Darkness's Flower: Pulling It Together

Chapter 50: Ashlie

~Nico~

Lilly and I heard a knock on the door. We stopped kissing and she went back to the bathroom to get ready. I opened the door to see the redhead, Ashlie, who flirted with me when I got my tattoo.

"Uh, can I help you?" I asked.

"Yeah, you can, actually," she said, walking into my apartment.

"You can't come in here!"

"Yeah, I can, darling."

"Don't call me darling," I growled.

She walked into the apartment and tried placing her hands on my chest. "Oh, but I can."

"Stop, Ashlie!"

"So you know my name, but I don't know yours. What is it?"

I grasped her wrists tightly. "Don't touch me and get out of my apartment! I'm engaged! Plus, I don't know you and I will never love anyone other than my fiancé!"

I heard Lilly getting out of the shower and tried to push Ashlie out of my apartment. She fought me until she pressed her lips to mine.

"Nico!" a voice screamed.

Lilly.

I managed to push Ashlie off of me. Lilly was standing behind me, frozen, with her eyes wide and almost in tears. I rushed to her and put my hands on her face.

"Lillian-"

"No, Nico! What...what was that? Who is she?" Lilly asked.

"That's the girl from the tattoo place I told you about. She just walked in and kissed me! I swear that I didn't do anything! I tried so hard to get her to go away, but she wouldn't!" I explained.

I suddenly got super angry and turned to Ashlie. She smiled, an evil smile, and walked over towards me.

"It's true, sweetie! He didn't do anything, it was me," Ashlie said.

Lilly's eyes narrowed and she walked towards Ashlie. "Get out of his apartment right now! You never mess with me when it comes to him! Never speak to him again! Never look at him! Go away and I mean it! Leave!"

Ashlie turned with a flip of her hair and stormed out. Lilly looked back to me and slammed the door shut.

"Why did you let her kiss you? Nico, I thought you would do better than that!" Lilly yelled.

"Lillian, I tried! I swear I did! She wouldn't leave! I was trying to push her out when she kissed me! Please stop yelling," I yelled.

"Says the one that's yelling right back! Nico-"

"Lilly!" I sighed. "I'm sorry! I tried, I swear!"

"You might've tried, but it still happened!"

She plopped down on the couch and held her head in her hands. I knelt down in front of her. I tilted her chin up so she would look at me.

"We are engaged, Lillian! Do you really think I would break that commitment with you?" I asked her softly.

"No. But-"

"Lilly! No buts! You know I can't live without you! Kids or no kids, you're still mine no matter what."

And after I said that, she smiled and kissed me. We spent the rest of the week together, doing nothing but having fun and messing around. Now it's the night before she has to go back to France.

"I don't want you to go," I whispered.

We were lying in bed together. Her face was buried in the crook of my neck. I was holding her up against me and her hand was rested on my bare chest.

"I don't want to go either, Nico," Lilly whispered back.

"But once you get back, you wanna get married? I've already asked Chiron and he said he'd do the ceremony. I mean, he did everyone else's weddings-"

"Wait! I missed everyone's weddings?"

"Yeah." I kissed her head. "I'm sorry. I wanted to have you there with me, but I figured I would get you in trouble, so I didn't say anything."

She propped herself up by her elbow. "Nico, I've missed some of my best friends' weddings! I didn't want to miss them! I feel so bad, my gods! They'll be at our wedding and I wasn't at theirs!"

I brushed a piece of loose hair behind her ear. "It'll be fine! They understood why you couldn't be there. I promise, it's alright! So, how about a week once you get back we get married?"

She snuggled back into me. "I'd like that. But we have major planning to do and I need to find bridesmaids dresses and my own dress and-"

"Hey! I can have Ash and Gabby help with the wedding plans and once you get back, you can go out and get your stuff. It'll work out, I promise."

"Okay." She kissed me on the cheek. "That'll work."

"Awesome." I sighed and held her closer. "Do you have to leave?"

"Yeah. I don't want to, but I have to. Don't worry, Nico. Nobody flirts with me or anything. No one even pays attention to me. I spend most of my time in class thinking about you and how much I miss you."

"Really? I do the same thing. And at night, I'm always wishing you were here beside me, snuggled up like you are now. I never sleep very good unless you're with me."

She poked me in the stomach. "Oh, really? Is that so?"

"Yeah."

"Same with me."

Silence.

"Nico, what was it that you said before I moved? The thing about ours will work out or whatever."

I smiled. "Every story has its problems," I kissed her forehead, "but ours will always work out."

"I love that. Can you write that down for me please?" Lilly asked.

I chuckled. "Right now?"

"Yeah. Before I have to go tomorrow. Please."

"Alright."

I got up and scribbled it down on a piece of paper. I handed it to Lilly, then crawled back in bed with her. I kissed her lips softly, then fell asleep.