Cover Girl

Big Time Aftermath

It seemed as though things had gotten worse for the youngest member of BTR. The funeral was held a week later. Lilly could feel the glares coming from her brother, her boyfriend and best friend, but she ignored them. Or at least tried her best to ignore them.

The only reason she smiled nowadays was Carlos. The morning after her father died, Lilly woke up in the tree house and was startled when she saw Carlos with her. They had a long talk while he helped her bandage her hand. It seemed as if they had grown closer than ever, the boy growing more protective over her while in the presence of the others.

It sucked even more because Camille had to go back to LA a few days after the funeral, after all, she also had a job.

Lilly felt horrible and blamed herself for everything going on between the five of them. She'd never tell Carlos, but there'd been multiple nights where she had slept up in the tree house because she couldn't handle the glares Logan sent her way. The blonde knew the boys, minus Carlos, we're mad at her, it didn't hurt any less than when she didn't know.

***
"Is your hand better?" Carlos asked one Saturday afternoon. He and Lilly were up in the tree house again.

After hearing of Lilly and Logan's father passing, Gustavo postponed the tour to let the siblings and their friends be in Minnesota for a while. Oh how Lilly wished he hadn't done that. They'd been 'home' for almost a month now.

"Yeah. I got a wicked scar, see?" Lilly responded, waving her palm in front of the boy's face.

"Did you take your own stitches out?" Carlos asked, checking over Lilly's hand.

"Yes, since I am part Lo-" Lilly stopped herself, clearing her throat. "Because I am a genius, I know how to take care of my own injuries, so I'm okay." She continued, a small pained smiled on her face. It didn't feel right anymore to say what she wanted to say.

Carlos smiled weakly, throwing an arm around Lilly. "He's still not talking to you?"

"No. The only time we talked was the day after. And we didn't really talk per se, he mostly screamed at me because I left the hospital." Lilly answered, playing with a twig she found. It pained her that her brother wouldn't talk to her anymore.

"What about James?"

"He says we're okay, but I know he's still really mad at me... I only broke the promise because I don't like being a bother." Lilly explained, wiping away a stubborn tear that fell.

"And Kendall?"

Lilly felt her heart ache at the mention of the blonde boy. They had talked in the past few weeks, but those conversations would turn into arguments that resulted in screaming matches while they said the most hurtful things they could. Lilly shrugged in response. "I don't think he loves me anymore." She mumbled.

Carlos' heart broke when he heard how broken Lilly sounded. "Hey, cheer up, Lill. We don't need them." He tried.

"Thanks, Carlitos, but I think we do need them. I mean, we're still a band... I think..." The blonde trailed off, staring at a bird through the small window in the tree house. Then she heard the rumble of the boy's stomach. "Come on, lunch time."

"You're gonna eat this time?" Carlos hoped as the two crawled out of the entrance, going down the ladder.

"Maybe." Lilly answered, grabbing onto Carlos' hand once the boy hopped off the ladder. "I'm really trying."

"I know, but why don't you try eating something small?" The boy suggested.

"Will you make me a hot pocket?" Lilly wondered, smiling when she saw Carlos nod. "I'll eat half."