags in hand, beaming as they came closer. Rachelle Sinclair, and Claire Piermont stood before her beautiful as ever, and they reached out to embrace their good friend. Rachelle and Claire were both from New York City like Skye, and had been friends for years. Rachelle was tall with a short blonde bob and soft features. She had a brilliant smile, and loved to have fun. Particularly with men in her case, Rachelle often had a little too much fun, and a reputation to go with it. Claire was a short brunette, just as pretty, and had style that rivaled Victoria Beckham. She was dark and Italian, and had a sultry look about her. Although not as outrageous or infamous as Rachelle, Claire was no Georgia peach either. Their group of friends was all similar in that; they each had their own scandalous way. Birds of a feather flock together, Hannah would always say; but these were birds two she was surely pleased to see.

“How was Cape Town and the rest of your trip to Africa?” Rachelle asked, helping her with some of her bags. “I’m so bummed we only got to see you one night out of all the time we had off!”

“I know!” Hannah frowned, then smiled once again, “But I had so much fun with you two when I did make it out there. You know I love New York. But, Africa! It was wonderful. We stayed for 3 weeks, then went inland to Kenya and did a Safari. Crazy, I know! I was scared to death.”


Claire’s jaw dropped, “Wow! No wonder we only saw you out in the Hamptons once.”

Hannah shrugged sheepishly. “It was exciting, but I CANNOT wait to hear about all that went down on the shore!” she shifted her weight in her heels, secretly anxious to take the topic off of her summer, which in reality was spent in an office or her three bedroom PA home. She intentionally put emphasis on all the fun they had, knowing they’d be quick to share.

“Oh my god, it was so fun! Just wait ‘til you we tell you all that went down.” Rachelle spoke with her hands, and was obviously anxious to tell. “Oh,” she paused and looked around, then leaned in closer. Raising her perfectly arched brows, she more quietly said, “and you’ll DIE when you hear ‘bout all the fun Asher had.” She put an emphasis on “fun”, her tone’s inflection lower.

Rachelle and Claire both stood with their hands on their hips and smirks on their pretty faces as they waited for her reaction.

Hannah’s stomach dropped. “Oh, I’m sure there’s plenty of good gossip.” She too quickly responded. Hannah tried awkwardly nodding her in agreement, and tried to seem curious and not so demure. “You know I love to hear a good scandal!” she added for effect. While attempting to match their interest, Hannah had somehow managed to avoid the topic of Asher, at least for the time being.

Claire however, had no reason to be timid. “You got that right,” she scoffed. “He is complete trash. Poor Skye, honestly.” Claire shook her brown haired head.

Rachelle nodded, and put in her own two cents. “For real, it was downright ridiculous. He smoked like a fiend and drank like a fish, every night of summer. Each night out would end with him luring in a different dumb skank or drunk model, to the love fortress of his Ocean Drive estate.” Claire laughed, as Rachelle rolled her eyes concluding, “New York’s own Casanova, Mr. Asher McCullen.”

Hannah jumped at his name. “Why don’t we head inside?” She suggested, desperate to avoid the discomfort of that subject.

“Yes, my loves, why don’t we catch up once were all set, instead of standing here in the middle of the parking lot!” Claire giggled and slung a bag over her shoulder.

“Yeah, let’s get a move on” smiling in agreement, Hannah was really just thankful to have avoided the topic. She pushed it out of her mind, quickly striding away from the parking lot, and she disregarded it completely.

As the three trekked along the pathway towards the large Evanston doors, Hannah tuned her friends out. As Rachelle and Claire buzzed with exciting gossip and giddy chatter, Hannah simply gave an occasional nod or “yeah” when they’d plead for her opinion on a probably meaningless issue. The two overflowed with stories and tales of their glam summer holidays, none of which Hannah paid any attention as they walked. She was usually the quiet one, so her reserved demeanor wasn’t anything suspicious. In fact, the girls almost loved to hear themselves talk so much, they probably didn’t even notice Hannah couldn’t get a word in. But in fact, Hannah felt no need to stop them. For in reality, if Hannah were to ask herself, what tales such as theirs did she really have to tell? The answer to that was simple; she had none.

The conversation and gossip quickly halted as they entered the beautiful Lindgren Hall of the Evanston campus. Ivy twisted along the stone exterior, and it had an old, aged, English feel to it. Inside the building, Professors briskly passed by, tour guides waved over their groups, parents hugged and kissed their children goodbye. Move-in day was always miserable, but this year as juniors, it was especially hectic. For they were now living in Upperclassman housing, a rite of passage among students who couldn’t wait to no longer be in the notoriously stingy Allison Hall freshman dorms. No more ambulances for the too drunk freshman, no crowded bathrooms shared with 30 others. No more annoying R.A.’s, no more wondering where their next class was. They had already been through all of that, the girls were now knowledgeable and knew the ins and outs of the university as they began their junior year. The three quickly made their way through housing, and were so excited to discover their new and improved rooms. They each got their own key, and located where their new dorms were. Hannah and Skye had already requested the previous year to be roomies once again, and she felt lucky to not have the surprise of just meeting who she’d be living with for the next year. Rachelle and Claire weren’t lucky enough to room together again, so the three of them said their goodbyes, and each went their separate way to meet their new roommates. Hannah was solo once again, and felt a little relieved. She’d had a lot to deal with in one day. She smiled at familiar friends and new faces as she walked the halls of Lindgren Hall, and eventually made it to her and Skye’s room, and turned the key in room 1262 for the first time.

Once she had finished moving in all her things, Hannah felt a weight fall off her shoulders as she looked at her new room. Yes, it was small, but it seemed just perfect to her. She smoothed out the new pink comforter and sat down, not minding the changes. Although relationships, times, and rooms may have changed, one thing remained the same; Skye. Hannah loved her, she was all she had. Skye was her saving grace; she was there through it all. Even with the guilt always lingering in her mind, Hannah had come to accept there was nothing she could do, what was done was done. She still felt stressed, and after moving in, and driving all those hours, Hannah felt truly exhausted. All she could do then was lie down, relax, forget those lingering thoughts, and await the arrival of her beloved friend, Skye.


To live is to be loved

dolce restaurant- Chicago- august 28

V

“Have you made it to Chicago yet?” Skye irritatedly asked as she briskly walked towards the restaurant. She had just finished hanging out with Hannah, and wasn’t early like she planned on being.
“Skye, I’m already there. I have been for almost twenty minutes.” Yes, Asher McCullen had arrived at downtown Chicago’s Dolce Restaurant before his girlfriend Skye had, but he was nowhere near twenty minutes early. Try five, maybe. The guilt card was clever, but could cleverness be enough?
Asher was attractive, about 6’2 with shaggy brown waves, tanned skin, and emerald green eyes. His long dark locks resembled those of Edward in Twilight, and Asher had a way about him that would make any girl swoon. He was a bad boy from New York, kicked out of prep school numerous times, and with 3 older brothers even worse than him. In and out of rehab, dating top models, and one even in a famous rock band, the McCullen boys were the epitome of rebellious. From a blue blood NY family they never failed to shock and disappoint, Asher and his brothers loved to stir up trouble and push the envelope. In middle school, they’d steal grandpa’s cigars from his New York penthouse, find dad’s Playboy magazine in elementary, and went on to use daddy’s bank account for sex and drugs in high school. Among NY’s high society families, the McCullen’s were always looked down upon for the beautiful yet devilish boys they raised. Some felt sympathy for them, most rolled their eyes and sneered at the disgrace.
Asher was different from his older brothers though, he was much gentler. A wonderful musician and a naturally talented artist, he had a mysterious air about him that was incredibly intriguing. Known for his wild ways, Asher could still sweep one with his looks, his gentle demeanor, the mystery that surrounded him, for you never knew what to expect. One moment you could be enthralled by his unique beauty, his artistic ways, then soon feel heartbroken with disappointment at his often outrageous and dark ways. Skye constantly felt this battle. She fell in love with the guy who she believed to be different, and yet she found herself among the others left wondering, who is the real Asher McCullen?
Skye didn’t know. But she knew she loved him, she thought he loved her, and she knew that the distance and separation between them wasn’t normal. Something was up, and she would figure out what it was. No one had ever ignored Skye Christopoulos. Asher had never in the time she’d known him, just not talked to her. Skye had been in Illinois for two days already on the warm night of August 27th, and was pleased with many things so far. She had moved in with the help of her sister Serena, caught up with old friends, and reunited with her best friend, Hannah. Yes, Skye’s first days back at school had been wonderful, especially with her sister there. She was lucky to have had her help, and the girls had spent their time together with Hannah shopping, going out to eat, and over drinks with Skye’s other girlfriends. Skye’s arrival at school had been such a joy by that point, most would wonder what else could she possibly be missing? Skye could answer that question easily, she was missing Asher.
Skye left him a message the night before, asking to meet her at Dolce around 7. She called him around 6:45, and was taken aback by the fact the he not only was there, but for once Asher had showed up early. As she rushed towards Dolce and the fate awaiting her, she was extremely excited, yet was jaded with a dark bitterness.
That date could determine a lot in their relationship. Asher knew that it was important to her, and he figured he should try and show that the meeting meant something to him too. In reality, it was almost like a chore. Something he knew he had to do, but he’d feel better once it was over with. This had nothing to do with Skye, she was an angel to him. It more so was the fact that for 2 hours Asher would be forced to sit eye to eye with her beautiful face, and grip the guilt. It wasn’t an easy task, and he didn’t look forward to it. He didn’t mind going out to dinner, but he didn’t care for it either. Personally, Asher would probably prefer wearing jeans a t-shirt instead of slacks and a button up, and would rather pizza and beer than the $500 dinner they would be having. But he knew he was in the wrong, more so then she even knew. Asher also knew Skye was never one to stay angry or hold grudges for long, which was one of the great things he loved about her. She was so caring, always worrying about everyone else. He knew that with a few sweet words with his low husky voice, he would assure her of his love, and soothe all her worries. Yes, instead of confessing and apologizing like he knew he should, Asher would probably simply charm her with his intrigue, and convince her all was well with a gentle kiss on the lips. But even he didn’t know how this meeting would turn out. It'd been so long since the two had last seen one another. Asher twiddled his fingers anxiously in the secluded VIP booth, nervously awaiting Skye’s arrival.
It would occur a little later than he anticipated, but all good things are worth the wait. After she returned from weeks away overseas, he was the one who hadn’t spoke to her in days. Waiting a few extra minutes wouldn’t kill him, and Skye thought at a place as nice as dolce, it wasn’t much of a punishment, more a privilege.
Dolce was more than just an establishment of fine dining, it was the newest hotspot among Chicago’s elite. Only a 25 minute drive from Northwestern University, students pined to get on the entrance list, but those who actually made it within its stainless steel doors were far and few. Not just anyone could dine among the powerful politicians, athletes, and celebrities that frequented the ritzy restaurant. Skye Christopoulos however, was not just anyone.
As she gracefully sashayed through the large doors held for her, even Skye was breath taken. She had traveled all around the world, and seen numerous beautiful places within it, but the establishment of Dolce right in the heart of Chicago, was a sight to behold. Massive red Chandeliers lined the entrance, and were made with Egypt’s most unique and expensive glass. The light from the crystal’s reflected down onto the black marble below them, and cast a seductive shade of scarlet upon the room. Bright and warm shades of red, purple, and royal blue were found throughout the restaurant, and aromas of the delicious Italian cuisine and wine filled the air. Skye looked to her feet and saw that the rays of light glittered in the reflection of her patent leather Louis Vuitton heels. She admired their shine as she clicked her way to the bouncer, a warm smile on her face.
“Skye Christopoulos” She stated as she handed a hostess her white cashmere Fendi trench coat, and had to try not to laugh as the hostess searched for her name. Please, do you think Skye ever would call ahead for reservations, or to put her name on the list? Some things in life just work a certain way, and Skye did not work that way.
In a restaurant as exclusive as Dolce however, it was unheard of to pass by the waitlist, skip over the reservations, and be granted a table, let alone a VIP booth, simply by stating your name. And on a busy Saturday night in Chicago too! It simply didn’t happen, ever. But like most things in her life, it did, and with a drink and VIP pass offered to her at that. “Thank you.” She graciously nodded towards the miserable looking hostesses dressed in a black from head to toe.
Skye was directed towards a secluded booth, and soon saw the one and only Asher’s smiling face, looking handsome as ever. She sat down into the low booth slowly, careful to leave some to the imagination from her short Versace sequined dress to the wealthy a-lister’s around her. She crossed her golden legs, set her purse down, and finally looked up at her boyfriend sitting before her.
“Hey you,” he said in his usual enticing tone, with a beaming smile, and an adorable wink.
“Long time no see, love.” Skye breathed a sigh of relief, and reluctantly let him hold her hand.
Asher tightly grasped her small hands in his, and he couldn’t stop smiling. The dim candle light highlighted the contours of her face so beautifully, it reminded him of a painting he once saw in Rome. He etched the memory of her mesmerizing beauty in his mind. Her olive skin was flushed with a warm red glow, her beauty fully displayed with her black hair pulled back in an up do. The two sat in silence, Skye searching him for some emotion, while Asher just admired her. He wished he could be painting right then, Skye was often the muse of his works. He admired the gleam of her glossy lips, her thick dark lashes, how they were so lavish and long naturally, not plastered and gunked with makeup. They perfectly framed her blue opalescent eyes that were so hypnotizing. The flame of the candle’s danced within their sapphire depths, and they desperately scanned his own eyes for the emotions he was hiding.
“Hello and welcome to Dolce. My name is Svetlana and I will be serving you tonight.” The tense silence was ended abruptly, as their red headed waitress introduced herself cheerfully, with what sounded like a fake Spanish accent.

“Svetlana” as she called herself, stood awkwardly, waiting for some greeting in return. At the candlelit booth however, it was obvious the two were not in any mood to chat.

“Hi.” Skye offered with a smile that was about as believable as “Svetlana’s” accent. Asher sat fixated on her still, rudely ignoring the waitress. Has he no social graces?! Skye nudged his foot under the table. “Hello,” He abruptly sat up and nodded at her.

The waitress set two glasses on the table and filled them with wine. “Our drink special tonight is Chteau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac, as you can see it is a remarkably dark wine. It sports mineral aromas of mint and black currant, and is flavorful with its silky texture.” Svetlana as she called herself, set the bottle in between the two. “This wine originates from the French 18th century by King Louis XV. Dubbed the “King’s Wine”, it totals over $300 a bottle today. It is brought to you as VIP guests tonight, our courtesy and gift to you from us at Dolce.”

“Uh, could I actually just have a crown and coke on the rocks?” Asher quickly asked, with a smug expression on his face.

“Oh, Asher.” Skye glared at him then looked up at the waitress, “That won’t be needed.” She laughed and shook his hand off of hers. “That will be all! Thank you very much Svetlana.”

The phony Spanish red head took the hint. Chat time was over. She quickly nodded and walked away towards the kitchen once again. Skye looked over her shoulder to make sure she was not within hearing distance, then turned to her cocky boyfriend.

“Why are you so rude Asher?” she hissed.

“Um, it was nice to give us their wine, yes. But you act as if I’ve never been to a nice restaurant Skye. I can order a separate drink if I like.” He shrugged.

“You just don’t get it do you? It’s not even about the wine. What is your problem? You obviously have been avoiding conversation.” Skye squinted her gaze at him, pleasantly surprised at her lack of sadness, and sudden rush of anger. It would help her remain strong, and not be swayed by his kindness.

“I don’t know what you want me to say.” He sighed. “There is no reason why I would ever not want to be with you…but there’s plenty why I wouldn’t want you to be with me.”

Skye sat up in the leather seat and gave him a cross look. “What. The. Hell. Asher.”
She annunciated each word, dripping with disgust. “That makes no sense, what so ever.”

“Skye, these past few weeks haven’t been easy. They’ve been really hard on me.” Asher momentarily shut his eyes, for painful effect. “I am begging you to understand,” he continued, “That you can’t put this all on me. You were the one that left this summer. How would you expect me to react? How was I supposed to know it would affect me so much?”

“Oh my god, are you serious right now? Please, if you are going to make me feel guilty for going a family vacation instead of getting drunk on the beach with you like usual, then I am done. Because that’s ridiculous and you know it. You know how important this trip was to me, and if your too selfish to try and see that, that’s your problem. Do NOT hold that against me.” Skye angrily told him, trying to keep her volume down from the close ears of those surrounding them.

“I don’t, you’ve got it all wrong.” He pleaded, and started with the sweet puppy dog eyes. “You know I was happy for you. I missed you terribly, yes, but I would never put that on you. None of this is because of you.”

“Well then enlighten me.” Skye demanded as she crossed her arms across her chest.

“When I’m not with you, I feel…lost,” He began, then paused, searching for the right words to say. “So this summer when you were gone, all those weeks, I had a hard time...being me,” He continued.

“Elaborate.” Skye demanded again, her tone still cold as ice.

“Skye, I just had a hard time handling not being with you. When you first met me, I was horrible. Drugs, drinking, parties, constantly screwing up and disappointing my parents.”

“Oh, trust me, I recall.” Skye scoffed. “Please, let’s not rehash those days. Get to the point.”

Asher swallowed a gulp of the wine, and nodded. “So, I am who I am because of you. You gave me a chance, you changed me. You showed me who I really am, and helped me see all I could be. You’re an angel Skye. And this summer, when I lost that angel, it was like…like, the devil found its way towards me.”

Skye’s jaw dropped. A look of disbelief and disgust struck across her face.

“No, no, no.” Asher quickly backtracked. “I don’t mean I acted how I used to. I could never do that to you. Not after all you’ve done for me. I just lost myself for a minute, too many parties, too much drinking, you know?” He begged her.

This was getting a little too desperate for Skye’s taste. “Asher, cut the sweet talk. What did you do? How were you so horrible?” She pressed, wanting the truth. He said nothing. “Was it girls? Pick up a cute little slut at a cabana party?”

“Okay, Skye, you’re going a little over board. There is no need to throw accusations like that.” Asher began to get defensive, a sensitive chord had been struck.

“I’m not accusing you of anything. You said you went backwards, said the “devil found its way to you,” Skye explained, putting air quotes around his pathetic statements. “So when I think of that, I can’t help but assume you’re referring to past issues we’ve dealt with, all which relate to cheating.” She shrugged.

“Skye, all that it was, was I simply got a little out of control. With my girlfriend thousands of miles away, yes I turned to alcohol, and partied a little harder then I should’ve. Oh and your bitch little posse sure got a load of that.”

“Please, complaining about my friends like you usually do is so unnecessary right now.” Skye rolled her eyes, then looked at him once again. “So,” she shrugged, “That is all? You just went a little wild, people were gossiping and talking bad about it, and you didn’t want me to hear it?” Her tone was dripping with sarcasm, Skye seemed not the least bit convinced.

“I just wanted you to hear it from me. I didn’t want you to think I didn’t care you weren’t there, and that I was just out partying not even thinking about you.” He looked into her eyes, “All I thought about was you.” He said, and Skye still said nothing, waiting for further explanation. She didn’t enjoy the dramatics, and even he knew, he wasn’t going to get away with this one easily.

“And when I got back to school, I took a few days to get myself back together, because I didn’t want you to see me like that. Once I got out of the Hamptons, back at school, and got my head on straight, I didn’t want you to think anything less of me. I just wanted to see you the same way I was, I wanted to make you proud.”

Skye nodded, taking all of what he just said in. She saw their waitress hesitantly approaching them, and she put her finger up, signaling they still needed a minute.

She turned to face him again, and put her elbows on the table, her head in her hands. She had obviously softened, and thought about it a little deeper.“I don’t understand why you couldn’t have just told me this in the first place.” She shook her head, “And why is everything you said for me? Why can’t you make yourself proud too? Why don’t you think of yourself, try and make yourself happy before me?”

Asher reached for her hands once again, and gazed deep within Skye’s sad questioning eyes. “That my dear, is for one reason, and one reason only.” He gently planted a kiss on her hand, and leaned in closer to her. She felt anticipation, and scooted closer towards him as well. In a matter of seconds, they were face to face. “And what is that reason?” Skye quietly asked, as she looked up into his big hazel eyes. “Shhh,” He raised a finger to her lips and pressed his smooth, freshly shaven cheek beside hers. His pink lips only centimeters from hers, he cocked his head, his breath was hot on her bare neck. “It's because…” He whispered huskily into her ear, “I,” he slowly spoke, then kissed her cheek. “Love,” he continued, planting a kiss on her other cheek, “You.” As he finished, Skye, who was biting her lower lip, soon spread into a smile, “I love you.” He repeated once again, all together.

Asher waited for her reaction, and locked their gaze with intensity. Skye hadn’t heard those words in so long. They were all she needed to hear. The fighting was over, there were no more questions she had to ask. “I love you, too.” She whispered back, and this time sealed it herself, with a kiss on his lips.

Svetlana, the annoying waitress, returned once again a few minutes later. “Do you two like the wine tonight? How are we doing sir?” She hesitantly asked Asher.

“Never been better,” he grinned.

“And you Ms.?” The waitress turned to her. “Anything else to drink? Or are we ready for dinner tonight?”

“You know what?” Skye cocked her head, and looked up at her. “I think were alright. In fact, I’ve already got everything tonight that I could want.” She squeezed Asher's hand tightly. “Do you agree?”

“I do.” He nodded. “Put my card on the tab.” Asher winked at the waitress, handing her a hundred dollar bill. “Thank you, Svetlana.”

Skye giggled, she loved to see Asher charm a woman besides her. The waitress instantly stood taller at the sound of his powerful, genuine tone calling her by name. It was amazing what he could do to women.

Svetlana held her head high and slightly smiled, “I hope you enjoyed your time here at Dolce, it was a pleasure to serve you. Thank you, Mr. McCullen, and a good night to you, Ms. Christopoulos.”

“No, thank you. It was wonderful.” Skye gave her a gracious smile before she walked away. “Are you ready to get out of here?” She asked Asher.

“I am whenever you are!”

Skye stood and smoothed out her mini-dress. She flipped her hair, grabbed her purse, and reached her hand out to him. “So what are you waiting for silly?” Laughing, they then walked out of Dolce’s divine doors hand in hand. “Serena is in town, we’re together, and all of us are back at school, and its Saturday night. I think we’ve got some celebrating to do!”

“My thoughts exactly.” Asher winked at her, and helped her into the town car awaiting them.

The car sped off through the city lights of Chicago, and whisked them away, off to meet their group of friends at one of the cities a-list clubs. One would’ve never guessed mere minutes earlier, they had a fight, Skye threatening to walk out on him, questioning why they were together at all. But it’s funny the effect that words can have, what a difference it made to simply say, “I love you.” It seemed to make up for all their time spent apart. It made Skye ignore the rumors of his wandering eye and summer night trysts, gave her hope in their love. For we all know that absence can make the heart grow fonder. But as wind extinguishes a candle, yet fans a fire, absence can kill small passions of love and increase the great ones. “I love you” in itself, did not answer Skye’s doubt of where they would go from there. She needed to figure out just that, how great was their love was, or if there was even any true love at all.