Secret (1969)

Chapter 2

I couldn’t sleep. My thoughts were rolling around Lily. If something had happened to her? I got bored of senseless lying and thinking, I turned lights on and went to the shelf. I wanted to take a book and be busy with something till she had came, I wouldn't sleep like this till I hadn’t convinced myself that she was safe. I examined the shelf. I had read almost all of the books that were there, than saw one of Clifford D. Simak’s writing Way Station, this is something new for me. I took it from the shelf, turned the lights off and turned on the lamp on the dresser next to the bed. This book wasn’t interesting for me. The time has lasted long, so I put the book on the side, turned off the lamp and started staring at the ceiling. Mother reminded me herself and my eyes filled with tears. I didn’t even try to stop them, it wouldn’t help me anyway.

In few moments I heard the sound of the door opening, my breath has held and the heart has accelerated, before I knew it was Lily. I sighed and closed my eyes. I was pretending to be asleep, I didn’t want to appear funny to her. When I got convinced that she was fine and nothing was to worry, I fell asleep.

It was holidays yet so I slept well that morning and when I got up it was almost 1p.m. I dressed up, washed up and went downstairs. Auntie was in a kitchen. I went up to her and hugged her from back. 

“Good morning” If I could call the morning to 1p.m.

“Afternoon, Annabelle” She greeted me with smile and pinched me on cheek.

“You’ll have breakfast, right?” I nodded to her, got up and helped her with covering table with doth. When we finished everything Lily came, her eyes were puffy.

“Daughter, your eyes are black. What’s wrong with you?” Aunt asked her with worried voice.

“I didn’t sleep well last night. I haven’t got used to sleeping with someone yet.” She lied and winked at me. I didn’t like the word ‘someone’ but stayed silent. When we finished breakfast started watching TV. We hoped we would find a good show in a black and white TV, but there were only ten TV channels and they weren’t showing anything interesting, so we turned it off.

Lily gripped my hands and took me in the yard. We were sitting and talking about last night. She was in club and she even drank. If aunt and uncle know about that, they’ll kill themselves. And one day they’ll know and nothing good will happen to her.

“I acquainted to one guy.” Lily told me after a few minutes silence. ”I’m going to see him on bikers' contest.”

“What?” My eyes nearly fell over when I heard that. “Bikers' contest?” I constrained and she nodded.

“But it’s really dangerous competition, we can say it’s fatal.” I screamed from fear.

“No, you’re not right” She shook her head. “Bike is the symbol of striving for a freedom.” She said with certainty.

“Aren’t you afraid of going on that competition with just-met guy? “ Lily rolled her eyes.

“Yes” Answered shortly. “But I’m not going alone.” She smiled at me and started wiggling her eyebrows.

“What? Do you want me to come there too?” I shouted.

“Hey, hey shush!” Warned me and touched my lips with her finger. “Mom shouldn’t hear that.”

“No. Don’t have my hope.” I shook my head.

“And you’re going to let me there alone?”

“If your parents get to know about that?”

“They won’t.” She answered me with certainty in her words.

“No, no. I don’t want to go there”

“Pleeeaaasse, I beg you.” She begged me.

Things like that weren’t close to me. I didn’t want to have fun in this hard time and didn’t want any problems with them, who sheltered me. But I was afraid of letting her there alone. I wouldn’t help her but I’d just be there next to her.