Risk It All for Cecilia

Chapter 1

The smell of Dad's all so familiar pancakes wafted into the room, making my eyes slowly open before I sluggishly crawled out of bed. It's Saturday and that only means one thing - well two things if you count number one as I don't have to go to hell (aka school), but the main thing is that it means it's my birthday tomorrow. My 17th to be exact. To say I'm looking forward to it is an understatement, I can tell my brother and his mates (who are also mine) are planning something - I'm just not entirely sure what.

"Morning, my still 16 year old, daughter" my Dad grinned, placing a plate down on the table for me.

"Thanks," I laugh, rolling my eyes. "my almost 100 year old Dad"

"Hey, don't be cheeky you! Just because you've got one more year until you're an adulttttt" he said, emphasising on the word adult.

"One more year and a day" James corrected, appearing in the kitchen.

James is my brother. He's 21 but his band mates are slightly younger so he tends to get on with me alright. Yeah that's right... I'm the little sister of James McVey, and girlfriend of Brad Simpson - but that's a secret. If James found out, he would go mad, so the only other person who knows is Connor. He is also in the band and close friends with James, but he is literally the closest person there is to me. We've been best friends ever since he joined the band and tell each other everything.

I was about to tell James he had his pyjamas bottoms on back to front, when Mum burst into the room. "Errrrr, good.. you're all here" she stumbled. "We need to all sit down, theres something me and your father need to say"

I caught both my parents exchange an awkward look, both of them looking nervous. What's all this about? The three of them all sat down, Mum sending Dad a look as if signalling for him to say something.

"Lily, there's something you ought to know. We've been keeping this from you for a very long time, and you're 17 tomorrow so - well it's definitely time you finally are told." My Dad said. My real name is Cecilia but everyone calls me Lily.

Mum then took over. "Basically, we're quite obviously your parents.. and we are, but we actually um, you know"

"You're pregnant?!" I gasped. "I thought you'd got slightly bigger!"

"No, Lily." my Dad snaps.

I feel my face slightly redden, awkwardly. "What your Mother is trying to tell you is that," he sucks in a sharp breath and pauses, "you were adopted"

I almost thought it was a joke, I almost laughed, but nobody else was laughing. They all faced me with dead serious faces. "A-adopted?" I repeated, a lump in my throat.

"Yes" my Mum sighed. "I'm so sorry, we wanted to of told you earlier but-"

"No!" I shouted, tears beginning to spill down my cheeks. "You didn't want to tell me earlier! You wanted to keep it from me for as long as possible. You wanted me to see you both as my real parents. Well guess what, I hate you both!" I screamed, leaping out from the chair and leaving the room, making sure to slam the door as hard as possible.

"Leave her to think" I heard my Dad's voice say.

I ran as fast as I could upstairs into my bedroom where I threw myself onto my bed. I felt so shocked. I had never expected to be told something like this. I mean, yes there's been many occasions where I have just felt different to them. I can't explain how, it was just a gut feeling. But never would I of ever guessed they weren't really my biological parents.

I heard the the door creak, and then someone walk towards my bed. "Lily?" my brothers voice said, softly. "Are you alright?"

"What do you think, James? I've just been told I've been lied to for the past 17 years - so no, I am not alright!" I yelled.

"17 years... minus one day" he remarked, quietly.

I shook my head in anger whilst looking up to him, "Do you really think I have any time for your stupid humour? Just leave me alone, I don't want to see you!"

"I'm sorry-" he began.

"I told you to leave me alone!" I shrieked. "You knew this too, but you kept it from me! That's makes you just as bad as them, now go away!"

I threw my head back in my pillow, whilst listening to him stand up and leave, closing the door behind him. *buzz* I reached over to the bedside cabinet for my phone.

From: Connor:))
Come and meet me at mine? Knock on the front door :)

I read it a few times before deciding that I would go. As much as I would rather be alone right now, I'd do anything to get out of this house. I didn't even get changed meaning I climbed out the window before even brushing my teeth or hair.

Climbing out my window sounds a bit mad, but it's something I do often. There's a roof below my window which is the top of the conservatory, so I can easily get onto that and then climb down the fence which is attached to the side of it. I have to say though, it's a lot more difficult climbing down when you're in fluffy slippers, but I managed.

Connors house was just a 2 minute walk away, so I didn't get too many stares for my 'I just got out of bed and found out I was adopted' appearance.

I wiped beneath my eyes, before tapping on the door and patiently waiting for him to open it for me. I don't usually knock, I usually go through the back door myself, but they're having something done to their garden so nobody can go in there.

The door swung open, and there stood my best friend who I was desperate to talk to. "Lils? What's wrong?" he gasps, looking concerned.

I step inside the house, and close the door. "I..- um" my lip trembles as tears begin to form in my eyes again.

"Come on, let's go upstairs" he says, leading me up into his room.

I plant myself into his bed and lean against the wall. "Connor, I-I-I don't know what to do!" I sniffle. "They lied to me, for all those years... my stupid so called parents and so called brother!"

"Hey, shhh..what did they lie to you about?" he says, calmly.

"I'm adopted" I whisper.

His jaw slowly drops in disbelief, and his eyebrows scurry in confusion. "Adopted?" he asks. "Like as in, your parents not being blood related to you"

"Yes" I say, shakily.

"Oh my god, that's-" but before he finished i burst into tears.

"Why didn't they tell me! Why leave it all this time, I feel so betrayed" I sobbed, as he wrapped his arm around me, comfortingly.

The tears were flowing heavily and probably soaking his t shirt, but that was the least of my worries right now - besides, I knew he wouldn't mind. I just wanted someone to tell me it was all a joke - but instead I had to accept the tough truth.

It wasn't.