The Abandoned Path

Age of Reason

The last day of August was coming to a close, the bright sun painting the horizon a beautiful fuchsia pink and auburn. Lilith stood in a guest room on the second floor of the manor, gazing out the large window are the summer sky. Golden light filled the room, the dust in the air sparking like glitter. Below her, the old oak trees danced with a gentle breeze, their leaves fluttering and twirling. Sprawling green lawns had long shadows cast upon them as the sun dipped below the mountain ranges to the east. It was a perfect summer evening and it filled her with sadness. Lilith sighed and grabbed her cleaning supplies, turning to leave the room.

Tomorrow she would turn 21 and finally able to legally drink, though she had been drinking for years already thanks to a fake I.D. Other than that, she didn't care much for birthdays or celebrations in general. Being the center of attention was the last thing she wanted, and she had never enjoyed crowds. In addition to that, she had to be born in her least favorite season which added to her general dislike of the day. Years of pool parties, lake parties and camping trips had utterly ruined the day for her. Walking down the stairs she lazily made her way to the storage closet to deposit her supplies, absent mindedly humming to herself. As she rounded the corner from the stairs, she ran into a tall figure who must have been waking from the kitchen. Staggering back, the bucket she held threw her balance off and she could feel her core fighting to not fall without success. Slipping his hand around her waist, Mr. L caught her, bringing her close to his chest. His arm held her up effortlessly, his hard chest contrasted with her soft body. The warmth of his touch ignited a fire in her loins and a pulsing growing between her legs. He smelt of sandalwood and leather, rich and masculine. Lilith blushed deeply; her bright green eyes lost in his gaze. His grip tightened around her waist, a hunger in his eyes growing as the heat rushed through Lilith, making her breath hard to find.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see you." She said in a breathy voice, placing her hand on his chest. She could feel the contours of his muscles through his thin cotton button-up and she couldn't help but picture what he would look like without it. Fuck, I really want him her mind lamented before she could stop it. It was agony being so close to him, and she had to avoid it every day she lived here. Drawing in a deep breath, he released her. Taking a step back, he ran his long fingers through is wavy, coffee-colored hair. Lilith gripped the handle of the bucket with both hands, casting her eyes down to the content in it. Anything to keep her thoughts from undressing him.

"It's fine." He gave her a strained smile and rushed past her and out the front door. Turning to watch him leave, she gave a deep sigh. She had started to learn his daily habits all to avoid him, the sexual desire becoming more intense each time. Regaining her composure, she finished returning her bucket to its closet and went to her room to wait for dinner. With her phone in hand, Lilith sat on her bed, hunched over and mindlessly scrolling.

"Hey Lily." Sam stood in her doorway moments later, a lopsided grin on her face. Lilith looked up, setting her phone on her lap. Sam leaned on the door frame, examining her nails.

"Hey Sam..." Lilith replied in a skeptical tone, giving her friend a quick once over. She could sense Sam wanted something, that much was obvious by how uninterested she was pretending to be. "What's up?" Lilith asked, straightening her back and placing her hands on the bed behind her.

"Do you have an outfit for tomorrow?" Sam's grin spread, Lilith scoffing at her question. She should have guessed.

"I do in fact. They're my pajamas!" Lilith exclaimed, plopping onto her belly, her feet toward the door. Sam's face fell and she stood with slumped shoulders. She stomped into the room, stopping at the side of her friend's bed.

"Lilith, this is your 21st birthday we are talking about!" Sam huffed, lightly stomping her foot. Lilith exhaled sharply though her nose.

"I know that! But wouldn't it be nice to stay in and watch movies?" Lilith glanced over at Sam, matching her friends displeased frown.