Whispers on the Wind

3

Lily didn't see Brian for four long years, excluding his Instagram account, of course. She had sworn to herself never to look at it, but eventually found herself creating a fake account to check up on him. The phone she used was one of Eliza's old ones; Lily didn't own a smartphone herself. She saw Brian with countless different girls, seeming happy. She had no idea whether these people were his girlfriends or just friends, but she constantly saw him at parties with different individuals. Lily wasn't the only one following Brian on Instagram; his mother also tried to alleviate her longing for her son through his Instagram stories since Brian hadn't communicated with either of his parents in those four years. His father wasn't exactly eager to keep in touch with his son and didn't intend to. Another keen follower of Brian's Instagram stories was Eliza, whose obsession with him had only grown over time. She had sent him numerous messages filled with love, hate, and threats, but never received any response. Eventually, she was blocked by Brian, and like Lily, had to resort to silently following him through fake accounts. Her obsession had reached such a height that she falsely claimed to be pregnant by him before getting blocked. Brian, without any effort to verify the claim, had immediately blocked her. Two years after this episode, Eliza lost all hope and left the house.

Lily couldn't pinpoint what she felt looking at Brian's photos. Was it longing or admiration? The one certainty was the indelibility of that night's encounter. The moment Brian whispered in her ear, the scent of him that lingered, remained etched in her memory. Could a person live four years dominated by a single moment, incessantly searching Instagram every other day for something new? Wondering if there's someone new? If she could catch a glimpse of a new photo of Brian? Perhaps this had become an obsession for Lily, she wasn't sure. All she knew was she had never felt this way about anyone before. In fact, she hadn't really felt anything before. She didn't even know what she was feeling.

While her peers went to school, she continued with the household chores. And at the end of those four years, Lily found herself sweeping the garden, broom in hand. She heard a car arrive but didn't turn to see who it was; it didn't concern her who came. Then, a voice she hadn't heard in four years spoke from behind:

"Looks like you've grown taller."

Lily momentarily forgot how to breathe. Slowly turning around, she froze upon seeing Brian. Overwhelmed with joy, yet afraid to show it. Brian, too, looked at her face for a while before grabbing his bag and heading straight inside. Soon after, screams and chaos erupted inside the house. His mother was yelling, both happy for his return and angry for not being informed. The house was filled with a festive air because when Mrs. Ashwood was happy, everyone was happy; when she was unhappy, everyone was down.

Lily wore a dress adorned with flower patterns. The dress, sprinkled with blue flowers on a white background, reached slightly below her knees, offering a modest yet delicate appearance with its half sleeves. The dress hugged her figure from the waist up and flared out below, enhancing its elegance. The chest area was neither too exposed nor fully covered, with a round neckline that seemed tailor-made for a young lady. Due to the warm weather, Lily moved freely without her usual cardigan, as Mr. Ashwood rarely visited the house anymore, and Mrs. Ashwood was mostly at home. With the limited male presence in the house, Lily felt no need to adhere to the strict dress codes of the past.

Lily had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Standing around five feet seven inches tall, her wavy light brown hair cascaded down her shoulders. She had tied her hair in a half-up style to keep it from falling into her face while sweeping. From behind, her slender waist accentuated by her flowing hair gave her an ethereal appearance. Lily was delicately built, with dainty feet and wrists, and her overall physique was quite slim. She rarely ate properly and didn't have much of an appetite. Her hands and feet were small. She had transitioned from childhood, through adolescence, and was stepping into womanhood.