THE QUEEN'S CROWN [2]

08 : LONELY HEARTS

        "Are you sure this place is gonna be open when we get there?" Jeremy asked as Lily held the bat in her hands, waiting for the ball to come forward. She refused to look away, eager to finally beat the boy behind her, who was almost as bad as she was at baseball—the key word being almost. "It's getting late."

"You don't have to take me, y'know, I can go myself."

"I told Charlie I'd get you back safe." He chuckled as she missed the ball entirely, protesting when she instantly waited for the next turn. "Hey! It's my go!"

"Too slow, little Gilbert." She snickered.

Jeremy rolled his eyes. "I'm nearly two years older than you, little Prince."

"No one calls me that!"

"Hey," he grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the batting cage before they could go another round. "What's up? You're acting kinda weird."

Lily took off the helmet, placing it on the table beside her. "I'm just eager to give Lottie her present."

"You wanna go grab it right now?"

She looked down at her phone, seeing that she was meant to be meeting the woman at the store in fifteen minutes. "Yeah, you okay to drive?"

"Does it look like I've been drinking?" He chuckled, nudging her before calling Brandy.

She had gotten her sister a few gifts for her birthday, as Elijah giving her his credit card that didn't seem to have a limit allowed her to go all out, but she had chosen this particular one when she saw similar ones in the window of the jewelry shop. Lily didn't doubt that whatever Elijah had gotten her was going to be amazing and expensive and while she didn't have the same tastes as he did, she hoped she still got Charlie something she liked. She had gotten her some pens and a journal for one, which did cost a bit but it wasn't a problem. Charlie had been so busy with everything that she didn't write anymore and Lily hoped maybe this might help with it. She also got her some clothes, earrings and DVDs that she could not resist buying. It was a reminder of the childhood they actually enjoyed with each other and the father that was no longer around.

"What are you thinking about?" Jeremy suddenly asked, snapping her out of her thoughts as she climbed into the car he had borrowed off one of his cousins, the dog now sticking her head of the window from the backseat. "Is it your mom or dead?" At Lily's surprised expression, he continued. "I see the same look when I look in the mirror while I'm thinking about my parents. I see it on Elena, too."

"It's Lottie's birthday and he isn't here." She gave him a sad smile. "I felt it on my birthday too."

"And we'll feel it on Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas." He listed, staring down at his steering wheel. "Kinda makes you wish you cherished your parents a little more, huh?"

"Yeah. I wish I didn't take a lot of things for granted." She bit her bottom lip. "I've made a big deal out of her birthday, even though so much is happening. Our cousin is missing and he was like a brother to Lottie."

"What happened to him?"

"Nothing good."

Fortunately, they arrived at the store with a few minutes to spare and Nancy, the owner, happily gave her the engraved bracelets. She had one made for Charlie, which had 'big sister' on it, while her own had 'little sister'. She knew it was kind of stupid but she just wanted something that was for both of them. Something that was special just for the two of them. Nancy was more than content at waiting, as it seemed, because Lily revealed her gold platinum card, purposely flashing it off when she got her sister the earrings from the same store. They looked even better now that she was holding them than they did when she picked them out and put Charlie's in the little silver box she had chosen, about to clasp the other one on before deciding to wait until Charlie was opening her present. She didn't want her to see it until then. She tucked it into her purse, skipping out of the store to meet Jeremy, who was waiting for her by his car.