Riptide

Chapter 11

(This one's a third person flashback to Lily's life before Phoebe because you have no idea how much I want to tell you about her.)

"Shut up, you're not even my mom!" Lily yelled at her step-mom.

"Look, all I want is-"

"I don't care what you want! Gods, you're the reason she ran away!"

"How dare you! You're lucky if I don't tell your father about this!"

"Tell him, I don't care!"

"Why can't you just be like your brothers?"

"Because I'm not, why can't you just accept that?"

"I just want you to be normal."

"Well I'm not! And I never will be, Helen!"

"Don't use that tone with me!"

"I'll use whatever tone I want! I'm leaving." Lily slung her backpack over her shoulder, heading for the door.

"Don't you dare walk out that door!"

"Watch me!" Lily opened the door and stepped out, slamming it behind her. She crossed the street, already starting to shiver slightly in the cold winter air. She pulled her hair out of its ponytail, letting it fall into a curtain around her face as she walked. The streetlights' glow was harsh compared to the moon's gentle rays and Lily's borrowed dress was far from ideal for the situation. She pulled her cardigan - which she'd also borrowed from her sister - tighter around her.

She wasn't sure where she'd go now, she didn't know anything about running away or living on the streets, especially not at ten, but if her sister could do it, then so could she.

"Fuck, it's cold." She muttered. She could see her breaths in faint clouds in front of her face. They were kind of pretty, even thought they were a harsh reminder of how she now had to live. She wished she'd put on warmer clothes that morning, but she hadn't considered the possibility of running away that night.

She took a deep breath and walked off into the night.