I KNOW THE END

⒌

August 15th, 2023

THE BENNETT RESIDENCE

LILA

The next morning, I woke up with a mix of excitement and nerves. After yesterday's conversation with William, I felt hopeful about our potential plans for the weekend. But there was also the unexpected arrival of our dad, which had brought a mix of emotions.

Downstairs, I found my mom making breakfast while my dad read the newspaper. Alexander was nowhere to be seen.

"Morning, Mom. Morning, Dad," I greeted, grabbing some toast.

"Morning, sweetheart," my mom said with a smile.

"Morning, Lila," my dad said, looking up from his paper. "How's school going?"

"It's going well," I replied, trying to sound casual. "Lots of homework, but nothing I can't handle."

"Good to hear," he said, nodding approvingly.

Just then, Alexander walked in, his expression still a bit sour. "Morning," he mumbled, grabbing a coffee.

"Morning, Alex," my dad said, his tone a bit strained. "Got any big plans for today?"

"Just school," Alex replied curtly, not meeting his eyes.

I quickly finished my breakfast, eager to escape the tension. "Ready to go, Alex?" I asked.

"Yeah, let's go," he said, heading for the door.

As we drove to school, I couldn't help but ask, "Alex, are you okay? You seemed pretty upset about Dad being back."

He sighed, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "It's just... complicated, Lila. You know our relationship has never been great."

"I know," I said softly. "But maybe things can get better now that he's back."

"Maybe," he said, though he didn't sound convinced.

AT SCHOOL

When we arrived at school, I saw Grace and Cleo near the entrance, chatting animatedly. I gave Alex a quick hug before heading inside, hoping that the day would be a good one.

LUNCH TIME

At lunch, I nervously scanned the cafeteria for William. When I spotted him sitting with some friends, I took a deep breath and walked over.

"Hey, Will," I said, trying to sound casual. "Mind if I join you?"

"Sure, Lila," he said, smiling up at me. "Have a seat."
I found myself enjoying his company more and more.

"So, do you still want to hang out this weekend?" I asked, hoping to keep the conversation going.

"Yeah, definitely," he said, his smile widening. "What do you want to do?"

"How about a movie?" I suggested, feeling a surge of excitement.

"Sounds great," he said. "I'll text you the details."

AFTER SCHOOL

As the final bell rang, I headed to my locker, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. I couldn't wait to tell Alex about my conversation with William. I was surprised to see Alex waiting for me when I got there.

"Hey, Lila," he said, looking happier than usual. "How was your day?"

"It was good," I said, smiling. "I talked to Will at lunch. We're going to hang out this weekend."