Andy scrambled to get the house clean. Ephram would be home in two days and he would not give him the satisfaction of knowing that the house falls apart when he leaves. The phone rang and Andy rant to find it. "Hello?" he said after he found it in the refrigerator.
"Hey dad," Ephram said.
"Ephram, I wasn't expecting your call. Is there anything wrong?"
Andy was so happy to hear from his son. No matter how much the fought, he still considered Ephram his best friend.
"Nothing's wrong, I just wanted to ask if it was okay if I brought a friend back to Everwood with me?" Andy noticed some nervousness in Ephram's voice.
"Yeah sure, I'll set up the guest room up for him. How long is he planning to stay?"
"She is planning to stay for about a month,"
"She? Ephram, explain yourself," Andy was getting worried. First Madison and now this? Andy could feel a migraine coming on.
"Listen, I would love to Dad, but I really have to go. See ya," Ephram turned off the phone quickly. He hated being deceitful...No he didn't. He loved it. It was what made his teenage years fun. But recently his dad had gotten to where he could stand him. He hated that bond that had taken so long to grow between them. He hated to admit that he actually had other feelings (besides hate) for his father. Not the kind with him and Lilly, but like that beaver family on TV a long time ago. Lilly walked into the room and sat on his bed.
"Hey, you look like you just ate your dad's cooking," Laughed Lilly.
Ephram chuckled a little. Why did he invite her to Everwood? It would have been so much easier if she could have just gone back home.
"If you don't want me to come, I can still go home. I won't be terribly upset," Lilly said. She was lying, but she knew to hide that from him. She didn't want to make him feel pressured.
"I want you to come. I just am going to be given a bad time about it," said Ephram. He got up from his chair and straddled her on the bed. Lilly laughed as she looked up at him. "I love you," he said.
Lilly was taken back. He hadn't said that yet. She knew he loved her, but she had never herd him say that. She added this to the list of things that give you endorphins. "I love you, too," she said back.
She looked into his eyes as he leaned closer and kissed her. He leaned in closer so that they were laying down on the bed. Ephram reached for Lilly's pants but she pushed him away.
"I love you, but I'm not ready for sex. I don't want to have sex and you can't force me to," She said pushing him off of her.
"Of course, no pressure. I just, I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry," Said Ephram, afraid that he had upset her. He did not want to loose his only normal girlfriend.
"It's okay. I just don't like feeling pressured. I love you," she said looking into his eyes. She loved saying that. Ephram smiled and leaned in again. This time he just kissed her. They made out for a while and then they looked at the time, it was late. They went out for pizza since they were starving. They met up with a few other people in the program and went to see a movie. Ladies choice, so it was Vanhelsing (Hugh Jackman without a shirt? What's not to like?). Ephram didn't mind it so much, since it was fantasy with lots of action. During the previews, Ephram and Lilly found themselves making out again. When the movie was over they all went back to the hotel. Lilly spent the night in Ephram's room. They didn't do anything, they just talked and Lilly fell asleep on Ephram's shoulder. When they woke up the next morning, they had to go to different classes. Lilly was in the program because of dancing, and Ephram for piano. When the day was over, Lilly was tired and so she went to sleep on the couch in Ephram's room while he practiced. At seven he finally stopped. He turned around and noticed that Lilly was asleep and gently woke her up.
"Lilly, we need to go pack okay?" He nudged her quietly as she woke up and smiled at him. "Let me get your suitcase ready. You try to wake up," Ephram went into Lilly's room and got her suitcases out. He packed all of her things that he could find and then at the very top he left a present. A little ring with a tiny diamond. It was all he could afford, but it was still beautiful. Lilly finally walked into the room holding two cups of coffee. She handed Ephram one as he zipped up her suitcase. He took it and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"You didn't have to do that. I'm not cripple," she laughed while she sat on her bed.
"Why don't you check to see if I have everything. I don't want to leave something," he said with a look of anticipation on his face.
"Okay," she said putting her coffee down. She wondered why he was acting so strange. She slowly opened the suitcase and saw the ring. She was so shocked. She started to cry and hug Ephram. He hugged her back. He knew women well enough to know that crying after getting a gift is a good thing. "It's so beautiful, thank you," she said hugging him tighter.
"You're welcome. I wanted to show you that I really loved you, but this was all I could afford," he said kissing her I the head.
"As long as it doesn't turn my finger green I'm fine," she joked pulling him in and kissing him on the lips. Ephram went to go finish packing himself and Lilly picked up around the room
She then herd Ephram's cell phone, he had left it in her room. She went to answer it.
"Hello?" she said and then realized what she had done. What if it was Amy or Bright?
"Who is this?" said a very feminine voice.
"I'm maid can I help you?" Lilly lied, but she didn't want Ephram in trouble.
"Why are you answering Ephram Brown's phone?" she asked suspiciously.
"He asked me to pick it up if any one called, he had to shower," Lilly felt her face getting red.
"Well could you tell him that Amy called and she wants him to call back as soon as possible," Amy said.
She sounded very arrogant and selfish. Lilly never told Ephram that's what she thought of her, but that's how she felt when she herd that she asked Ephram to not go to New York. That really pissed her off. "Will do, any thing else?" she said.
"No, thank you," Amy hung up the phone and went back to whatever in the world she was doing. Ephram walked in the room as she hung up the phone.
"Did you order pizza or something?" he asked noticing she had used his phone.
"No, Amy called. She wants you to call her back," Ephram got kind of tense as she told him this.
"Did, you say who you were?" he asked.
"No, I know I'm just your little secret that you don't want anyone to know about. Who, in your family, really knows about me Ephram? I hate to bring this up, but I'm tired of being hidden," Lilly left the room as she started to cry.
Ephram sat on the bed and thought about what she had said. She was right, she would hate if she did that to him. He had actually spoken to Lilly's parents, they were okay but they could care less about what their daughter did as long as it didn't mess with their busy schedule. Ephram picked up the phone and started to dial Amy's number. It rang once and then he heard Amy's voice. "Hello?" said Amy as she picked up the phone.
"Hey, it's me. We need to talk..."