Always, Lily

▫️Ten

LILITH

"And then mom's complaining that you hardly call these days." My sister, Luce, revealed over the phone, filling me in on what was happening back home.

"But we just spoke yesterday morning." I tilted my head to the side while trying to get my messy hair out of my face.

"You know she's normally like that when she stays with Lucas. The last time she was looking through our childhood photos with dad."

I listened to another of mom's recent behavior, smiling at the cheerful voice of my sister while swinging my legs at the edge of the bed.

It wasn't the first time for our mother to react this way. She was always mentioning about how fast Luce and I were growing.

With Luce now already married, it was I whom she constantly checked on.

How's work? Did anyone or anything trouble you today? Are you facing any difficulties?

She never failed to ask these three questions whenever she called.

Hearing the worry in her voice, I at times thought that she would come and take me back home with her but I knew she would never.

She was proud of my career just as much as I was. She had been my greatest supporter during my school days.

"Anyway, that wasn't the real reason why I called." Luce's voice brought me back from my thoughts.

"I wanted to know how your friend is doing." Something about the way she asked felt different.

"Oliver's fine, he's also participating in the hospital camp-" I tried to answer but Luce cut me short.

"I'm not asking about Oliver. I wanted to know about your special friend." Luce explained and I furrowed my eyebrows.

I went silent for a couple of seconds, thinking of what she meant by her words.

Special friend?

Did I have one?

"The one that said you're beautiful," Luce whispered a moment later and I felt a smile creep up my face.

"I can feel the blush on your cheeks," Luce pretended to clear her throat and I bit my lower lip so as to act normal.

"H-He didn't say that," I curled my fingers over the wrist of the black jacket I was wearing.

His jacket.

It had been three days since that evening when I revealed a part of me I'd never shared with anyone.

He had seen me at that vulnerable point and I just couldn't take off the events of that day out of my head.

We had hugged, he had held my hand, we'd gazed into each other's eyes for longer than necessary as he helped me put on his jacket.

I couldn't just brush off these things as normal, especially when my heart raced at the thought of him.

We hadn't seen each other since, the male doctors having been recruited for a different task and that left us females to ourselves.

"I was there that day and I know he clearly implied that." Luce strongly affirmed her theory.

"How is he? Is there any progress between you two? Have you gotten closer?" She asked question after question.

"There's nothing between us," the words felt like a lie on my own tongue and I felt a strange discomfort.

"Really? There's no progress? Like not even a peck or perhaps a hug?" She paused there and I crossed my legs, not wanting to reveal anything yet.