Always, Lily

▫️Seven

LORENZO

I couldn't tell what was happening with me recently.

I clearly wasn't myself and I shook my head again, trying not to look at the hospital entrance for the sixth time.

We were just about to board the hospital mini-bus and leave for the camp, though my eyes flickered to the large gates before us every two seconds.

She was not here.

I tried to put on a straight face when Oliver approached, his attention briefly going to the harsh grip on my bag.

"Can you try calling Lily? She might miss the bus." Oliver requested after stating that his phone was out of power.

My right hand slowly slid into my right pant pocket and I hesitated at first, looking up at him.

Lilith didn't have my number.

I had previously asked for her contact from Oliver a few days ago under the pretense that it was about work.

It was a terrible lie that I had come up with when Oliver began telling me of how they had become best friends.

This fact made my mouth sour and I usually tried to suppress this jealous urge almost everyday.

I didn't like how close he was to her. I didn't like how he knew what she liked more. I didn't like how he seemed to know her the best.

I didn't like that he was closer to her than I was. I knew it wasn't nice of me to think so but I couldn't hold back from having these thoughts.

I didn't hate him per se but his presence just reminded me of how close they were and that was enough to irritate me.

"Is your phone out of charge too?" Oliver asked again after my lengthy silence and I pulled my hand away.

What would I say when I called?

This thought had been going through my head for the past few days and last night I had just stared at her contact for two minutes straight.

Would I be bothering her?

I thought again, just as I had yesterday. My hand again reached for my phone and just when I had pressed the contact app, Oliver sighed.

"She's here,"

My index finger froze over the screen of my phone and I looked up to see her just slipping past the gates.

My eyes fleeted to her face, slowly running down her body before I looked up at her in a dazed look.

She was stunning.

She had a small suitcase in her hand that looked a bit heavy and my feet took a step ahead to go help but Oliver beat me to it.

I clenched my left hand in a tight fist as I watched him rush to her. He wrapped his arms around her in a hug and I gritted my teeth, looking away.

What was wrong with me?

She smiled at him, slowly peeking behind his back to where the rest of us were standing.

Her eyes met mine in the distance and she lifted her hand in a small wave, her smile growing.

I bit my lip and gripped my phone tighter as I lifted my hand in acknowledgement.

She didn't look at me for long, her attention returning to Oliver and my irritation rose, glaring into his back.

The instructor for this trip asked us to start boarding and I looked back to see that Oliver was now helping her with the bag.