The school bell rang. Its sound echoed across the classroom. The teacher snapped her textbook shut, announcing. "That's it for today. Next week's quiz will cover Chapter 3."
"Raise." The class representative called. Everyone stood in unison.
"Bow." The students bowed, marking the end of another monotonous school day.
Lily hurriedly packed her belongings as the classroom emptied. As she swung her bag over her shoulder, a voice interrupted, "Do you have any plans today, Lily?"
Turning, she met the gaze of a girl with two red ribbons tied to her waist-length silky hair.
"Yes." Lily lied. Fujimoto was inviting her to hang out, but Lily wasn't familiar with Fujimoto or her friends circle to even consider accepting.
"Ah, next time then." sighed Fujimoto.
"Sorry." Lily murmured.
"No worries. See you next week, Lily." Fujimoto waved a goodbye before leaving the classroom which Lily replied with a small nod.
Lily didn't dwell on the awkward interaction. Instead, she trailed the students of 'Go home' club drawn to the school bus waiting at the school gate. The bus doors were already open as she arrived, beckoning her inside. The bus was sparse as the students preferred to walk home. Choosing solitude, she settled down at the very back seat by the window.
The bus lurched forward, transporting her to a looming condominium.
As she stepped off the bus, the AI bid her farewell with a courteous, "Have a good evening," but she didn't glance back.
Lily looked at the sky—an expanse of blue canvas painted with clouds and tiny black dots. She remembered her brother's trivia; the black dots were GDI space-capable freighters ferrying supplies across the planet for Tiberium reclamation effort from a nearby airport.
Lost in thought, Lily bumped into a person, stumbling backward. Bringing her right foot to the back, balance was regained. Shet met the droopy violet eyes of a blonde-haired girl.
"Are you okay?" The girl asked.
"Y-yes. Sorry for bumping into you." Lily stammered.
"It's okay. Be more careful next time, okay?" the platinum blonde girl offered a gentle smile, to which Lily replied with a silent nod, before leaving.
The blonde-haired girl looked familiar but Lily couldn't place the name. Before she could dwell further, her phone chimed with notification about an unexpected visitor to her residence. Considering she hadn't shared her address to anyone beyond her teachers, she presumed it was her guardian, Uncle Mastos.
Lily hastened her steps into the building. Keeping her guardian waiting was rude.
However, as she stepped inside, it wasn't Uncle Mastos she saw. Instead, her gaze fell upon a blonde man in sleek black suit seated on the couch, completely engrossed in his phone. Upon noticing Lily's arrival, he quickly rose to his feet.
A warm smile lit up his face as he announced. "I'm home."
Lily's heart pounded. A whirlwind of conflicting emotions surfaced – a mix of anger, gladness, and a tug between wanting to run away and longing for a comforting embrace. Gripping her bag strap tightly until her knuckles turned white, she chose to push past him as the emotions threatened to engulf her.
The man followed her into the elevator, positioning himself behind her. "Lily… " His audible concern made her clench her fist until her nails dug into her palms. The pain afterward and the elevator doors became her focus rather than his presence.
When they reached their floor, Lily bolted into her room and locking the door behind her. She collapsed onto her bed and tossed her bag aside. Her arms shielded her eyes from the glaring sunlight pouring in through the window.
Thoughts swirled. It became jumbled mess with each passing seconds.
Lily grasped her phone from her skirt pocket, its slim frame adorned with a blue kitty-themed cover. She opened her social messaging app to an empty inbox. She suppressed a sigh. What had she really expected? It wasn't like she saved her classmates numbers in the first place.
A series of gentle knocks echoed through the door. Then came his voice, "Lily, do you want to grab some parfaits? I missed spending time with you." His words hung in the air before he continued, "But if you are not up to it, that's totally fine." The man's voice subtly quivered.
Pang of guilt struck her, weighing down her chest. It was suffocating. Lily's grip tightened around her phone.
Lily understood she was being selfish by ignoring him but it was better than being hurt. She didn't want to deal with the heartache again when he leaves. Yet, the thought of missing moments with him nagged her. Moments that might be their last. Live in regret was the last thing she wanted.
Maybe she could include brother in her evening plan? She originally planned to attend live concerts that evening.
Satisfied with her decision, Lily went to the wardrobe and changed into a long sleeved white flowery dress. It was a simple but elegant attire. After repairing her hair bang in the mirror, she exited her room.
The blonde man sat on the couch, fixated on his reflection on the turned-off television. Gone was his black suit, replaced by a white t-shirt and blue jeans. His chin rested on a clasped hand, frozen in contemplation like a statue.
When he noticed Lily, he pivoted his head towards her, surprised.
"You mentioned parfaits," Lily's tone was strained. She avoided eye contact.
A relieved smile flooded the man's expression. "Let's go." He stood up, taking the lead as they made their way to his parked car.