Book 3 ~ The Puppet Master

8- The Fading

A few days have past...

Everyday...

I keep on thinking...

About him...

His eyes...

Hazel

His hair...

Blond.

Like mine.

His personality.

Him.

-o0o-

Gakupo pov

I could tell something was on her mind, every time we talked- it was like she was there, but part of her wasn't.

Like part of her was lost or missing.

I knew something was on her mind.

"Lily," I called to her.

"What..." She smiled a smile that could've fooled everyone, but not me.

"Can we talk?" I asked, then added "In private?"

She looked at me confused, for a moment, but then nodded her head in agreement.

"Of course Gakupo- what is it?"

"Look... I know something is obviously on your mind, so tell me what."

I started.

Lily sighed.

"So you saw right through me, huh." She said nonchalantly.

"Of course! We've been together for what seems like forever now, and I've gotten to know you quite well." I said with a smile.

She smiled for real.

"Okay... well truthfully something is on my mind, But you can't tell anyone else. okay?" She said.

"Okay." I promised.

-o0o-

This was way back before all of this, before I was rescued, before I trapped myself in ice.

I lied to everyone- I do remember one thing about my past.

I had a brother. His name was Jack. We were the best of friends, and got along a lot better than most siblings- according to our parents, anyways.

Well, long story short, one day Jack and I went to our favorite place to play.

We decided to play tag- and even though there were only two of us, we always had fun.

It was my turn to be 'it', so I started to chase Jack through the forest.

I ran and ran but Jack was just too fast for me, so he got cocky.

He started jumping over logs and swinging on vines to show off.

We came across a frozen pond we were very familiar with, because we swam in it when it was warmer- and Jack ran right into the center.

I ran after him, and we were laughing and teasing until I heard it.

There was a crack, and the ice I was standing on started to break.

Jack froze, and told me to stay where I was.

I remember crying, and Jack had grabbed me and pulled me out of theway. That was when the ice gave way.

He fell into the icy pond.

I remember screaming his name.

Then I ran to go get help.

To my parents.

When I returned to the pond where Jack fell... he was gone without a trace.

And I've never seen him since.

-o0o-

"Oh..." I said, sadly.

"I just thought, since the others came back... I- I just thought he would too."

Lily cried, then she ran into my embrace.

I hugged her back and told her it was all going to be okay.

"I just thought when Blaze said they were given a second chance at life Jack would've been there." She sobbed.

"Maybe he wasn't there because he's not dead. Maybe he's still out there somewhere, alive." I said hoping to reassure her.

"Yeah maybe." She replied.

"Maybe..."