Vision

Chapter Seventeen

I wait to tell Lillian that her presence is requested tonight. She immediately lights up with intrigue. Then the questions start. Who? What? Where? Why? When? The whole ten yards. Thankfully, I don't know much...well I don't know anything. My lack of information shuts her up.

She keeps all that curious anxiousness bottled up until Peter picks us up. The short car ride has all those questions spilling out again. And all Peter does is shake his head, shrug his shoulders and say 'can't say' with a slick smile on his face.

Lillian hangs on my arm as we make our way upstairs. With Peter's sudden halting steps, we nearly collide into him. He stops at his apartment. Out of nowhere my heart clenches tight. He wouldn't lure us to his apartment to torture us. It isn't that kind of surprise. At least I hope it isn't.

"I figured you didn't want me lingering around your place without you there, so..." he swings the door open, "we'll have game night at mine."

Lillian immediately lights up, "game night," she shouts so loud her voice echoes down the hall. "I'm the queen of all games." Without a second thought she rushes inside, "what are we-" her words come to an abrupt halt.

Peter whispers to me that his friend will be joining us. The one that thinks he's too picky. "His name is Travis and-"

"Are you cheating?" Lillian hollers into the room. A deep laughs quickly follows.

"And it seems Lillian is introducing herself." Peter teases.

Stepping into the living room of Peter's place, which is identical, but backwards to mine puts a weight upon my shoulders. The pressure of being normal, acting normal is harder than I thought it would be, especially in the company of a stranger.

Travis immediately introduces himself. He seems nice. But even a serial killer can put on a charming smile. Peter wouldn't be a serial killer would he? He wouldn't introduce me to his killer friend, would he?

Sheepishly, I wave with a barely audible 'hello'. Lillian however, perks up. I've seen that look before. She's crushing. Hard.

"We have snacks and drinks," Travis offers.

"Sadly, no tea though," Peter jokes.

"Ha ha, I could use something more alcoholic than tea right now anyways. Helps me loosen up my gaming fingers." She turns to the kitchen and Travis trials behind her. Gaming fingers? Does she even know what she's talking about?

I can't get my stomach to settle enough to accept a drink or food, so I live through Lillian who takes an extra strong drink and a plate full of snacks. I feel a little bombarded, overwhelmed. This is my first step back into real life. A step moving forward and past the pains of Colton.

Peter clings close to my side as if he feels my panic. "Is this too much? I should've told you, but I-"

My 'it's fine' isn't as strong as I would like it to be. But I try to put all my fear behind me and enjoy myself. It's been too long since I've let myself have fun.

With everyone fit with a drink and food, we sit at the dining room table. The dreaded Monopoly sits smack dab in the middle. Dylan always kicked my ass in this game and now I have Lillian to rub it in. It starts out slow and I purposely try to go bankrupt early, weaseling myself out of the game.

Lillian's gaze is piercing and sharp as she glares at me knowing full well I'm being terrible with my money on purpose. Her frustration doesn't last long as she returns her focus to the board. There's a competitive rivalry between the three of them. Lillian is on the edge of her seat as she's just barely beating Peter. Travis is the next to kick that bankruptcy bucket, but he continues to keep a smile on his face.