Lilly ran down the street and skidded to a halt as she reached the stop sign. Whipping out her cell phone, she dialed in the all-too-familiar number and waited. It rang, once, twice, and then the man on the other end picked up.
"Lilly?"
"Yes. Hello. I finished running, like you told me to," Lilly replied, still attempting to catch her breath.
"Well done." The praise from the deep voice sent a shock of pleasure through Lilly. "You have completed all that you must do today. I will call you later if you are needed to do anything else."
"Okay. Thanks," Lilly said. The man on the other end hung up and Lilly put her phone back into her pocket. Now I can go see Faith, she reminded herself. She was not about to let her friend down, again.
As she walked to the Hayes' house, Lilly wondered if Faith ever thought of how Lilly was always dumping her. I hope she doesn't mind. I hope that she understands we are still friends, even if my life is complicated; especially at the moment, Lilly thought.
Approaching the door of the familiar, expensive-looking house, Lilly reached out and knocked on the door. As she waited, she brushed her thin, silvery hair behind her right ear. I wonder if Kain's home, she thought.
Just then, the door flew open, and Kain's voice rang out, "What's with the note—oh… Lilly. Sorry, I thought you were Faith."
"What do you mean?" Lilly asked, "Didn't she come home?"
Kain shook his head. "I don't know. I came home and she was not here," he explained. Lilly glanced down at his crippled leg for a moment. He must have noticed because he took a step back, and said, "Come on in, she will probably be home soon."
"O-Okay," Lilly stammered, stumbling awkwardly into the Hayes' household. You know he doesn't like it when people look at his leg! Lilly scolded herself. "Hey, Kain?" she asked, as she entered the living room and sat down onto the couch.
Kain limped into the living room as well, and sat down upon the couch opposite of the one Lilly was in. "Yes?"
"Do you… Do you remember when your leg was—"
Kain narrowed his eyes and growled, "Yes. Of course. Why?"
"I-I," Lilly stammered. She understood why Kain did not like to speak of the accident, but her curiosity overwhelmed her almost every time she thought about it. When Kain glowered at her expectantly, Lilly knew that she was not going to get out of this. "I was just wondering if you remembered how long it took for Faith to convince you that you guys were related."
Kain was silent for a moment, and Lilly wished that he would remove his shades so that she could read his expression. He then spoke. "Yes…"
"She was still trying to convince you when I met you, and that was at least two years ago. When'd the accident happen, again? When you were—"
"I was ten," Kain said, curtly.
"Ten? I met you when we were thirteen," Lilly said in awe. Was he really that stubborn? Did it really take over three years for Faith and her mother to convince Kain that they were related to him?
"I know."
"What… What exactly happened?"
Kain fell silent again, and just when Lilly assumed that he was ready to drop the subject, he replied. "I was hit by a car; lost my memory up to that day. I knew who I was, but everyone around me was just another stranger. I did not want to accept the fact that Faith was my sister because I could not believe it. How was I to know that she was not deceiving me? I was not sure of anything back then; I did not trust anybody or anything. I did not even trust myself. As for my leg, it was crippled."
"Oh, Kain… I'm sorry," Lilly said, quietly.
"Don't be. The past is in the past. Can't do anything about it," Kain grunted.
The two sat in silence from then on, waiting patiently for the arrival of Faith.