A Couple is Three: The Beginning (book 1 & 2 Completed)

Chapter 57 - Lily's Story

"What?"

"Lily?"

"Why?"

Everyone cried out at once surprised by Lily's outburst. Josh made a move towards the doorway, but Samantha stopped him. She put her hand on his arm which he pulled down to hold onto. "Let me go. It is obviously something with me that has her upset."

Josh and Jake both stared at her. Their eyes asking if she was sure. She nodded and they both kissed her on the cheek. Josh gave her hand a squeeze before he let go.

Samantha walked hesitantly towards Lily's room. She knocked on the door. "Lily, can I come in?"  She heard some mumbling and decided that it was enough for consent. She pushed open the door and walked in.

Lily was sitting on her bed hunched over with her head in her hands. Her shoulders were shaking as she sobbed.

Samantha rushed over and put her hand on Lily's back which jerked away from her. "Lily, talk to me," she begged. "What's wrong?"

"I-I-I c-c-can't tell you. You'll hate me." Lily turned her body so that she was facing away from Samantha. The sobs still racking her body.

Samantha stretched her hand out to touch Lily's back, but pulled it back as she remembered that Lily pulled away the last time she touched her. She crossed the aisle between the two beds to sit on the other bed facing Lily. "Lily, I could never hate you."

Lily pulled her knees up to chest. She picked up her pillow and wedged it between her knees and her chest. She rested her forehead on it as she shook her head. "You will."

Samantha bit her lip. Lily's heartbreak was breaking her own heart. The last thing that she wanted to do was to add to Lily's problems or to hurt her, but it seemed like she had. "I-I'm sorry. I never wanted to add to whatever you were already dealing with."

The heartfelt apology pierced through Lily's sobs. What? Lily lifted her head and turned her body to face Samantha. She swiped at the tears coursing down her cheeks. "It's not you that needs to apologize, it's me." She clutched the pillow tighter to her chest. With a quiet voice she uttered, "I was the one that told Cheryl that you were kissing Jake."

The quiet stretched between the two of them. Samantha wasn't sure why Lily was so upset. Sure dealing with Cheryl was a pain, but Lily didn't know that Samantha was with both of the boys. The bigger question that she had was why Lily chose to call Cheryl of all people.

"See, I told you that you would hate me."

"I don't hate you. I was just wondering why? Why Cheryl of all people?"

"I-I thought that you were cheating on Josh." She lifted her head to look at Samantha's face which had a slight reassuring smile on it. "I-I saw you kissing Josh earlier in the summer so I knew that the two of you were together. Seeing you kiss Jake made me mad. I thought that you were cheating on my brother."

"I understand that. That doesn't bother me." Samantha shrugged her shoulders before leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. "That is understandable. I wish that you had talked to me first, but I can understand why you didn't. I mean I never told you about our relationship so..."

Lily nodded and sniffled. She swatted at her face trying to clear the tears and snot.

"Why did you tell Cheryl that I was kissing Jake?"

"I didn't tell Cheryl that. I just told her that she might catch you at something," Lily spit out as she started to shake.

"OK. That was decent of you, I guess, but it still doesn't explain why." Samantha picked up the pillow on her bed and cuddled it against her chest waiting.