Saving Lily

My Mother's Pearls

I looked up at him as he studied my face for a moment, his smile faded into a frown. I flinched as his fingers grazed over a faded bruise on my forehead. 

"Did they do this to you?" he asked.

 I shook my head no.

 Mason looked at me doubtfully.

 "What happened then?" He asked.

 "I...fell." I lied.

 He leaned in and kissed it gently. 

"Better?" he said.

 I bit my lip.

Mason leaned back as I sat up. 

"I should go." I said.

 "Wait."

 I flinched as he raised a hand to push a strand of hair back behind my ear.

 "Why do you do that?" He asked.

 "What?"

 "Flinch every time I move to touch you, do you think I'm going to hurt you Lily?" he asked softly. 

"Mason." I sighed, shaking my head and looking down at the piece of grass I was twirling between my fingers. 

He stared at me for a moment and gently grabbed my wrist.

"Don't." I whispered, my voice trembling. 
     

He held my arm out and pushed my sleeve back, revealing the partial boot shaped bruise. 

"Lily." His expression turned dark.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

 I jerked my arm back pushing my sleeve down. 

"I have to go!"

 I stood up and took a few steps back toward my house. Mason ran to catch up. 

"Wait, let me help you." He said breathlessly. 

"How, Mason?" I said, tears forming in my eyes.

 He sighed and shook his head, looking away from me.

"I, I don't know yet, but I'll think of something." He said.

I shifted my eyes toward the ground and started walking again, Mason followed behind in silence.

 "Will I see you tomorrow?" he asked as I reached the window.

"Maybe." I shrugged.

 "I will be waiting at our tree all day." he said. 

I nodded and he gave me a boost as I climbed back through the window. Just as my feet hit the floor I heard an all too familiar voice.

 "Well well well, nice of you to join us Lily pad?" William sneered. 

 He had a few of my things in his hands.

 "What is all this junk?" he snorted, throwing it all on the ground at my feet.

 As I rushed to pick it up Sophia kneeled in front of me. 

"What's that God awful smell? When is the last time you had a bath?" She mocked, picking up the small box with my mothers pearls.

 "Give that back!" I snapped at her, reaching for it.

 Sophia jerked the box away and tossed it to William. 

"Ah what do we have here? " he said, shaking the box.

 "William, please give it back!" I begged, jumping to my feet. 

 "What's it to you?" he smirked.

 "It's everything." I whispered. 

"What will you give me for it?"

 I thought for a moment.  

"I..I don't have anything to give you." I stammered.

 William walked slowly toward me and I stepped backward until I felt my back hit the wall. He rested an arm on the wall above my head and leaned in so close that I could smell the alcohol he had snuck from Roberts liquor cabinet on his breath as he spoke. 

"I'm sure we can think of something." he said, his lips were so close to mine. His eyes wandered down to my chest. I closed my eyes and turned my head.    

 "Please William, just give it back." I whispered, my voice trembling. 

He smirked and took a step back.

 "What's in here anyways?" he asked, opening the box and pulling out my beloved pearls. 

"Where did you get those?" Sophia snapped when she saw them in his hand.

 "I bet you stole them!" She continued.  

"They were my mother's pearls, she gave them to me before she died." I whispered. 

"They're all I have left of her."

 "Let me see them." She said, jerking them from William's hand.

 As she pulled on them they scattered across the floor. 

"No!" I screamed falling to the floor trying to grab every pearl as they rolled all around. 

"Oops." Sophia sneered.
      

 "Why?" I cried, as I gathered the beads in my hands. 

 "That's too bad." She sneered again." 

I sobbed uncontrollably as I picked up the last few beads. 

"Ugh, boring" Sophia said, walking toward the stairs. 

"I'm going to find something else to do." 

William followed her up the stairs without a word. I picked myself up off the floor, wiped my tears and grabbed a little paper bag I had tucked away in my drawer. I kissed the beads as I dropped them in the bag and sat them down beside my mattress, grabbing the bucket they gave me  for bathing and filling it with water.

 As I undressed I heard a creak at the top of the stairs. I stood there holding my breath for a moment trying to see if it happened again. I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me.

"Hello?" I called, pressing a small towel over my breasts.

There was no answer so I quickly washed up, dried off and got dressed. I buried my head into my pillow and cried myself to sleep.