As soon as the money arrived, Aria smiled faintly and contacted the store she’d used last time to custom–order a brand new set of equipeñanć.
At Larkridge High School, the dismissal bell rang. Valerin packed up her stuff and looked at Lily. “Lily, come to my
“Okay, Ms. Gibbs Lily got up and followed her out.
The classroom exploded into noise,
yoffied
Someone muttered, “Lily’s dad almost killed Nathan’s sister, and she’s still showing up to class like nothing happened. Coldhearted much?”
“Shouldn’t she be considered Nathan’s sister’s savior, though?
“Honestly, it’s weird. Lily looked like she knew her dad was gonna snap. She bolted so fast.”
“I was there. I can vouch–it definitely looked like that.”
The class buzzed with gossip, basically suggesting that yesterday’s whole thing had been staged by Lily and her dad, just to cozy up to the rich and powerful.
Suddenly, Nathan shoved his chair back, the screech cutting through the noise like a knife.
Nathan glared hard at the loudest guy and stormed out, tossing back a cold line. ” you don’t know what happened, shut the hell up.”
“I don’t really like you. I don’t want your help. I don’t like you. Nathan could practically hear the words pounding in his head.
Nathan cursed under his breath and kept walking until he found himself standing outside the teacher’s office.
Nathan muttered another curse and was about to turn away when
Lily asked, “Ms. Gibbs, can I ask for Nathan’s sister’s contact info? I need to return something to her.”
*Nathan probably has it. You can ask him,” Valerie replied
Lily asked again, “You don’t have it yourself?”
–
No, I really don’t,” Valerie said.
Lilly said, “Okay then.”
The conversation stopped. Nathan quickly tiptoed away, scared he’d be accused of eavesdropping
Nathan walked a few more steps, then turned back, humming a random tune and dragging his feet like he was just passing by.
Lily got closer and closer. Then, they brushed past each other.
Nathan stopped and turned to glance back. He thought maybe Lily would ask him for Aria’s contact info…but she didn’t,
‘Maybe she thinks Aria and I have a terrible relationship? It isn’t great, sure… but it isn’t so bad that-“Nathan thought.
Nathan paused. He thought he didn’t even have Aria’s WhatsApp.
Pulling out his phone, Nathan opened a group chat, found Aria, and sent a friend request.
Nathan murmured, “She only came to the school because of me. It’s normal to add her. Doesn’t mean I’m giving in
After class, Lily got back to the dorm. She didn’t hit the books again.
1/2
Chapter 610
Instead, Lily climbed into bed, turned to face the wall, and shut her eyes, thinking about how to get Kathair to give
It was winter. Snow blanketed everything. Ten–year–old Lily, dressed in thin clothes, shivered under a threadbare blanket.
The sound of a key turning the lock made Lily jerk in feat. She clutched the blanket tighter, her small body trembling
After a rustle of movement, the door was kicked open with force, Leon lifted the quilt and pulled her up.
The stench of alcohol hit her like a punch, followed by the sting of a slap and a string of cursos. “Why the hell didn’t you heat the water? I bust my ass st day working and you can’t even do that much?”
Lily cried and shielded her head, explaining through sobs, “Dad, the power’s out! I couldn’t!”
Loon kicked her hard, sending her crashing to the floor. “You’re just like your mom! Both of you wishing I was dead! She found herself a new man, laughing behind my back. What the hell was she laughing at? Huh? Answer mel”
Slaps, punches, and kicks rained down on Lily.
yaren’t you talking now?” Leon kicked her again, rage twisting his face. “Tell me, if I killed you, would she come back?”
“Why a
Struggling to lift her head, Lily saw Leon storm into the kitchen.
Terror jolted through her. Lily scrambled up and bolted toward the door. She didn’t want to die.
Through the snow and the night, the little girl ran barefoot, falling, getting back up, running again.
Behind her, Leon’s drunken curses echoed louder and louder, but the houses grew smaller and smaller, and finally, there were no more people in sight
Then, Lily saw something she would never, ever forget. And she stopped dead in her tracks.
