Lily was finally back at school a couple days later.
Her burn marks were almost gone thanks to that special ointment Jason had...
She also had to get over the feeling that she was stuck in a dream, waiting for the darkness to consume her and bring the nightmare in...
It took her a while to believe that “the Enchanted'' existed. The fact that there were beings like her and Jason... billions... It scared her in some way... but fascinated her in others...
Lily got to know Jason better during this time.
Well... when she didn’t lock herself in his room and try to plan out how to escape...
They got to know each other more... Somewhat...
She found out that they both loved to write and draw.
Lily’s artistic talent was more dedicated to anime characters when Jason drew more realistically.
Mainly buildings... people...
She started wondering if he wanted to be an architect at some point, but ended up not asking him.
They drew together a couple of times while Lily was healing, placing their sketch pads on the ground and did drawing contests or portraits of each other.
Jason always won, and laughed at Lily when she tried her best to pierce a glare at him.
At that moment, she stood alone on the road to her school. The place where she and Elle parted after the last class...
She listened to the gentle breeze blowing the tall grasses around her while she waited for Jason to show up.
She didn’t know why, but she was afraid to go to school.
She could tell with her stomach churning at the sight of the building ahead.
This was the first time Lily parted from Jason… the only time he let her by herself…
She was starting to question why she hadn’t started running.
She knew her house was utterly destroyed, and she had nowhere to go… but Jason was… scary in some way…
She could see a dark past deep in those innocent green eyes…
He was hiding something from her.
Jason had her stay at his apartment, telling her repeatedly that he would know if she’d try to escape.
She did try... Countless times... but Jason would always stop her somehow...
She even tried it when he was in the bathroom... when he was sleeping...
And he always stopped her.
So… naturally… she gave up…
She didn’t feel like screaming and having the neighbors hear her through the walls…
Getting the wrong idea…
Again...
She pushed the thought away, scanning the area for Jason, but there was no figure within her sight.
You can run, Lily, a part of her said. Right now. Before he gets here.
She stared off into the distance, wondering where she could go… She was sixteen… no other family members…
But she started in the opposite direction of Jason’s street, about to break into a run when she heard a sudden irate voice:
“Lily! Where the hell have you been?” Elle ran up to her from behind, gasping as if she ran a mile. She looked up, and Lily could see the slight shine from tears in her brown eyes. “I’ve been worried sick! You’ve been gone for three days, and you’re not answering your Goddamn phone!”
Because Jason stole it.
“Yeah… umm… about that….”
“Hey!” A figure formed from down the sidewalk, stepping toward them with the rising sun shining around him... making him look like a shadow walking toward them from heaven...
Lily’s heart jumped in her chest at the sight of Jason, and she cursed at herself for letting it.
She was getting too attached to him... not in a good way... and it scared the hell out of her.
It was like she was losing control over herself... Slowly...
He stopped in front Lily and smiled. “Don’t worry. I was just getting us some chai latte’s from Kit-Cat Coffee.”
When she darted her gaze away, he caught her chin, turning her toward him as he ran a thumb along the corner of her mouth.
Jolts of heat ran through her at his touch, and she tried pulling away but he held her chin tighter.
What the hell is he doing? she questioned to herself.
“There,” he said, smiling as he pulled away. “You had a bread crumb.”
Lily was silent, glaring down at the sidewalk when all three of them grew quiet.
“Have you been...” Elle whispered, “hanging with him this entire time? Did you burn down your house just to be with him? Lily!” she yelled, glaring up at her, “you scared the crap out of me! How was I supposed to know it wasn’t you who burned to a crisp? How was I supposed to know that you’re alive?”
Jason stayed silent, sipping his tea while Elle ranted to her friend.
“Who was it?” Elle demanded. “Who died?”
At Lily’s silence, she continued, “Or was is rotten meat? Did you put it into clothes?”
“No,” Lily said suddenly, her voice shaking, “it wasn’t a fake... And I didn’t mean to set the house on fire.”
“Then who was it? And what do you mean you didn’t mean to?”
“You don’t have to respond, you know,” Jason stated, sipping his tea again.
“Shut up,” both Lily and Elle said.
He raised his hands, claiming innocence and backed away a couple steps.
“It was...” Lily whispered, “my aunt... And I set the house on fire on accident beca—”
“Because she left the stove on,” Jason cut in, making her and Elle shoot him a look.
He looked down to Lily, raising his brows.
She knew what the expression said, She doesn’t need to know.
“Yeah,” she stated, sticking to his lie, “I left the stove on.”
“Oh, Lily...” Elle said sympathetically, holding out her arms, “I’m so sorry... I... I didn’t know....”
She stepped to her, offering an embrace but Lily backed away. “I don’t really feel like being touched right now.”
And she started toward the school before any of them spoke another word, feeling Elle and Jason’s gazes burn the back of her head but she didn’t care...
She just needed a distraction...
And what’s a better distraction than English class?
*****
The bell rang, and class started. Lily under the AC vent, Jason next to her, and Elle behind her.
Unlike the other students, they remained silent as Mr. Matthews walked into the room, a smile plastered on that face of his.
He kind of reminded Lily of Jason a bit... always smiling...
It was odd and slightly nerve-racking.
She quickly looked away when he raised his gaze to her.
She didn’t want him to call her out again...
Right now... that was the last thing she needed...
“Does she even know?” a voice echoed through Lily’s ears. “She doesn’t suspect a thing.”
She looked up then, scanning the room for kids looking at her.
No one was looking at her, though...
Great... she thought, my aunt is dead, I can catch fire, and I’m hallucinating...
Despite her fear... a sudden uneasiness cast over her...
It sounded so… real…
When the sudden thought that Jason could read minds came, she looked at him then.
But his face showed no emotion... his brows were raised, and he was staring off into space like he was bored...
But she saw darkness swirling in his eyes... and by this... She knew his face was carefully expressionless.
As if someone in this room could read emotion like a book...
Tell what he was thinking...
Who is that cute boy? another voice said. He only pays attention to that stupid blonde girl over there. It’s like he doesn’t notice us hot girls at all.
That sounded like Nadya’s voice, the highest ranked snotty girl in the school who thought if she wore short skirts and crop tops, it would get her more dates.
What’s going on? Lily thought, panic starting to course through her veins. Am I suddenly hearing voices?
“I wonder if she suspects me yet,” the booming voice said.
I wonder what we’re doing today.
“She’s so ignorant.”
Who was that booming voice? It was loud and deafening, making her thoughts race.
Jeez, English class is so boring.
“I wonder if she knows who her father is.”
Why aren’t we doing anything?
“No, I have to wait a little longer to reveal myself.”
Why is he just staring at her?
Why is he just staring at her? the words echoed through Lily's mind like she were stuck in a dark chamber, and the only voice she heard were the children above...
She was drowning in the darkness...
“Lily?”
She looked up then, the world fading back to its normal state.
She didn’t realize she was panting slightly, and her hands covered her ears, fingers digging into her skin, and tears stained her cheeks.
“Lily…? Are you okay?” Jason looked down at her, brows drawn together.
She glanced around the room, noting that everyone was looking at the teacher while he explained synonyms.
Her heart stopped for a moment.
None of what happened was real...
“Jason… am I going crazy…?” she whispered suddenly.
“No,” he placed a warm hand on her back as if he knew what was going on, “you’re not.”
Lily looked at him. “Do you know? Do you know what’s happening to me?”
She gripped her desk, knuckles turning white.
There was this one voice, though. It was someone I don’t know... but his voice sounded so familiar... He was... he sounded so... real...
She looked up, gripping the table harder.
Her hands started stinging... but she ignored the pain.
Until shear stabbing shocks jolted up her arm, and she almost cried out.
But Jason’s voice cut through the pain. “Lily… Lily!”
She looked down. Her hands sank into the table like she turned the wood to lava.
When she lifted her palms up, two scorched black handprints burned into the desk.
And her hands had more red and black splotches spread across the palm.
“It’s heeer. I know now,” the voice sang in her head. “She’s yooou, Lillian Bron... You’re the girl I’m looking for.”
Her pupils shrank, and her eyes burned with tears that threatened to fall.
He’s here, she thought. The man who murdered my Aunt is here... And I’m next...
“Stay calm,” Jason whispered softly. “Take my hand and stay calm.”
Lily looked down to his palm, black framing her vision when the cold fear consumed her.
And the icy hands closed around her throat, suffocating her.
“I can’t wait to meet her and make her mine.”
The world stopped for a moment... Inaudible echos of all the students' voices filled the air.
And Lily could hear her own shallow breathing...
She couldn’t explain why... or... who...
All she knew what that... the air suddenly poisoned her...
All that existed were the students frozen in their chairs...
As if time stopped…
And Lily looked up to the teacher, seeing him staring at her with his head tilted to the side...
Smiling...
Her heart stopped.
Oh, God…
It was him.
She stood then, nausea welling up her throat when she darted straight toward the classroom door.
Then she ran, feet slapping the ground as if she were the only thing moving when time stopped.
Leaving Jason and Elle alone with him.
Him.
It was him.
He was him.
He was the murderer.
He was the demon.
He was her Aunt’s killer.
“Run all you can, Lily, but you won’t be able to escape.”
Her bones chilled... Every part of her consumed in ice...
But she kept on running, tears streaming down her cheeks at the agony that consumed her...
The cold hands that choked her...
And her heart that refused to start beating again.
She was dying... She knew she was...
But she kept on running, refusing to look behind her.
She knew fully that if she stopped... he’d catch her...
When she threw open the front doors, rain clouds covered the sky in darkness, though she couldn’t tell if it was just her vision faltering.
And as if the timing were perfect... they sky opened, thunder crackling across the dark clouds... and rain poured down on her...
But she couldn’t feel the cold water...
She only focused on the same words, repeating them in her head over and over again.
Run.
Must run...
Can’t stop...
Or he’ll kill me...
Suddenly a hand caught her arm and tugged her back, making something inside her burst.
Lily screamed and scratched his arm, breaking free, once more... And she started running again.
But this time... he grabbed her by the waist and hurled her toward him, but with more force.
Lily tried to get out of his grasp, fighting his arms...
But he embraced her, folding his arms around her while pressing her head to his chest.
Lily scratched... hit... and begged, but he just wouldn’t let go.
She couldn’t hear anything other than the booming thunder.
The slight patting of rain on the cement...
But then a muffled voice came from the man.
And very slowly... the world came back into focus.
She heard his gentle voice. He was saying her name.
“Shhh...” he soothed, gently stroking her hair. “You’re okay... I’m right here....”
“Jason…?” She blinked, insides turning with terror. “But… I thought you were….”
“Matthews?” He scoffed. “No.”
“Then you knew...” she whispered, voice cracking, “the entire time...?”
Jason gave her a sad look, but held her tighter.
She looked down to his chest, seeing the fabric of his shirt torn as if he were clawed at by a bear... and lightly touched the scratch marks on his chest.
And he winced, letting out some kind of pain-filled groan.
“I’m sorry….” She looked down then, guilt weighing her shoulders. “I was panicking. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Tears brimmed in her eyes again, and the memory of her teacher staring at her burned every coherent thought...
I can’t wait to meet her and make her mine.
She wasn’t his! She belonged to herself! What made it his right to take that away from her?
“It’s not his right,” Jason responded to her thoughts. “He’s crazy, a sociopath. He knows how to act around people but... doesn’t feel emotion like us... If he wants something... he’ll do whatever it takes to get it... If he wants you...” Jason paused for a moment, forcing the words out almost painfully, “he’ll get you... That’s his mind set.”
Lily broke at his words, tears streaming down her cheeks as loud sobs burned up her throat.
The rain drenched her hair and dress, making the yellow strands stick to her forehead and shoulders...
Jason pulled her closer to him, holding her as she cried in his chest.
The pain... was unbearable... How her life was fading before her eyes...
She could see herself drifting away from the world she once knew... and she didn’t want to...
She wanted to stay... here... with her mother and father and... her aunt...
But they left...
And now she was alone...
Darkness was consuming her... forcing everyone away like a curse...
Like she was a curse.
As the icy hands closed around her throat, Jason pulled her away from him slightly, pressing his thumbs gently into her throat, once more... tipped her head back…
And clasped his lips against hers, making her eyes widen from the gesture.
She tasted like salt... from the tears streaming down her cheeks.
But even though her lips were salty, they were soft... and so delicate...
He didn’t want to let go...
And Lily wasn’t pulling away despite her entire body screaming otherwise, she was actually leaning in closer, wanting more.
So, Jason listened her quiet plead, lacing his fingers through her drenched hair.
He knew this was sudden... but he hoped he helped her calm down.
The feeling of her mouth on his calmed him down.
He just wanted to stay in this moment... forever...
Her skin against his... her lips tasting his...
He just hoped it would do the same for her, though he noticed that her eyes were closed as if she felt a sense of comfort...
And he wanted to give her a moment before he pulled away.
After a couple of seconds, Jason pulled back, a slight smile curving his mouth as Lily stared at him...
Suddenly stunned...
"You’re going to be okay,” he promised. “I’ll protect you... I’ll save you....”
“But….” Lily couldn’t form a single thought... All of them replaced with the feeling of his skin touching hers...
She almost forgot what just happened... in the school...
“Lily…” Jason whispered, pulling her closer to him. “You're safe now. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“Jason…” she said softly, “I don’t understand....”
He had a girlfriend... He said she lost her memories of him... and he sounded genuinely sad about it...
He still had a chance to... gain her back...
So why did he kiss her?
“I know you don’t,” he responded. “But you will. Give it time.”
What wasn’t she seeing...?
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