Her Favourite Angel

Chapter Two

I shifted my position on the sofa, resting my arms on my thighs; and using my hands to prop my head up. On the sofa opposite me to me sat Braden, Peter and Peters little sister, Lillian, who according to Peter, was the same age as me. She had moved from New Zealand, where Peter’s and her family lived, to come and live with Peter in his house.I couldn’t help but notice the way she continuously cast her anxious blue eyes around the apartment, and how they always seemed to land back on me, shifting back to nervous.  

Her brother in comparison sat back on the sofa, his arms behind his head and every now and then scratching his stunningly dark red hair and yawning; evidently very relaxed and used to Braden’s apartment. 

“I want you to watch out for her at school, okay? I know some people aren’t the nicest...” Braden told me, his words fading out and a frown creeping into his features. We all knew what people were like at my school. Except for Lillian; she had absolutely no idea. I looked towards her; her eyes were large and doe-like, staring towards Braden in an expression horror, reading Braden’s words as bad news.Poor girl. 

“Okay Ash?” Braden asked me again, fixing me with a straight look; I nodded m head as visibly as possible then settled my head back down into my hands. A look of relief washed over both Braden’s and Lillian’s face, Braden because I hadn’t refused, and Lillian because she now had someone to help her out of school. Not that I was ever much help when it came to owning a social life in school. 

“Right, you two can go to Ash’s room and Peter and I are going to watch some football”Lillian’s panicked gaze snapped over to me, and I shrugged, not too pleased I was now going to have to talk to her for a good hour or so, depending on how long the game was. I got to my feet and gestured for Lillian to follow me; she nodded quickly and stood, following me across the apartment and into my tiny room. 

I sat down on my bed and she nervously entered my room, looking around with darting eyes, I raised an eyebrow. 

“You can sit down” I muttered at her, she met my eyes and a look of surprised filled her eyes, I looked away from her and over at a poster pinned to the wall, I heard a small creak as she; lowered herself into the chair. There was a tense silence in which I made no move to start a conversation, content to just sit there and study the poster of Fall Out Boy. 

“Is Ash short for anything?” Came a low, sweet voice from the chair, my breath caught in my throat and it took me a second to respond, I turned my head back towards her. 

“Asher” I mumbled to her, surprised she had attempted a conversation “Do you like Lily or Lillian?” I asked her, she blushed silently and looked down at her lap. 

“I like being called Lily, only my brother calls my Lillian” I nodded and watched her while she fidgeted nervously with her hands and the hem of her t-shirt. She wasn’t very tall; somewhere between 5’4 and 5’6, she owned a head of long, red naturally curly hair, light blue eyes and a crème complexion. She seemed to be pretty ordinary dress wise, tight blue jeans and a David and goliath shirt sporting a picture of three gummy bears and ‘Gummy bears scare me’ in thick black writing underneath. 

“So, uh... what music do you like?” She asked, her eyes settling for an instant on the headphones hooked around my neck, then flicking back to my face. I considered her question for a minute, honest or half-truth? 

“The Killers, Kids In Glass Houses, Green Day... Bands like that. What about you?” I returned her question with a small smile; she seemed to relax at the small gesture. 

“I’m a bit of a techno freak really, you know The Millionaires, Neon Attack, Amy Can Flyy, anything up-beat and happy” Before I could answer a yell came from the living room and then lots of banging and a crash. Lillian sat up, alarmed.