● Illusory ●

Chapter 17

Alex

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

My wrist met Lilly's forearm in an instant, before I immediately switched hands, only to have my hit blocked again. I then attempted a kick, but she caught that too! I guess it was only because we were sparring, but it wasn't like my hits were going to dislocate her shoulder or anything! Though, I kept going, trying my best to at least show that I'm improving.

Though, once again, she outsmarted me like Nadine had done before whilst sparring with me, and yet again it ended with me on the floor. "You're getting better, but I think you're starting to get a little too impatient with the flow of your attacks. Ease up a little, alright?" Lilly critiqued, before pulling me to my feet. I sighed.

"I'm trying," I said, albeit a little too snappy. Though, I didn't think about it. I just went over to the side of the mat where my bottle of water sat. I heard Lilly sigh.

"Nadine told me why you're doing this, and honestly I think you should ease up on yourself. There's just some things that are unavoidable in life, and you have to learn how to get through them. You can't be prepared for everything in life," she told me, "Seiko's case isn't something to do with you or any of us, and the fact that we can't find her is unfortunate, but we have to move on whilst still looking for her. You know, a wise man once said to 'keep moving forward', and we have to do just that and hope we find her."

"I guess," I mumbled, before taking a drink of water. It's things like this that actually make me wish everything was easy again. Where nothing was wrong and I lived happily. Where self-loathing and conflicts didn't plague me. I can't go back though. I'm stuck wishing that I knew what was happening with Seiko.

"It's really upsetting that she disappeared and did all that while you guys were dating. I can't imagine how you feel," Lilly then spoke, to which I choked on my water and felt my face become hotter than a desert. "Oh, careful. Don't chug down your water," Lilly warned me, to which I turned around and faced her immediately.

"I-It wasn't like that at all! We're not dating and never have!" I told her, to which she gave a surprised look.

"Really? Because, I mean, it really seemed like it. I don't think I ever really saw Seiko without you around, and well, just they way you guys acte-" she started to say, but I cut her off, feeling my face becoming redder by the minute.

"Okay, okay, I get it, but it's not that way."

And probably never will be with my nonexistent confidence, I thought, laughing nervously in my head. I'm not supposed to be focused on that right now anyway. Ugh...why does Lilly always get off track!?

"Ah, alright," she replied, before giggling, "Aw, your face is redder than your hair."

I blinked, before immediately feeling embarrassed. "Well, you'd look the same way too if someone assumed something like that! Besides, my hair's orange, not red!"

"Technically, your hair is red, orange, and yellow, since it fades like that," Lilly corrected me, to which I crossed my arms.

"Fine. Whatever," I replied. At least she didn't call me a 'tomato' this time.

"You guys are really cute though," Lilly whispered, to which I felt my face grow warm again.

"S-Shut up!" I exclaimed, growing more embarrassed by the second. God, she's worse than my mother was with this kind of stuff! Do people really have to be like this!?