Lily sighed as she stared at her reflection on her compact mirror. There were no tears. No emotions. No... nothing.
The door to the staff room opened and Alicia walked in, about to detour when Lily stopped her. "Wait,"
Alicia stopped and turned to face Lily, a nervous glance at her. "Yeah?"
Lily sighed, stepping towards Alicia. "Dr. Munroe, I apologise for my behaviour and attitude towards you. I was being unprofessional and it was unfair of me to take my emotions out on you. You probably don't know but I've had a very upsetting couple of weeks."
Alicia let out a small smile and shrugged. "I heard about what happened to you... I shouldn't have been such a pest, myself. I apologise also."
Lily sighed a breath of relief and nodded. "Well, I guess we're done here."
"Yeah." Alicia nodded. "You look nice. Are you going to a party?"
Lily stared down at her white outfit. Still no tears. "Something like that." she mumbled.
She turned around and opened her locker, collecting her things from it. The door opened and Ethan entered, smiling at Alicia.
"Are you ready to go, Lily?"
Alicia looked between them. "So, you're going to this party as well, then?"
"Uh..."
"Let's go." Lily cut in before anything else could be said.
Ethan nodded and left the door open for her as she quickly left, keeping her head up high. She hoped Connie wouldn't stop her. Her embarrassment only went so far.
She was relieved when she got into the passenger seat of Ethan's car. When he got in and put his seatbelt on, Lily closed her eyes and leaned back against the seat.
"Are you okay?" he asked her gently.
"Just drive."
...
Lily numbly stood beside her mother, shaking relatives' and family friends' hands. Condolences filtered the air and Lily only mumbled her 'thank you's. Gabriel and Roseanne were more outgoing when they gave hugs and small chats in between. Being the youngest, Lily stayed more reserved and away from the action. She'd rather Ethan's warm arms around her, pulling her into a warm hug. She nearly closed her eyes at the slight imagination of it.
When everyone but Ethan had left the small after-funeral session, Lily's mother turned to face her, her hands finding Lily's.
"Lillian... I've noticed a distant look in your eyes. Is everything alright?"
Lily didn't want to be pitied so she shook her head. "Yes, Mama. Are you okay?" Nice, quick turn around.
Her mother looked slightly shocked at how quickly her daughter was at turning the subject away from her. "I'll-I'll be alright." she mumbled. "I better go and talk to Roseanne."
Lily was glad to be away from her mother's presence. She had a sudden urge to boycott her family and cut ties with them. They hadn't helped her over the years. It wouldn't make a difference anyway since they all had their own lives to control. She collected her things and nodded at Ethan so that they could go.
"Lily,"
"What, Gabriel?" She didn't bother turning around to face him. She was too tired and all she wanted to do was take painkillers and sleep.
"Look at me." Gabriel said, turning her around to face him. "There. Now I can talk to your pretty face."
Lily shook her head. "We're not the same as we used to be ten years ago, Gabriel."
"What is wrong with you? You've been ignoring my calls for years, Lily!" He was hurt, actually hurt. He had never gotten along well with his twin sister but at least he thought he had Lily on his side when he wanted to rebel against their father. In the end, he took over the restaurant, their father receiving the last laugh. Gabriel's dream was to become a lawyer and nothing more.
"We're different." Lily shrugged.
Gabriel sighed. "This is because of Dad, isn't it? Look, if it is... I'm sorry. You don't know how it feels to be the only son and the one your father counts on to take over the family business. You are the only one who is really successful out of us and you're the one who is actually free."
"Free? What do you mean?"
"The restaurant. It falls upon mine and Rosie's shoulders. It is bound to us forever and if we sell it, we're selling our childhoods. At least you can do your dream job and live in bliss without worrying about keeping your job and a restaurant."
Lily shook her head, resisting the urge to yell at her brother. "I never had it easy and I will continue not to have it easy! Father will always be looking down on me, disappointment lurking around me. All I wanted was to be accepted but... you all ignored me. You-you were all ashamed of me and to be honest? I don't even know why! What did I do to you guys?"
Gabriel swallowed. "Remember Aunt Mei?"
"The one who died when I was one?"
He nodded. "Yeah...," he sighed. "Lils... she," another sigh. "was your mum."
Lily's world crashed around her as she spun on her heels and ran out of the door into the cold dark air, breathing heavily. She looked around, tears threatening to fall.
Her whole life was a sham. A complete utter sham. Why did she spend eternity trying to please the people who weren't even her biological parents?
"Lily! Are you okay?" Ethan... Oh, sweet Ethan. Lily beat him in the award for having the 'worst parents in the world'.
She shook her head, immediately wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, letting out pain-filled sobs.
"Oh, Lily..." he mumbled into her hair as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
Her 'family' exited the hall, sighing in relief when they saw her.
"Lillian..."
Lily let go of Ethan and turned to glare at them. "Don't ever call my name." she said lowly.
"How dare you? I'm your-"
"Say 'mother' and I swear I'll make you regret it." Lily replied.
Roseanne sighed. "Lily... Lily Blossom..."
"Shut up!" Lily hissed. "Don't call me that either."
She bent down and took her coat and bag from the floor before heading towards Ethan's car, Ethan himself following her.
Lily opened the door and looked up to see her family. "I don't ever want to see any of you again. I also don't want you to contact me in any way." With that she got in the car, slamming the door shut and Ethan started the car. When he drove past her family Lily turned away from them, biting the inside of her lip.
Now, she really wanted her real mum. Mei. She closed her eyes and pictured how her 'Aunt Mei' looked like. She had warm brown eyes. Black hair. A big grin. She was always happy. Unfortunately, she died of cancer; aged 26. Her father on the other hand... was never in the picture to begin with. Mei had been married but before she could tell her husband she was pregnant, he died in a tragic car accident.
Lily realised her eyes were leaking and sniffed, accepting the tissue that Ethan blindly gave her.
"She was beautiful." she whispered.
"Who?"
"My real mum."
Ethan's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Your 'real mum'?"
"Gabriel told me the truth. I finally know why I was hated by them. I reminded them of my mother who died." she replied bitterly. "Now, I really wish I had died that night I got stabbed."
Ethan halted in front of his house and turned to face her, slightly relieved he picked the right place to halt in and also that he was home.
"Never and I mean never say that again."
Lily opened her eyes and turned to face him. "Why do you care?"
"You know why I care." he replied gently. "I really like you."
"I thought you loved me." A slight twitch made her lips.
Ethan blushed. "You heard all that?"
"I was in a coma, not dead or deaf. I love you."
"I love you too. So much."
Ethan kissed her gently on the lips, scared that the touch would break her very being but Lily intensified the kiss, her arms slipping around his neck to bring him closer.
They stayed like that for minutes until their was a persistent knock on the door. "Nibbles, you're swallowing the poor girl!"
Ethan and Lily jolted apart and Cal gasped from his position by the window.
"Lily?" He smiled. This was so going to be featured on gossip central.
"Go away Caleb." Ethan sighed.
"You alright, Lily?" Cal asked, ignoring Ethan's plea. He opened the door and leaned against the car.
"You know?"
Cal nodded. "Well at least you know what we went through."
"Yeah. Thrice." Lily mumbled.
"What do you mean?"
"My real dad died before I was born and my real mum died when I was one."
Cal was shocked. "I'm-I'm so sorry. Must be hard for you. Why don't you come in? It's 11 and it's freezing."
Lily was surprised. "Only if Ethan would-"
"Of course. Come in!" Ethan replied, flustered. "You-you can even stay over. We don't mind."
"I didn't bring anything else other than my work clothes." Lily whispered, blushing.
Cal rolled his eyes. "I'm sure one of my ex-girlfriends have something lying about." With that he went up to their front door and unlocked it. "Are you two coming or what?"
"After you." Ethan smiled at Lily who only blushed back.