a book of parent!phan

25. the best girlfriend.

a/n: you guys have been asking for angst and ladence, so why not put them together??

-

"Lily."

Fourteen-year-old Lily looked into her English teacher's eyes, sighing.

"You need to make up this test by tomorrow. It's your last chance."

"But," whispered Lily. "I'm not prepared."

Her professor shrugged, frowning. "I'm sorry. You should've been ready. You had three days. You could have studied."

Lily opened her mouth, but quickly shut it. She nodded, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Go on, Lily," sighed her teacher, "you're late for lunch."

Her teacher closed the door, and Lily dashed down the stairs. Tears ran down her cheeks.

"How could I have studied," whispered Lily in bewilderment, "If my grandfather died, and I can't even function in general?"

-

Lily was a mess. Her dads were a mess. Dan's dad had just died.

It was stressing her out. She wasn't prepared for the impact.

Everything was a blur of tears and hugs and whispers of comfort and shock. Seeing her dad grieve was the hardest thing that came out of the situation for her, and it was even worse for Phil. She wanted to take all his pain. She missed his happy attitude, his joking tone, the little things that made Lily smile. Seeing Dan sob tore her heart apart.

The exam which she'd missed was the last thing on her mind at the time, but now, it seemed like it was consuming her.

She buried her face into her hands, taking deep breaths. Her tears streamed steadily, her breath becoming more and more labored, which soon turned into gasps.

Lily started to panic. She couldn't calm down. Her eyes flew open. The edges of her vision were turning monotone. Why was everything gray?

"I can't-," she gasped, dashing towards the alley between buildings. "I need- I need Cadence," she said shakily to herself. Her stomach turned.

"Lily, I'll meet you at our table, okay? Take your time with her. I brought a new book anyway."

Lily could hear Cadence's voice at the back of her head, and nearly cried out in relief. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts.

She stumbled down a corner, and down a corridor until she reached the front lawn. Cadence sat in the shade at a table in the corner, reading a book, like she promised.

Lily walked over, heaving gasps.

"Cadence," she whispered shakily, and she turned around, her mouth parting.

"Lily," Cadence said in surprise, standing up immediately.

Lily just shook her head, and Cadence wrapped her arm around her shoulders and led her to a little alcove where the water fountain stood. She engulfed her into a hug, and Lily wept into her shoulder.

The test had nothing and everything to do with the death of her grandfather

"I miss my grandpa," she sobbed into Cadence's arms.

"I know, love," whispered Cadence, tears pooling in her own eyes.

"I just want Dad to be happy," she wept.

"It just takes time." soothed Cadence. "You're okay. Everything's just a bit much, isn't it?"

Lily nodded.

-

Lily sat on a cot.

She was in the nurse's office, and right now, she missed Cadence.

Her eyes still watered, and her fingers fumbled with the cotton balls which had been dotted with lavender essence to calm her down. Cadence couldn't stand the thought of Lily going about the rest of the school day like this, so she had brought her to the nurse. She was beyond greatful.

Lily felt bad about having her Dad come pick her up. It was almost embarrassing, even. She felt like a burden, and just another problem to top off what her parents were going through. She expected Phil to come in, exasperated, barely muttering a hello before taking her home to a disappointed, sorrow-ridden Dan.

It made her eyes burn with hot tears.

"You alright, love?" asked the nurse kindly.

"Yes, thank you," smiled Lily, trying to hide her shaky voice.

Lily heard a door open and close, and murmuring voices. The nurse peeked her head down the corridor, turning and smiling back to Lily. "That would be your parents."

Lily furrowed her brow. They both came?

She stood up, slung her bag over her shoulders, and took a deep breath. Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes.

She walked out of the room, catching sight of her dads. She sighed in relief.

They smiled sadly, and Dan held out his arms. Lily crumbled.

She fell into his arms, his warmth and familiar smell making her feel like falling asleep at that instant.

Of course they cared about her. What was she thinking?

-

They went out for lunch after picking Lily up.

"Poor baby," they had cooed, hugging her and not letting her go.

Maybe it was a good idea to go home.

As they sat in front of their empty plates of pasta, finishing their lemonades, Lily took out her phone. She sent a text to Cadence.

I love you

-

a/n: i just finished reading Eleanor and Park for the second time in like three years (its so beautiful Rainbow Rowell is my mom) and i feel like her writing has incorporated into this chapter somehow