Crossfire ~ {Book 2 in the Emerald of Annihilation Trilogy} #Wattys2017

Chapter 1~Me? Directer?!

Lily's POV.

"Lily Hamato!" I groaned and pulled the covers over my head. "Dumb school. Why does it have to exist?"  I thought, rolling over. "I won't call you again, young lady!" I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "I'm up, dad!" He opened the door, crossing his arms. "I know you are. But you're still not out of bed!" 

I yelped as he began to tickle the life out of me. "Dad! Stop! I'm not five years old!" He stopped and pouted. "Awww, but you'll always be my baby girl." I shoved him off. "Yeah, yeah. Love you too." Dad stood and grinned. "Just saying, Lily. Now that you have a boyfriend, I need to make sure you don't forget me."

I laughed, and stood. "You think I'd really forget you?" He smiled. "Would you?" I shook my head. "Never!" He chuckled and pulled me into a hug. "That's my girl." I smiled and hugged him back. My dad was the best ever. He really was.

With a wink, and a twinkle in his eye, he left the room, making his way downstairs. I got dressed and rushed down after him where mom had breakfast already made. "Thanks mom!" I crushed her in a hug and grabbed a bite. 

"Lily, I want to talk to you." Mom's voice was strong, but loving. "Sure. What's up?" I sat on the chair, and looked up at her, sipping my orange juice. Mom looked like she's never aged. Her skin was perfect, her hair wasn't greyed, and she was as strong as ever. Dad said it was part of the reason why he married her. She was just perfect. 

I shuddered. I had a history with 'perfection.' Jayden needed to be the last thing on my mind. Mom's short, sudden sentence made me choke on my orange juice. 

"I want you to take over as Director of the X Force." Her smiled never faded. Though I saw hesitation. 

I coughed and sputtered till, I was sane enough to talk. I didn't want that job! I had a life here. A normal life. I wanted just to live happily ever after with Dylan. I didn't want a life of blood, violence, and death. 

If I accepted the job, I would never be able to relax. I would never be able to settle down with Dylan and raise a family. Not that I wanted to disappoint mom, but....It wasn't what I wanted. "Um.." I cleared my voice. "Why can't Buck take the job?" 

Mom stared at me like 'Do I really need to give you a reason?' The answer was clear.  Buck wasn't cut out for the job. He sat around in his room all day either playing video games, or he was out hanging with the wrong crowd. I was also the oldest. More responsibility fell onto my shoulders. "I'll let you think about it. You can tell me tomorrow." She patted my shoulder, and turned to leave. 

"Mom!" She turned. "Yes?" I tried to find my words piled into a jumble of reasons, and thoughts. "I-Why do you want me to take over?" She smiled sadly. I could see she was tired. She'd been at this for many years and she was tired. "I'm retiring. I need you to take a bit off my shoulders."

I could only nod. "I'll give you answer tonight." She nodded. "I knew I could count on you." When she left the room completely, I slumped in the chair. I already made up my mind. I didn't want the job.

Why me? I didn't want to live knowing I'd be putting myself and other lives in danger. I had experienced hot even half that with Protecting Dylan and Jayden's backstabbing. I didn't want to experience the pain, and despair again. 

I glanced at my watch and yelped. I was late. I rushed out the door to my new Honda Civic. Uncle Jack got me new one last year. A birthday present and sorry gift he called it. I grinned and ran my finger over the blue paint job. It was truly a beauty.

I hopped in and started the engine, driving to the campus where I was studying at. Mom made me chose the College closest to home so I could just drive home rather than live on campus. I was fine with that, since I loved seeing mom and dad. And Uncle Jack. Buck? Eeehhh....He didn't really give much attention when I was there. 

 I parked in the lot and grabbed my bags from the backseat. "Lily!" I was almost knocked over as Jay crushed me in a hug. "I missed you!" I rolled my eyes, and shook him off. Jay Kelt was 17, but a genius. He got the best grades in his high school so they just told him to enrol into the collage. His twin sister, Amber who was the more mature one. 

She got good grades but not as good as her brother. Their mom, Jessica just decided to keep them together so they wouldn't 'grow apart.' I wrapped my arm around his shoulder, sliding it to his neck where I gripped him a in a choke hold. 

"Lilllyyyy...!" He whined. I laughed at him. He was just so funny. I let him go, and swung my bag higher on my shoulder. As we walked towards the building, Jay began rambling off about a cute girl he met, and asking me about how he should approach her.

I thought. "Just be your self, Jay. If she's the one for you, she'll love you for you." He nodded, striding to keep up with my pace. "Ok, thanks. I'll try that.....But she's older than me." I shrugged. "Doesn't matter." 

He grinned. "Thanks, Lily. You're the best!" He hugged my neck, and pressed his cheek to mine. "No prob, Jay." I chuckled. "Hey, crazy brat!" Amber strolled up, her usual bad girl face on. I nodded to her. She nodded back. "Don't call me that, dumb dumb!" And that started their usual daily arguing. 

"Guys!" They stopped and stared at me. "Please. It's too early for this." "I can vouch for that." I looked up to see Mark Livingston walking up. He wasn't surrounded by floods of screaming girls as usual. Which I was glad for. "Where's your fan club?" I asked him, grinning. He smirked. "I don't know. I just escaped."

We all laughed. Mark was the heart throb of the college. Girls swooned over his perfect hair and good looks. He was almost always surrounded by dearing fan girls, who tried their best to make him fall for them. But he was more of a flirt and wasn't interested in any of them. 

His dad, Tony was the tech genius in Mom's first rank of thew Force. They'd been through a lot.  I began to wonder where Dylan was. He usually was the first to meet me on campus. But today I didn't see him anywhere. 

We finally entered the building and parted ways. I walked into the near empty lecture hall with my books under my arm. I spotted Henry. A friend of mine and Dylan's. Surely he'd know where my absent boyfriend was. 

I took the seat next to him. "Hey." He smiled at me. "Hi, Lily." The professor started talking and we whispered. "Have you seen Dylan, Henry?" He stared at me, but shook his head. "No. I haven't. Sorry." 

I nodded. Where could he be? I knew summer break was coming up, but that wasn't a reason to became lazy already. And It wasn't like Dylan to miss classes. He would've at least called me, or sent a text saying he was sick at home....I began to worry. Where was he?

First chapter up! :) Tell me what you think!