The color of the sky

The color of the sky (Short story)

© Copyright 2018 Erika Vanzin

Cover: Erika Vanzin

First edition

All rights reserved

All right reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author makes no claims to, but instead acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the word marks mentioned in this work of fiction.

Erika Vanzin:

www.erikavanzin.com

https://www.facebook.com/ErikaVanzinWriter/

From the same author:

English edition:

Waiting

Italian edition:

Cacciatori di segreti - La presa di coscienza

Cacciatori di segreti - La scelta

Forse

Cinque giorni per innamorarsi

Waiting

304

Vieni a prendermi

Resta con me

For more informazion:

www.erikavanzin.com

https://www.facebook.com/ErikaVanzinWriter/

This book is dedicated to

everyone that knows

which is the color of the sky.

Chapter Three

Her heart was beating fast in her chest while she was approaching the lake and she could spot the bonfire in between the trees. Amelia asked her father to accompany her there, since she lied to Linda and Jamie for the second time, but she didn’t want to be found by her classmate with him; It would be too embarrassing to admit she has been accompanied by her dad, even if he was the most loved in among her classmates because he didn’t limit her in any way.

She walked increasingly slowly, realizing she was nervous. What if Brian forgot he invited her? Or worst, what if that was a really bad joke to make fun of her? She had some doubts he could do something like that but, in that moment, she was terrified from the idea of being there alone. She almost thought to turn back and hide away for the rest of the summer. How did she come up with the idea of lying to Linda and Jamie? They were the two friends that helped her in those social life situations she couldn’t handle alone and, in that moment, she was regretting her choices. She should have asked Brian if she could bring a couple of friends but, when he invited her, she thought it was a date… even if now she doubted it. Why didn’t he pick her up if he was interested? She came up with a million explanations for that behavior but they were quickly falling in front of her.

She inhaled deeply and tried to calm down, she looked at her dress’ skirt checking for wrinkles and walked the last few yards that were separating her from her classmates. When she set a foot on the sand and looked around, she noticed there was already a lot of people and she felt relieved: nobody would have cared about one more person and she wouldn’t be forced to have a conversation, considering they were all busy enjoying the night.

The sound of a guitar was coming from a hidden part of the bonfire she couldn’t spot from where she was. She looked around trying to figure out who was there and she noticed Brian was there, standing and talking with some of his classmates. In the exact moment he saw her he excused himself and walked to her with a huge smile plastered on his face. In that exact moment her every doubt dissolved.

“You finally arrived! I thought you changed your mind. What are you doing here alone? Come, drink something” he rushed his words.

Amelia noticed he had beer in his hands and his breath already smelled of alcohol, she wondered how long they have been there.

“I just arrived. I haven’t had any chance to drink anything” She whispered so low she didn’t know if Brian heard her.

“Beer? Vodka?” He asked her pointing at a big plastic tank full of ice and drinks.

“Is it ok if I have some water?” She smiled shyly at him while she grabbed a bottle.

“Sure!” He laughed sincerely. “Feel free to do anything you want” he added, walking to a guy from the football team that called for him.

Amelia stood there, dazed from the conversation, unwilling to believe she was there, invited personally by Brian. She looked around sipping from the water and she suddenly realized how out of place she was there; the girls were wearing very short skirts and fashion tops, barefoot, hair done in simple but cute hairdo, on the other hand she was wearing a fifties dress, high-necked and the skirt almost on her knees. She adored that dress, it was one of her mother collection and she loved to wear them. When her mother wore them, she suddenly become another person, happy, radiant, you could tell she loved to wear them. Amelia always felt powerful and invincible in those dresses, she could feel her mother strength protecting her from everything, but not in that moment. That night, for the first time, she felt that dress tighten on her body, it wasn’t appropriate and it made her feel embarrassed. She lowered her gaze and inhaled deeply, trying not to cry.

“Does your dad love to come to the high school bonfire? Because I can’t explain why you told us you had to stay home with him tonight instead of going out like you promised” Linda’s hard voice made her almost jump.

She rose her gaze and found her friend with her harms crossed over her chest and a furious look on her face. Next to her there was Jamie, with his big and sad blue eyes locked on her.

“Linda…” Amelia didn’t know what to say, there were a lot of lies that she needed to explain. “What are you doing here?” She asked then, not knowing how to handle that conversation.

“Did you hear Jamie? She didn’t think to be caught and she is asking us what we are doing here. “We were invited” she hissed even more furious.

“Listen, I’m sorry… Brian asked me to come here and I didn’t know how to say no”

Her explanation seemed to catch them by surprise but, while Linda seemed incredulous, Amelia noticed that Jamie seemed hurt. Maybe they didn’t believe her and thought that was another lie; she felt her stomach tighten for the embarrassment and the pain she was feeling but she said nothing because she deserved it.

“Linda, Jamie! Come to play. You too, Amelia” Brian interrupted them grabbing the two girls by their hands and dragging them not so far from the bonfire, making them sit in a circle with other people.

Amelia noticed some cheerleaders and players glancing at her, half curious half amused, so she decided to sit down fast avoiding to draw more attention. Next to her, Linda and Jamie took their places.

“Spin the bottle? Seriously? Are we back in the kindergarten?” Linda caught her attention with her annoyed questions.

“Why Linda? Are you afraid someone won’t come near your face? I can understand if you are worried, honey…” one of the cheerleaders made fun of her.

“Uh, no, I was more worried about the STD’s I could catch if I stick my tongue in the same places YOU put it… honey” she replied venomously, remarking the last word.

Amelia looked at the center of the circle, her attention driven by her friend’s questions, and noticed an empty beer’s bottle. The anxiety started to fill her stomach making her nauseous; she didn’t want to play, she didn’t want to be part of that party, she didn’t want her first kiss to be with a stranger she didn’t like. She begun to rise to walk away but Linda grabbed her harm and kept her there. Amelia looked at her with wide eyes.

“If you walk away now it would be worst. Stay and keep a low profile” she whispered sincerely.

Even if she were angry with Amelia she decided to help her. Jamie, next to Linda, seemed way more nervous and kept looking worried.

“What do I do if it points on me?” She asked anxiously, she had no idea how to kiss.

What if she showed all her inexperience in front of everyone and they laughed at her? She was already dying of embarrassment.

“Try simply to follow what he does” she suggested with a half smile.

Amelia widened her eyes.

“I know but I never…”

“I know” Linda interrupted her before someone could hear her secret.

Amelia didn’t get to eighteen without kissing because she wanted it. She wasn’t waiting for the prince charming or the love of her life. She was simply shy and she hid so much during high school that nobody asked her out. Her only friends were Linda and Jamie and them, of course, wouldn’t help with her inexperience.

She looked around and noticed that Adam, one of the players, spun the bottle and she prayed it wouldn’t point at her. Luckily it landed on Melanie, a blond and beautiful cheerleader that promptly stood up with a smile. Adam dragged her to him, placing a hand on her back, while he sneaked the other one under her hairs on the nape. Melanie, on the other hand, threw her harms around his neck and placed her lips on his. The kiss quickly became intense, deep, with the tongues exploring shamelessly each other mouths. Amelia was looking horrified at the scene, she couldn’t handle something like that. Never, not even in a thousand years. She felt the blood draining from her face.

Next turn was the one with another player with a cheerleader, and that time too, the exchange of saliva was too much. Amelia couldn’t take off her eyes from that horrible show. When they finished to cling like two giant squids, they walked back to their seats like nothing happened and Brian grabbed the bottle. Amelia’s heart stopped. In that exact moment she realized that her first kiss could be with the guy of her dreams, in front of everyone, and the pressure was too much, making her nauseous. She prayed to not be chosen but in a part of her heart, she didn’t know if she could resist watching Brian kissing another girl. She didn’t know what she wanted but it didn’t matter because the bottle was pointing on her. It wasn’t pointing to Linda or the guy on her left, it was pointed on her without any doubt. She glanced terrified at her friend that was trying to give her a reassuring smile, then she looked at Jamie and noticed he was playing with some rocks in front of him and he had no intention to rise his head.

“What are you waiting for?” A cheerleader laughed when she understood she wasn’t going to stand up.

Amelia rose her gaze and noticed Brian standing in front of her and he was waiting for her a bit embarrassed. She stood up dazed, her heart was beating furiously in her chest and her breath was short. She walked towards Brian and he was really quick to grab her behind her back with one hand and the other one on her neck, exactly like the other guys did with the cheerleaders. It seemed like a move they tried a lot. Amelia had not the time to think what was happening, to be excited for her first kiss, Brian deepened his tongue into her mouth catching her by surprise. It was slimy, with a lot of spit and the taste of beer that almost made her gag. His tongue moved twitching in her mouth like a fish out of the water, she didn’t know what to do with hers, maybe she could try to stay out of his way. Her arms were stretched on her sides and, when she realized that kiss was eternal, she opened her eyes and tried to take a breath. Brian stood a few seconds looking at her, he gave her a half pleased smile, then turned around and went back to his spot, leaving her there, paralyzed and disgusted from her first kiss.

Amelia turned around slowly and sat on her spot with a terrified gaze plastered on her face. She noticed the sorrowful look on Linda’s face but, above all, the fury on Jamie’s face. She never saw him so furious and he never looked at her until she sat on the sand. Was she so ridiculous her friends were embarrassed by her? She didn’t have the courage to look at the other’s faces because she was scared to see the laughs.

The bottle passed from Brian to the guy next to him but Jamie, that was next to him, grabbed it leaving all stunned.

“It’s my turn!” He exclaimed almost angry.

“I have it, shut up” Jamie hissed so furiously that the other guy simply shut his mouth.

Amelia and Linda looked at each other puzzled, they clearly weren’t aware of what he was about to do. Their friend spun the bottle and stopped it with one hand pointing on Amelia. A light laugh rose around the circle.

“Uh, someone is jealous” Melany purred with a malicious smile.

“Someone has to choose” voiced another one.

Amelia was simply shocked to realize what he did. She rose her gaze and saw Linda staring, mouth open wide, to the bottle in front of her, while Jamie stood up with a start and walked in front of her. She looked at him and couldn’t understand what he was thinking. For the first time since she knew him, Amelia couldn’t read those huge and familiar blue eyes.

He reached out his hand but she was too stunned to grab it. Did she really have to kiss Jamie, her best friend? Wasn’t there a rule putting a limit to that game? Like the one that didn’t allow you to kiss your best friend to save the friendship? Amelia couldn’t think a way to get out of that situation because Jamie kneeled in front of her. If with Brian her heart wanted to jump out of her chest, with Jamie it skipped some beat for sure. He was looking at her so intensely he almost took her breath away. He rose his hand and with a disarming delicacy moved a lock from her face, then he brushed her cheek. Amelia found herself unconsciously slightly bending her head on his fingers to feel his hand on her skin. Jamie rose the other hand and placed it on the other side of her face; his eyes indulged on her lips and Amelia knew he would have kissed her. With a disarming slowness he moved towards her, he first leaned his forehead on her, closing his eyes, then he closed the distances and put his lips on hers. That kiss was sweet, delicate, almost pure. Amelia closed her eyes and let the feelings came in, it was a mix in between euphoria, fear, excitement, anxiety. A mix of feelings that were bouncing between head and heart. Jamie took a breath for a second but it was a second too long for the lack of his lips on hers. Then he leaned again his mouth on hers and when he asked her to deepen the kiss, brushing his tongue on her lower lip, she allowed him. The kiss was slow, sweet, almost as if her friend wanted to give her the time to adapt to his presence and she understood, in that moment, tha that had to be her first kiss. She grabbed with all the strength in her hands his t-shirt and dragged him closer to respond to that kiss, brushing his tongue, tasting that light taste of mint.

“Wow, this is a kiss!” Melanie’s voice broke the almost absolute silence that fell over them.

Amelia and Jamie broke apart from that kiss and, for a moment, they lost themselves in each other eyes, then Jamie closed the distance again, pecked her lips and stood up leaving the group. Amelia stood completely paralyzed until Brian stood up and walked away on the opposite side of Jamie. Amelia lowered her gaze towards Linda, searching for a suggestion of what to do, but when she met her eyes she realized she was stunned like her. She couldn’t help her. What should she do? Stand up and reach Jamie for an explanation? Chase Brian to see if he was ok? Stay there and pretend nothing happened? She looked around, everyone was staring at her, nobody talked, silent in their expectation, waiting for her to choose.

What should Amelia do? Chase Jamie? Brian? Stay put and wait? You are the one to decide by  voting on this link: http://bit.do/thecolorofthesky