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TWELVE

Lamia

I wake up and turn my head to the side. Aiden is gone again. I don't remember him leaving after he held me last night. When he took me in his arms, I really felt how much I missed him. I still do, because he is not the same. Only a few moments like those, do I see the real him. I turn all the way around to look out of the window. It's not raining or lightning anymore.

I get out of bed and put on some clothes. The breakfast that's already standing on the table, catches my eye. Egg and bread. But I don't touch it. Instead I walk out into the hall and listen for voices. But no one is there.

I begin walking downstairs, and admire the whole house again. I hate being here, but I can't lie. It's really pretty.

I get to a wall made out of glas, one I haven't seen before. I look out into what might be a garden. There has to be a door that leads outside. I hurry down to the lowest floor, and search every room. Eventually I get to a room I've never seen before.

It's so different from all the other places in this house. It looks kinda like the room where Aiden made me pick a painting. It is white, and light. One of the walls is covered completely with a big bookshelf. It has hundreds of books. There is a beige chair standing in the corner, with a pillow laying on it. It looks like it hasn't been touched in a long time. Beside the chair is a little table with a book laying on it.

I walk over to the table and look at the book without touching it. Emma, Jane austen. A bookmark sticks out about halfway through it.

Sun shines through the many windows. A glass door, with a view out into the garden. I walk over and open the door. The fresh air hits me, and I take a deep breath. I haven't breathed outside air in so long. I step completely outside and my shoes touch the grass. There are only a few clouds in the sky, and it's pretty warm. I take off my cardigan and lay it inside on the floor.

I follow a path down the garden, and it leads me down towards what looks like a little forest. I walk past some trees and I stop abruptly. A little lake is in the middle of the forest. There are flying butterflies and dragonflies. the sun shines down on the lake, and makes it shimmer.

I look around, and I spot a little swing hanging from one of the trees. I walk over to it. It looks a little rusty, but I still think it works.

Aiden.

Lamia wasn't in her room when I looked for her this morning. I haven't been able to find her. I've searched every room there is besides one, and I'm standing in it now. My mothers old reading room. My eyes land on Lamia's white cardigan laying on the floor. It is laying in front of the open glassdoor. I walk over and pick it up.

I walk outside and follow the path down to the little lake. It was one of the reasons we chose this house. My mother loved the lake.

I walk in between the trees. I am about to walk closer, when I spot Lamia on the swing. I can't stop my smile, happiness fills me up as I watch her.

Lamia.

My hands fold around my dress, as I feel Aidens intense eyes on me. I don't touch my food, and I sit in silence. I had been outside for most of the day, and it was amazing. I was outside until the sun had gone down. And when I got back inside my cardigan was in my room. I guess someone put it back there. I look down at my food, not wanting to meet his eyes.

Aiden clears his throat. "Are you gonna ask a question, Lamia?"

I pull myself together and meet his eyes. "No."

He puts down his fork and knife. "Why?"

I look down again. "I don't have anything to ask." He nods slowly and takes a sip of his water. "Then let me ask you a question." My head snaps up "Ask me what?"

"What do you wish most for in life?"

I don't know what to say. Or I don't have anything to say. Because what I really want is him back in my life, just how it was before. "I don't know," I answered. He shakes his head. "Yes you do."

I sigh "I want things back to how they were before." His eyes meet mine in confusion. "before you left me, and before i was trapped here." Guilt flashes over him, but it goes away as quickly as it came.

"I know," Aiden whispered. I'm not sure he meant for me to hear it, but I did. None of us spoke the rest of the night. We just ate in silence.

I left to go to my room, as soon as I was allowed. Aiden looked so tired and alone all the time. I know he has people here, but I don't know what has happened to him the past year.