The Butterfly Effect (2020)

forty five

Lonely God
••• Marlboro Nights •••

I woke up alone.

Lloyd must've slipped out sometime while I was asleep, leaving his side of the bed cold and in extension, me. I stared at the crease of the pillow where he had slept.

Yesterday was... something. Yesterday was crazy. Lloyd tore off Axon's shoulder with his teeth. And the way his face contorted... it was inhuman.
I dropped my face into my pillow with a loaded sigh before pulling myself up and shoving on a hoody to keep my body as warm as it had been in bed. I strolled into the kitchen and flicked on the kettle for my morning coffee.
"You wanna talk about what happened yesterday?" Mum asked, placing her laptop to the side as she stared at me. I exhaled slowly, shaking my head.
"Not really," I replied quietly. "I kind of just want to forget about it."
"Well, you can't," mum said and I sent her a confused look. "We've got twelve people in that living room cleaning up after you all. You're lucky that your father has a high status that this can be kept under wraps."

My gaze dropped to the ground.
"But, more importantly," mum sighed as she stood, walking over to me and placing her hands on my shoulders. "You're going to have to let yourself accept what happened. Or else it will drag behind you for the rest of your life. You love him?"
"Of course," I nodded.
"Then you can't ignore this," mum murmured, squeezing my shoulders affectionately. "This is something you need to talk through with him. Make sure you're on the same page. I wasn't there for when it happened, but I can guess how terrifying it would've been. I'm sorry you and Lloyd had to go through that."
"It was horrifying," I whispered. "I- I get that Lloyd's... different. Because of his heritage, but th- but that was something else. He didn't look human, I-"
"Don't work yourself up, sweetheart," mum hummed, rubbing my shoulders. "I'm so proud of you for helping him. I doubt that Lloyd would've been able to settle as much as he did if it weren't for you."

My eyes jumped to hers. She smiled sadly, pecking my forehead in a way only a mother could do.
"Thanks for letting him stay last night," I whispered as I stepped into a smothering hug, heart thrumming like a little kid. I clenched my eyes shut and dug my face into her chest.
"I could hardly send him away," mum mumbled, patting the back of my hair. "Is he still asleep?"
I shook my head. "He left. He must've gone home."
"Probably for the best," mum sighed. "You two do have to mentally prepare yourselves for school. Speaking of, you should get ready."
I pulled away and searched her face.
"How much do you know about Simon?" I asked.
"Everything. Nya and Kai filled me in. Sweet kids," mum shook her head. "Rose isn't handling it too well. She thought she had a child for the past nineteen years. It's done hell to her mental state."
"Poor Rose," I whispered. Mum's smile was small as she patted my cheek.
"She'll be okay," she promised. "Rose is a tough bastard. She got very interested in how you know the ninja, though. I had to fib a bit."
"Thanks," I smiled. "I'll go get ready."

I changed into my clothes for the day blankly, brain running amuck with thoughts. Would Lloyd be at school today? Could he handle that as well as what had happened the day before? What about the others?
He left without saying goodbye. Did he work out that I was still scared? Not of him, per say, but of what he did? We hardly worked anything out last night other than reassuring Lloyd that I'd stay by him. Maybe it's hitting him far more harder than he let on. It wouldn't be the first time he bottled something up.
My eyes slid shut at that. How much was Lloyd bottling in? And how much was it stuff that I didn't even know about?
Lloyd, how do I help you?