Malevolent

Chapter 29

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Amra stammered out as she'd knocked into Lily. "I thought you heard me." She said nervously, trying to steady her.

She quickly picked up Lily's books scattered on the ground, placing them back into Lily's hands. "Are you alright?"

Lily looked over Amra curiously, before a smile spread across her face. "I'm okay! You just scared the shit out of me," she chuckled. "Where did you come from?"

"The parking lot." Amra shuffled for a response. "I wasn't paying attention, though. You kind of sprouted out of nowhere too."

Lily's laughter tinkled in the night air. "Well, it is dark out here." Lily briefly scanned her surroundings. She was oddly glad this girl had shown up because she no longer felt watched. Though she was sure the second this girl left, that feeling of being watched would return.

She thought maybe it was best no one be out here on their own.

"I should go, my brother will be pissed if I'm any later."

"Your brother?" Amra asked curiously, and Lily couldn't help but notice the intrigue in Amra's gaze.

Shit, Amra realized Lily might become suspicious. "You two are students here?" she quickly added. "I'm thinking about going here myself."

"Oh, really!" Lily seemed to perk up at that. "Well, I like it, as for Alexie, it was his second choice, but I'm sure he likes it too."

"Alexie? Is that ou– your brother... ?"

"Yeah, do you know him?"

Amra shook her head. No, she didn't know him. She wished she did though. Even though he was her brother too, Amra knew nothing about them.

Even Lily didn't recognize her.

"No, I'm new to town as well, so I don't know anyone here yet."

"Oh, well, I'm Lily," she said, extending her hand with a warm smile.

Amra took her sister's hand, shaking it. The brief contact made her want to cry.

Whether Lily recognized her or not, it didn't matter to Amra. Lily was sweet, and above all, happy. Amra swallowed the lump in her throat, realizing she would never get to tell Lily the truth.

She would be leaving with Dante, so she saw no point in getting to know Lily and Alexie only to leave them again.

"It's nice to meet you." Amra managed to keep her voice from quivering.

Lily's smile broadened. "Well, now you know one person."

Amra nodded, averting her gaze for a moment, trying to control the sting of tears trying to pool into her eyes.

"You know..." Lily paused briefly, her brows furrowing as if she were trying to recall something. "You oddly look... familiar."

Amra's heart skipped a beat, panic engulfed her. If Lily recognized her, that would ruin her plans of leaving.

"I need to go." Amra said, feeling her heart strings ache. "You should probably get going too, right? Your brother's waiting?"

Amra searched Lily's gaze for any sign of recognition, but Lily seemed to release the thought, her expression softening. "Yeah," she agreed, adjusting her backpack on her shoulder. "It was nice meeting you. If you do decide to go here, I live in 35C." She gestured towards the student housing buildings. Once more, she smiled warmly at Amra.

This was it, her goodbye.

As brief as their introduction had been, Amra felt relieved to know her siblings were happy, healthy, and safe, and that's all that mattered. But as Lily had extended her invitation, Amra was overcome with a surge of emotions.

Regardless of why they had been separated as children, Amra could not come to feel anything other than unconditional love for her siblings. And without thinking, she acted on instincts, wrapping her arms around Lily in a hug.

"Woah, I'm guessing you've been away from home for a long time." Lily chuckled, but hugged Amra right back.

"You have no idea." Amra sighed softly, feeling a bittersweet pang in her chest.

For a silent moment, Amra did her best to ingrain this moment into her mind, so that whenever things got tough she could revisit it. She hugged her sister, feeling the sense of belonging she had yearned for her whole life, even though she knew it wouldn't last.

Amra forced herself to release Lily.

"It was nice to meet you." Amra tried her best to gulp down the lump she felt in her throat and as Lily smiled at her Amra turned away, letting Lily go on her way, back into her normal life where there were no demons or angels or threats to her life.

With a heavy heart, and even heavier footsteps, she began to make her way back to Dante when her hand was abruptly caught in a small, gentle embrace.

She turned to see Lily standing there. Confusion streaked across her light gray eyes as she stared at Amra. Her mouth trembled as if she wanted to speak, but the words couldn't escape her, until finally, after a breath-taking moment she said, "You're her... aren't you."

Lily's gaze was unflinching, staring deeply into Amra's eyes. Before Amra could say a word, Lily's eyes lit up in recognition, her voice garnering strength. "You're... my sister...Amra." she said, self-assured.

Amra's heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat. She fumbled for the right words, but she was too overcome with emotion. The years of countlessly yearning for her family swarmed her, as Lily finally met her gaze, as her sister finally recognized her.

Lily's voice weakened into a whimper. "I... I always knew I had a sister, but she suddenly disappeared when we were kids, right after...after..." Lily trailed off, and Amra knew what memory she was recalling.

That awful, painful night... the night of their father's death.

"You protected us and then... you were gone." Lily's voice wavered. "I waited, but days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months, and years, and my big sister never came home."

The words "big sister" undid Amra's restraint and she crumbled into sobs, unable to contain her emotions any longer. "You remember me?"

Lily's eyes glistened with tears. "I wasn't sure at first, but I felt it as you were leaving. You really are her, aren't you? My sister. My sister. Oh my God!" Lily suddenly threw her arms over Amra in a giant hug, tears streaming down both their faces. "I waited for you to come home everyday."

Lily pulled away but kept Amra at arm's reach, her eyes searching Amra's face. "When I got old enough, I... me and Alexie, we searched for you tirelessly. But it was as if you had never existed. The hospital said they lost all your records. No one knew where you went. Every trace went cold, and... oh God, Alexie. I need to tell Alexie! You're back! I always had faith that you would return, and he's going to be so overjoyed!" She beamed, holding onto Amra's hands.

"Where have you been, Amra." Lily's face went from joy to crestfallen. "I waited for you after what had happened. Where did you go?" Lily began to cry once more.