Chapter 2: Aftermath
Oliver snuck into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Trying to be as silent as possible, not wanting to wake up his friends in the living room.
*TAP! TAP! Crack!*
He whipped his head around, a chill overtaking him as icy air hit his back. Behind him, in the abysmal moonlight a short, humanoid figure stood. Hand curled around the edge of the sliding glass door.
"You forgot to lock the door again, Olie." A little girl's voice giggled.
"Kirsikka!" He gasped. "It's just you."
She turned, walking off to the left. A moment later he heard snow lightly crunch and the wooden creak of the frozen picnic table.
He hesitated, but walked over. She sat on the table, kicking her legs and staring up at the cloudy sky. He stepped outside, shivering as he walked up to her.
"A blizzard is on the way." She hummed. "Seems winter doesn't wanna give way for spring."
"And just when most of the snow had melted." He laughed. "Wanna come in? I'll make you an ice cream float too."
She lit up, hopped off her perch and raced into the kitchen. Oliver chuckled as he walked inside, shoving the sliding glass door closed with his heal as he flipped the light on.
Kirsi sat on the stool at the island, her thin jacket haphazardly discarded next to her. He locked the door before strolling over to the, still open, fridge.
"The usual?" He asked, grabbing a can of coke.
"Yep!" She chirped, wiggling in her seat like an excited child. "Oh! An' those pumpkin cookies ya baked."
He nodded with an affirmative hum.
***
"There ya go lil lady." Oliver smirked, shovinging a bendy straw in the middle. "One black raspberry-orange cream float with cherry-vanilla coke."
"Thanks Olie!" Wrapping her mint gray claws around the float, dragging it over to her.
He jolted, nearly choking on a spoonful of coffee-chocolate ice cream. He put his float down, coughing.
Looking at her with wide eyes, "Wh-what're you doing?! They could wake up and see you."
Kirsi held up her hand to silence him. She straightened up with a sigh, "Since the day after the sleepover. I haven't been back here. I decided to lay low 'til things calmed down. But that whole time I've been thinking."
Kirsi looked into his navy blue eyes, "You've known me a long time, longer then Colby. It's only a matter of time 'til I'm found out. But I decided. I want them to know."
"I know a lot about Colby. I know very little of the French boy but, I can see it when I look in his eyes. I know Ronan is trustworthy."
"If your positive." Oliver sighed, picked up and sipped his float. "I won't object then."
"What's going on! We heard-" Ronan froze, eyes widening.
Colby walked around him, confusion on his face. That changed to utter terror in a moment.
"Winter Lily!" He shrieked, jumping behind Ronan.
Kirsi huffed, shoving more ice cream in her mouth.
"Quiet down, you'll wake Kasper." She grumbled, slurping her straw.
"Actually, my little brother's spending Easter break with those twins from his preschool." Oliver corrected.
"Wait a minute, I've heard that voice before. Kirsi?" Ronan exclaimed, taking a cautious step forward. "Is that you?"
The small, floral creature stopped eating and looked at him. She quickly turned away, sheepishly nodding with a soft 'yeah'.
"You're more expressive then usual." Oliver teased, earning Kirsi's hazel glare. "And don't worry, she's safe."
The pair look at him skeptically, probably thinking he's crazy. However, they had to admit, seeing a Lily sitting in front of them while stuffing her face with cookies and ice cream made her look childish. If they didn't know any better they'd think she was this cute, harmless, innocent little flower. Considering she is sitting right here, acting like this she couldn't be that dangerous. Right?
"Wanna join us? There's a few slices of cake left in the fridge and some ramune." Oliver asked.
To everyone's surprise, Colby stepped forward. He took a deep breath, plopped down next to Kirsi and said, "Ronan grab the cake, Oliver EXPLAIN!"
"Wow! Since when are you this brave?" Kirsi quipped, side eyeing him.
Ronan just stared back for a moment, muttered a 'Well, this is happening.' and walked over to the fridge.
"Dude, how in the world did this start?" He asked, sliding a slice of red velvet cake with too many chocolate chips over to Colby. "From what little research I've done since the sleepover, this ain't normal in the slightest."
"Jeez, where do I even begin?" Putting his float down and sitting on the stool beside him.
"How'd you meet? What made you trust her so strongly?" He glanced back at Colby. "Grape or Honeydew?"
"Both!" Colby replied.
"Well, I was two an' a half when we first met." Oliver started. "Dad was deployed and mum was living with her parents. Gr-grandfather would work til late in the evening. But gram was sick, only getting out of bed to make dinner."
"A year later, gram passed. When she did..." He paused, digging his nails into his palms. "Grandfather changed, he'd come home reeking of alcohol. One night I woke to hear her muffled cries and leather striking skin. Several months later, after taking his anger out on her, he went after me. I hid outside, but soon came out to find a Lily resembling my friend standing over him. She ushered me inside, called for an ambulance and left. If she hadn't we wouldn't have survived."
"Okay, no need to say any more." Colby said. "We get it."
"FYI, my lil sister's the lily that terrified you as a kid." Kirsi added.
"What?" Colby turned to Kirsi.
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