Alone • Liam Dunbar

Seventeen

Lily's diner still stood as it had months ago.

The faded lines in the parking lot were mere suggestions, the neon signs in the windows twitched even in the afternoon light, and the red-haired woman herself appeared as though she hadn't left from the last time I saw her.

She was walking back and forth, chatting up the handful of customers that were having lunch inside. Most of them were older guys, their plaid shirts tucked into their faded blue jeans. Lily had a steaming glass pot of coffee in hand, refilling their cups perfectly despite the fact that she was mid-conversation.

Her attention to them keeps her from noticing Hayden and I pulling into the lot. It isn't until we're walking through the front door, the familiar chime of the rusty bell overhead sounding, does Lily turn our way.

The friendly and warm expression she wore to greet another customer breaks out into a full-blown beaming smile when our eyes meet.

"Jackie!" she exclaimed excitedly.

She abandons the other patrons, racing toward me. Her hand that isn't holding the steaming pot lands on my shoulder, her arm wrapping itself around my neck to pull me into a tight embrace. I don't mind the touch, fully expecting it to happen after not seeing Lily since before summer.

To keep up with a necessary alibi, I told Lily that my dad had gotten a new job downtown. That meant we'd be moving and I wouldn't be around as frequently as before.

Lily didn't give me any grief over it, and wished Derek and I nothing but the best, as she was still under the illusion he was my father. I was grateful she didn't question it as the role I'd cast Derek in wasn't one he would be able to return to since he was off somewhere brooding to himself in peace, as he deserved.

I wished I could tell Lily the truth, tell her how I'd grown out of the shackles that had been around my neck since the first day she met me here, because it didn't hit me until I left just how much she had helped me.

I came to the motel to not only grieve for Allison but the family I'd lost with the Argents as a whole, convincing myself that I needed isolation. If it weren't for Lily, I don't think I would have been in the right state of mind to help my friends heal and get out of that lonesome illusion. Our conversations that happened almost every night kept me sane since they got my mind off things, as did her amazing cooking.

Maybe one day I'd tell her so I could thank her, just not today.

"I knew you'd stop by eventually," Lily murmurs against me before pulling back. Her brown eyes go over my shoulder, landing on Hayden.

"Who's this?" she smiles politely.

Her question throws me off for a second as I wasn't entirely sure how to introduce Hayden. Classmate? Too formal and detached. Friend? Premature considering we'd had about two whole conversations.

I settle on a safe answer.

"This is Hayden, we go to school together."

Lily and Hayden exchange small greetings, and when they're done Lily glances at the clock on the wall nearby, her eyes narrowed into slits.

"Speaking of school..." she trails off.

"Early day." I shrug.

Lily looks to Hayden expectantly, waiting for her to agree. She does, nodding quickly to support my claim, lying to a woman she's literally just met without any hesitation. Lily isn't offended by that in the slightest, only amused.

"Come on then." She gestures for us to follow her. "Even troublemakers gotta eat."

"Troublemakers?" I repeat after her, projecting false innocence.