Hello fellow Wattpaders,

I hope you all are doing well.

First, thank you for choosing I Loved You Blindly. I hope you'll enjoy reading it as I've enjoyed writing it.

The second thing, and I promise not to bother you during the book - this one at least-. Perhaps in the final chapters or so, but I do kindly request of you that you hit that star button if you read something that you liked or felt that tug at your heartstrings. If you wish to drop a comment or discuss anything I would absolutely love that too.

Now, enough with the yappity yap and let's do this!

❤️ Wish you a good time :]

********

Skye

"This is the last box!" I announced loudly while closing the door behind me with my foot.

A sigh came from the kitchen with a pleased edge, "Finally!" Then a smaller sigh came from the living room.

Stuffing the box next to the others, I zigzagged my way to the living room where Matt has already occupied one end of the couch. I took the other end –more like freefell- leaving the space between us vacant for Aunt Sophie.

I could feel the exhaustion settling in my bones and weighing me deeper into the cushion resulting in an inhuman sigh erupting out of me. Using the legs of my jeans to help lifting my unresponsive limbs on top of the box in front of me for more comfort and there could never be a better feeling in the world. There weren't enough brain signals left in me to make my legs move without help. Speaking of which, no part of me wanted to move anywhere for a very long time.

Aunt Sophie balanced herself with one hand on the back of the couch while she jumped my outstretched legs and then dropped between Matt and me.
She handed each one of us a juice box which we took gratefully. I didn't realize how thirsty I was until the sweet, cold liquid reached my mouth and trickled down my throat.

We sat there silently staring at the sea of boxes that surrounded us, with straws sticking out of our mouths and bodies too aching to move.

"We have a lot of unpacking to do." I was the first to break the silence.

Now that everything we owned was stuffed somewhere in a brown carton box in front of us. I never noticed how many things I had until I had to sort and pack.

"Ooooooh yeeeah!" Matt stretched out.

Followed by an "Uh-huh" from Aunt Sophie. "Well, we don't have to do it all at once. Let's start with the important stuff and just empty the rest little by little as we go." She looked at me and I was nodding then at Matt who gave her a thumbs up. None of us attempted to move.

"You meant tomorrow right?" I asked. I didn't make any effort to turn my head and just let it roll on the back of the couch.

"Oh yes, of course!" She said right away as if she was waiting for someone to voice out that suggestion. Aunt Sophie did the same and rolled her head towards me. "We did two weeks' worth of workout today. I don't have to start work until next week, and you guys don't have school until Monday, so no rush." Aunt Sophie said, "We can at least finish our rooms and the kitchen."

My stomach turned at the mention of school. Not only was it a new school, but a new city and a new house too. 'A different start' we called it. Not to mention that Matt and I have already missed three weeks since school started and we have a lot of catching up to do. So, yippee!

Aunt Sophie must have sensed my inner battle because she patted my knee.

When I looked at her she gave me one of her encouraging smiles, and my heart ached. She looked a lot like mum. They both had the same wide, kind blue eyes, even the same face shape and features. Except Aunt Sophie looked like a twenty-three-year-old version of mum. 'Mini-me' was what mum used to call her.

She had the same blond hair, but longer. Mum cut hers short when she decided it was time for a new look. I could still remember how dad's jaw dropped when she surprised him with her shorter hair. He couldn't stop smiling every time he looked at her. She looked really pretty.

I swallowed the tightness that formed in my throat and forced a smile out.

"Everything is going to turn out just fine." She said enthusiastically.

"What's for dinner?" Matt asked all of the sudden.

Aunt Sophie was still looking my direction when she heard the question. She made a funny face like she has just remembered that there was a meal at the end of the day. I laughed.

"How about cereal in a mug?" she suggested.

Yup! We saw the cups and mugs box beside the fridge and that was the only kitchen-related box that we knew its exact location for the moment.

Matt didn't object. Knowing my brother, by now, he would eat anything out of anything. He might even munch on the cereal without a drop of milk. Just crunch...crunch...crunch.

"I prefer sleep." I returned and yawned at the thought of that beautiful, restful horizontal position that was calling my name. I stood up slowly with a grunt of an old woman with joints that cracked like crackers.

Aunt Sophie held my hand and gave it a little squeeze. She looked up at me still smiling, "Good night sweetheart."

I gave her a hug mumbling goodnight while yawning again. Then ruffled Matt's hair quickly before he could react, "Goodnight buddy."

He scrunched his nose making a face at me and I scrunched mine back at him.

As I looked miserably at all the steps I had to climb to my room. The old woman in me was groaning in my head. I sighed and I dragged my feet taking them one step at a time with a hand on the railing to pull myself up with. I told you, no brain-signals.

I flopped on my back on the mattress of my none-existing bed. We hadn't fixed the beds yet, so sleeping on the floor was a new experience. A much harder, and less comfortable experience.

I have no idea where all that drowsiness and yawns went. As much as I was drained and exhausted, sleep didn't come for me. So, I did what every teen my age would do and took out my phone and started scrolling. I flipped through my messages and notifications then played the series I've been watching -picking up where I left off.

The last ten months held major changes. Ever since the accident, nothing was the same anymore. I tossed and turned a lot finding it difficult to sleep on this silly mattress.

When I finally found that comfy spot that had my name on it, I growled through clenched teeth deeply annoyed with myself as I scrambled to my feet cursing, "Dammit!" I forgot to turn off the light.

After that it didn't take me long for my eyelids to feel heavy and my fingers loosen their grip on my phone in the middle of an episode. I let sleep whisk my away.

**************

"Come on, Skye, we're going to be late!" Matt yelled from downstairs.

"I'm coming!" I returned back equally loudly.

Someone was eager to go to school.

I took one last look at my reflection in the mirror for an overall evaluation. I wasn't entirely sure if what I was wearing considered school material around here. The weather was different at coastal areas. Here it was more humid, less windy and way- way sunnier from what I was used to.

A white shirt and a pair of knee-length baggie shorts seemed like a good idea, along with my favorite pair of white sneakers to complete the look. Unless the trend was sandals then that would be tomorrow's plan.

In my few days here I've learned that my hair tends to curls up at the ends when it was humid, so gathering it in a braid or a bun were my only solutions, at least for now.

Returning my gaze to my face -I nodded to myself pleased with my choices. Not bad. Then I grabbed my backpack and hurried downstairs.

"Finally!" Matt exclaimed when he saw me, "I thought we weren't leaving the house today." He was scuffing down a plate full of scrambled eggs by the stairs.

I narrowed my eyes and blew him a raspberry, "Maybe you should take the bus." I suggested.

His sassiness dissolved and he spun around and marched to the kitchen, "Oh look, we still have plenty of time!"

With a giggle, I rushed after him. Grabbing a piece of toast – I held it in my mouth like a dog while my hands poured a glass of OJ.

"Good morning." Aunt Sophie lilted cheerfully as she walked into the kitchen.

"Goof morfin," I answered with a mouth full of bread.

"I made breakfast," she said and pulled a pan full of scrambled eggs.

"No time," I voiced more clearly as I swallowed my bite and washed it down with quick gulps of juice. I sent her a kiss and dashed out rushing my brother on the way, "Let's go!"

Matt pushed the last of what was on his plate into his mouth and mumbled his goodbye.

"Drive safe." I heard Aunt Sophie yell behind me. "Matt, did you take your inhaler?"

I paused at the door.

"Got it." He shouted.

I breathed.

Matt and I exchanged some sort of awkward good morning nods with our neighbors. I wanted to pretend that I didn't see them but that was a fail, especially when Matt glanced their way and then at me while pointing in their direction.

I gave a quick hand wave while talking to him through a plastered smile, "Get in the car."

Matt frowned at me, "We don't have to be rude. "He listened to me though and got in.

I arched an eyebrow at him along with a meaningful look as I clicked my seat-belt, "Do you have fifteen minutes to spare?"

His furrowed brow climbed up. "Good point! Drive, and drive fast!" He rushed me.

I laughed.

Two days ago Jenny and Bill –our extremely friendly and enthusiastically waving neighbors- came to visit and welcome us to the neighborhood with a fruit basket and a pecan pie. They didn't come inside because, well, we must've been tired and haven't fully settled in. Neither did they drop the basket and pie and left. Instead, all five of us had a rather awkward conversation for a total of fifteen minutes with both teams on each side of the door. It was more like, they talked and Aunt Sophie managed to answer whenever she got the chance.

I could have stepped away and left Aunt Sophie be all friendly and neighborly, but the moment I started to back away she grabbed me by the shirt -without our neighbors notice-and held me in place beside her. Since it 'ran in the family', I grabbed Matt by the neck in what seemed like a loving-sister-move to Mr. B and Mrs. J. Good thing they didn't see the dirty look that Matt shot at me.

Why would he get to leave and I don't?

Turning on the radio as we rolled, we sang to the songs we knew and danced in our seats when a good song was on until we stopped at Matt's school. We were both looking out the window quietly when I realized his hesitance to get out. Apparently I wasn't the only one with the first day of school jitters. Now that most of the other kids long went through the first day and we were the 'fresh meat'.

"It will be alright. Maybe even better than what you're thinking." I smiled encouragingly.

Matt looked at the sea of kids being swallowed by the entrance and took a shaky breath. "Too late to call in sick, right!"

I patted his shoulder, "Hey listen, first days are awkward anywhere. The sooner you get it over with the easier the rest of the days will be."

Then I shrugged, "Good thing is that first days happen only once." I wasn't sure if what came out of my mouth made any sense to him, but it sounded good in my mind.

Matt seemed thoughtful for a moment. He then breathed deeply and squared his shoulders. "Make it through the day, got it!"

Wow! Do I know how to give advice or what? Sometimes I surprise myself. I gave myself a mental pat on the back.

"What's the worst that could happen?" He mumbled.

"Don't jinx it!" I warned with a laugh.

Matt grinned widely before picking his backpack and threw the door open at the same time. The bit of will that blew through him faded just as quickly when he paused suddenly.

His gaze dropped to his feet and his voice lowered. "Will you say it?" He swallowed. "You know, what she used to say when she dropped me at school."

A wave of sadness washed over my heart and I felt my throat closing.

Something must have shown on my face despite my attempt for a pure blank because Matt looked at me then laughed nervously, "I'm sorry... you don't have to..." and he started to move.

Pushing my current status aside, I reached for his shoulder. When he looked back at me, his sadness mirrored mine. His pain was the same as mine.

I kept my eyes on him and smiled ignoring how tightly my stomach twisted. "Pay attention to what your teachers say. Learn something! Remember to be kind to others and most importantly have fun. I love you, sweetheart." I tried my best to say it the way mum used to. I could still hear the soft chime of her voice in my head.

Matt's face lit up as if someone just flipped on the lights. "I will. You too, Skye." And he jumped off.

I didn't move right away. I knew that Matt would turn round to wave goodbye before he entered and he did. That boy never disappointed me. For an eleven years old kid, he certainly was more mature than many of his peers. And became more mature after the accident.

Now, it was my turn to go to school and I was cutting it really close with the few minutes I had left.

I parked the car where the angry, all caps sign that shouted, "STUDENTS PARKING AREA". I started to collect my stuff and check my face and hair in the mirror. God, I look too pale. And it was the scared kind of pale. Pulling out the only lipstick I had in my bag I applied a layer to make me look... well, less ghostly. I could feel my stomach rolling over itself like a frightened armadillo. My heart was pounding in my chest and my palms were sweaty.

Dreading the walk into the pasty grey building, I stayed in my car a moment longer. I really should listen to my own advice and just get day one over with. Building up the courage to walk in, I replayed Matt's words, "What's the worst that could happen?" They won't even recognize I'm new here. It wasn't a big school, but it was big enough not to be pointed out.

Walk in, blend in. Yeah! That's a good plan. Inhaaaaale. Exhaaaaale. Inhaaaaaale. Exhaaaaale.

I bee-lined my way through the students, so far - so good. No one was even looking my way. Not to brag, but my choice of fashion was blending in perfectly. I made it to the Principal's office, Mr. Campbell, the one with a huge crush on my aunt. Even though she couldn't be clearer that she wasn't interested, Mr. Campbell wasn't giving up. Or maybe he didn't get the memo.

Knock, knock.

"Come in." His voice came muffled through the door. "Have a seat," he told me without looking up from the stack of papers in front of him.

Doing what I've been told, I took my time to study his bald head since I've already looked at every inch of his office the last time we were here. He was too busy ogling my aunt to ask me anything.

Mr. Campbell had a perfectly round bald head and it was so shiny that it reflected light. I bet if he ever held a faulty wire in his hand -his head would light up like a bulb. He would look like he has just had an idea. I smiled at my own joke and had to look away before cracking up and embarrassing myself.

"Ah... Skye," Mr. Campbell said making my head swing back up again.

I mastered a straight face as I looked at him.

"Good to see you again," his eyes turned into slits as he smiled widely, cheeks lifted.

"Thank you."

"How is your aunt?" He actually smiled saying that.

I could never imagine them together. Not in a thousand years. "She's fine." He's just... not right for her. Now I sounded like my mother.

He rounded his desk then leaned against it facing me which brought him and his perfectly formed skull closer.

Mr. Campbell's expression changed to concern, "I know first days can be difficult. Especially if it's a new school, but I hope that you'll be able to feel at home here."

Awwwe! That was so sweet.

"I hope so, too."

"Remember, my door is always open. If you ever need help with anything, or even just to talk,y ou can come to me."

I smiled, "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

He clasped his hands, "Good. So, are you ready for your first day?"

NO! My mind was screaming. "I think I am," my mouth said calmly.

"Great! "He nodded then glanced at his watch, "Your first class will start in six minutes. Make sure to get a copy of all your classes' schedules and locker combination number from the main desk."

I stood up now that I was somewhat permissioned to leave, "I will, thank you."

"It was nice talking to you." He smiled making his way back behind his desk.

"Same here." I replied politely.

Maybe he was nice after all. I shouldn't be so judgmental. Sometimes first impressions could be wrong. Just as I've reached the door Mr. Campbell stopped me.

"And say hello to your aunt for me." He breathed with a wide smile.

I stand corrected.

A cold shiver run down my spine at the mere thought of them together. Aunt Sophie better disown me before anything ever happens between them.