Good Intentions

49)Lily's

**updated.re-edited.finished**

Sang

Stunned, I didn't make any move to get out of the car. Decan was already halfway up the porch steps, but I couldn't move. Sean had dated a man? Could that be true? How could it be? Wouldn't I have heard about it by now? Frowning, I tried to remember everything I'd ever heard about Sean from the guys. I know he's always been super flirty, at least according to Victor. Did I know anything else? Did I know anything about any of their dating histories? Did they ever talk about that stuff around me? I know about Claire now, but only because she just showed up. Would Luke have told me about her if she hadn't? Did I even want to know these things?

Lost in thought, the knocking on my window startled me. Lily was leaning over, braced with one hand on her knee, and the other hand's knuckles tapping on my window. When my eyes met hers, she stopped knocking and her eyebrow raised in question. Taking a deep breath, I nodded and started to reach for the door. Before my hand could touch the handle, Lily opened the door wide for me to get out.

Stepping out of the car, I looked around, taking in everything around me in a little more detail. Where were we? Some secret academy house? It looked to be at least three stories tall, and was surrounded by woods on every side. The porch wrapped around the house on the right side, looking like it had seen better days.

"Good Morning Sang," Lily spoke from right beside me. I jumped a little, surprised she was so close. While I was looking around, she closed the car door and approached me. Spooked, my eyes darted around searching for Decan, but didn't find him. Where did he go? Bringing my eyes back to her, I tried to shake my nerves and offer a polite smile.

"Good Morning Mrs. Anderson."

"No, No. None of that. Call me Lily." She replied, shaking her head. Her tone was gentle but firm. Blushing, I nodded and whispered her name. She smiled and motioned with her hand for me to follow her inside. I hesitated a moment, hoping Decan would magically reappear, but then hurried after her up and across the porch, into the house.

As I passed through the front door, I heard several male voices coming from another room. Who's here? I stopped in the middle of the foyer, a few steps past Lily as she closed the door, not sure what to do or where to go. Lily started walking toward the voices but paused when she realized I wasn't following. Inquisitive blue eyes searched my face, before she turned and slowly walked back to me. My body stiffened with each step she took toward me, until she stopped about a foot away. I wondered if she could tell how uncomfortable I was becoming.

"Would you like to get a tour of the house and meet a few of my husbands now? Or would you rather get settled first and pick up where we left off the other night?" She asked patiently, a kind smile shaping her mouth.

Tour the house? Meet her husbands? My eyes grew wide and my hand started to lift to my lips. Wasn't I here for academy business? Was this their home? Shifting from foot to foot, I tried to think of a response, but my mind wouldn't settle enough to focus on the question she'd asked. Lily waited for a moment, until she realized I wasn't going to answer. Her eyes narrowed just enough for me to notice and she reached her hand toward my elbow. Without meaning to, I stepped back, creating enough distance that she couldn't reach me. She stopped moving, her hand a few inches from my arm, and tilted her head to the side. She studied me with too many silent questions. Where is Decan? Why did he leave me by myself? Didn't he know I couldn't do this by myself?

My cheeks were burning with embarrassment and my lips were starting to tremble. Why had I stepped away from her like that? I knew she wasn't going to hurt me. After another moment she pulled her hand back to her side, took another small step back and adjusted her kind smile. She nodded, as if to herself, and turned her head in the direction the voices were still coming from. There were two halls leading away from the foyer, on either side of a beautiful grand staircase.