Blue Ribbon

Chapter 37 - Love thy neighbor

"You know that place between sleep and awake, that place where you still remember dreaming? That's where I'll always love you. That's where I'll be waiting."

***************

Lilly's POV

Tick tock, goes the clock.

My eyes kept their focus on my car, on the red paint tainting the door with its hazy waves, my face impassive, neutral as I tried with every ounce of strength left in me to not let his words affect my judgment or get me to back out on my decisions.

Tick tock, until the day.

I gulped down and bit the inside of my cheek, apparently grasping at straws. I mean, I expected this to happen, I moved here prepared for things to unwrap this way. So, I need to stand my ground now and keep going despite all.

Your blood will be the paint and the painter shall be me.

I silenced the sound in my head, the one repeating the psychotic poem over and over again, and turned to my right, watching as Christian's eyes flickered from the piece of paper in his hands and to my face, his jaw ticked, and his fingers involuntary tightened, torturing the innocent paper in his deadly grip. I'd be lying if I said the paint and the sadistic words written didn't shake my whole being with fear when I first saw them...because they did. I was practically shaking, so, I just found myself calling Christian. I needed someone, for brief seconds only, and I couldn't tell anyone else, I can't let anyone else know.

"Please tell me that this at least changed your mind about..." He looked around us, "...all of this."

My jaw tightened and I snatched the paper from him, shaking my head, "No, I just...I am just confused," I mumbled, tearing the paper apart, into tiny pieces, almost like it never existed, "How was he able to get inside, it just doesn't make any sense."

"Well, that alone is enough proof that you can't stay alone in here, Lilly!" His voice raised in frustration, echoing into the underground parking lot, very angry and bewildered, and here I thought he would help me calm down.

"Look, I called you because..." I don't even know why. Usually, I'd call dad, but showing him this would be enough for him to drag me home, and lock me inside till Louis is dead. Telling Chase? I've been feeling more disconnected from him with each passing day, not to mention that I don't plan to ever drag him into the middle of this, I've hurt him enough as it is. So, since Christian made his mission to push his nose into my business, it felt only convenient to call him.

"Because?" He crossed his arms over his chest, and his eyebrow raised, waiting for an answer.

I rushed a hand over my face, the air harshly pushing off my lungs, "Nevermind, I should've not called you anyway, you are stressing me out even more," I grumbled out, taking a few steps backward, thinking of how to clean my car and get back up to the apartment. Sally keeps texting me, asking where I am and I keep telling her I'll be up in five. I can't let any of them see or know about this.

"Lilly, I am just worried, okay," Christian said, defending his out-of-sorts state, "Your calm cold reaction toward this is scaring me even more," His voice had an edge and he took a step forward, edging closer to me. His voice lowered, the worry tightening the lines between his eyebrows, "Why does it feel like you are moving and doing all of this just to...to sacrifice yourself," He added, the accusation evident in his eyes as they met mine.

I gulped down and shook my head, "I should uh," I focused my gaze back on the car, rubbing at my burning throat, "I should clean this mess and get back up before they get suspicious."