LillyMayFlower: I really enjoy writing for Elle. I'm glad that you like the lines I'm giving her. This chapter focuses around Gem quite a lot. More Lily and Iain in the next chapter.

Chapter Nine

Lily sat at her desk that night, chewing on her pen, and trying to decide on what to write for Iain. She was about there with her message, but she still wasn't one hundred percent sure. It was difficult.

It had been a pretty nice day, despite everything. She didn't really want to admit it and she felt quite silly, but it had been nice to just sit and spend some time with Connie. She hadn't sat and forced her to talk, she'd given her a notebook, and Elle had been kind enough to make her a Hot Chocolate.

As soon as she got home, she'd taken a bath to try and ease the pain. It had been horrible though. Staring at her naked body and the bright red water had made her feel so ugly, and she wondered why Iain had even fallen in love with her in the first place.

Maybe that was what she should have written.

A knock on the door made her jump out of her skin.

She gulped and a lump formed in her throat. She stood up, her body shaking, and slowly walked along the hallway towards the door of her flat. There was another, louder knock. She began to bite her nails, something that she'd been doing an awful lot of lately, and took a few more steps. She hadn't ordered anything, she wasn't expecting any visitors, so who on earth was it. She couldn't even ask them.

She reached up to unlock the bolt with a shaking hand and squeezed her eyes, before slowly pulling the door open.

"Lily!"

A voice shouted at her and she screamed and fell to her knees, her hands over her face.

"Lily, it's me." The voice suddenly sounded so familiar and she peered at the face through the gaps in her fingers. It was Gem. "What the hell are you doing? Are you okay? Here, let me help you up."

Lily took Gem's hand and allowed her to help her to her feet. Tears were trickling down her cheeks and her hand felt sticky and wet.

"You're bleeding," Gem stated, and Lily looked to see that she'd chewed her nail down to the skin. "That must be sore. How about we get it under some cold water, eh? Come with me."

Lily smiled at the teen, and Gem took her into the bathroom to get her hand washed under the sink.

"Hey, maybe I should have been the doctor," Gem whispered, as she helped Lily wash her hand. "Listen, I was coming here to yell at you for upsetting my brother, but you already look upset. I didn't mean to startle you."

Lily nodded faintly, a sign to say that she was okay. Gem didn't understand her though.

"Have you got any plasters at all?" Gem asked.

Lily pointed towards the bathroom cabinet and perched herself on the edge of the bath. Gem walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a pack of plasters. She chose one at random and peeled it off to stick on Lily's hand.

Lily's stomach growled.

"Have you eaten?" Gem asked, and Lily shook her head. She'd almost forgot, even though she was actually starving. "Maybe you should. I'm not a very good cook, but I can do beans on toast."

Lily shook her head though. She didn't want a teenager looking after her, not when she was capable of looking after herself. She looked down at the plaster on her hand and gave Gem a thankful smile.

"Iain told me what happened between the two of you," Gem said, leaning back against the wall with her arms crossed. "He's really upset. He doesn't know I'm here though, so don't get any ideas."

A pause.

"I thought you liked him," Gem whispered, and her eyes diverted to the blood in the bath. It was possible that it could have come from a patient, doctors were forever going home with blood or vomit on them. "I just don't get it, Lily."

Lily shrugged her shoulders and crossed her arms over her stomach.

"If you can't talk to him, maybe...You can talk to me," Gem suggested, moving to sit on the bath as well.

Lily shook her head, her chest tightening with every breath she took. She wished that Gem would just leave, she was too close to her and she was trying to get her to talk, and she couldn't breathe.

"N...N..." She tried to talk.

"What was that?" Gem asked, desperate to try and get Lily to say something.

"N...No," she whimpered, reaching out and pushing Gem straight off of the bath.

Gem let out a squeal of protest and hit the floor, her head bashing against the corner of the door. She hissed in pain and Lily stared down at what she'd done. She staggered to her feet and crouched at the teen's side, praying that she wasn't badly injured.

"I'm okay," Gem groaned, pushing herself up and giving her sore head a rub. "Lily, I'm fine!" She shouted, pushing her hand away. "I'm fine," she repeated in a soft whisper.

Lily let out a gasp and held her hands to her face. Gem gave her a gentle smile, and the two of them just sat on the bathroom floor in silence.

"Why did you push me?" Gem soon asked, once she'd got the feeling in her head back. Lily shrugged. "Course," Gem sighed, remembering that Lily wasn't going to say anything. "Did you get scared?" She asked, and Lily nodded. "Of what? Iain?"

Nothing.

"You don't have to talk to him, not if you don't want to," Gem said. "I just hate seeing my brother like this, depressed and quiet. It isn't him. And this, lashing out and refusing to talk to people, isn't like you."

A thought suddenly struck Lily. She fled the room, leaving Gem on the floor, and rushed back to her desk. She folded up the piece of paper that she'd been writing on, and scribbled 'Iain' on the front of it. She headed back into the bathroom and pushed the piece of paper into Gem's hand.

"What's this?" Gem asked. "You want me to give this to Iain?"

Lily nodded.

"Okay," Gem whispered, standing up from the floor. "Will do. I know you're hurting, Lily, so I won't tell Iain that you pushed me. It was just an accident, right? And it can be our little secret."

Lily felt thankful for that, and although she wanted to give Gem a hug, she didn't.

"I'll text you next time," Gem said. "In case I end up coming round again. Do you want anything before I leave?"

Lily shook her head, and just gestured to the note again.

"I won't forget, don't worry," Gem said. "You need to eat something though, so I will make you some toast before I go, just to make sure."

Lily nodded. She had no choice.

So I wasn't sure what to write here, and I wasn't sure if it was too early for anyone to have their suspicions. I think it worked out well though. Let me know what you think.