Scattering Lilac Ashes

Chapter Thirteen

"Lila, can you either sit down and stop pacing, or go upstairs to your room to pace?" sighed Lila's Mum later that night in the living room. Another Filipino drama was showing on the TV, this one subtitled, and actually quite interesting. Lila looked up from her phone as she slowed her steps to a standstill.

"Sorry Mum," she said, quickly sitting down on the couch. Lila refreshed her group chat every few seconds, waiting to hear from Grace regarding her date. Eventually, Daniel sauntered into the living room, a cup of juice in his hand and headphones covering one ear. He raised an eyebrow at Lila.

"I see you're unloved this Valentine's Day," he snorted, sipping from his cup.

"Same to you, Daniel," Lila replied, anger flickering in her voice.

"Same to you, Daniel," said Daniel, poorly mimicking Lila in a high-pitched voice and exaggerating his facial expressions with each word.

"Daniel, either sit down and stop talking, or go upstairs to your room and talk," their Mum said, clearly frustrated as she turned the volume up on the TV. Daniel rolled his eyes and covered his other ear with the headphones, stomping his way up the stairs and to his room in response.

Suddenly, Lila's phone vibrated in her hands. She quickly unlocked it. It was a message from Elise.

I'm on my short break, it read. I've been pissed off all shift still. Who the fuck does Harrison think he is?????

It's fine. He didn't really end up doing anything, Lila replied, disappointed it wasn't a message from Grace.

It's not fine. He totally would've, given the chance, came Elise's rapid reply.

We were surrounded by people, Lila sent.

But what if you weren't? Elise followed this up with a few angry emojis.

We don't know what would have happened because we weren't alone. He might've behaved

Lila, that's what scares me. We don't know. Like Grace said, you should report it to a teacher

I'm not going to get Harrison in trouble over that

Maybe he shouldn't have sexually harassed you then

That wasn't sexual harassment. Just a misunderstanding. It's all cleared up now

I've gotta go back to work, but I'm being serious Lila. You should report it

Lila sighed and locked her phone. It didn't seem like Grace would be finishing up anytime soon. Maybe Lila should go to bed. It would at least make the time go by quickly.

"Isn't it a school night?" Lila's Mum asked absently, snacking on sunflower seeds. She offered Lila the bowl, but Lila declined, stretching.

"Yeah... I think I'll go to bed now."

Lila rubbed her nose against her Mum's cheek and made her way up to her room. She sat on her bed for a while, absorbed in a phone game, before a notification from Snapchat interrupted her. It was from Isaac.

'He hasn't sent me a Snap me for a long time,' Lila thought, curiously opening it up. Isaac had taken a picture of his TV, showing a program Lila wasn't familiar with.

I heard what happened with Harrison, the text overlaying the picture read.

Great, Lila messaged back. She wasn't about to go ahead and take pictures of herself or her room.

I can't tell if that's sarcastic, came Isaac's reply. It appeared he didn't bother taking another picture either.

U tell me, Lila replied.