Lucky 13

Chapter 17: You belong with us

Lily's POV

Throughout the day I didn't really do much. I felt like life was passing by in front of me but I had mentally checked out, just for today. Maybe tomorrow as well, I don't know. I just felt like I wasn't a part of what happened in my day.

Though I was determined, I knew what I had to do. I had to see her, or them.

And so after school, I quickly went to my locker. I put everything away and took what I needed. And then I was ready, ready to go.

"Hey Lily."

I stopped, smiling at her. "Hey Mabel."

"So I was wondering if you could help me with something?"

Great, take my time. "With?"

She blushed. "I'd like to have a date, with Avan."

Hearing her say that, I smiled. He'll love that. I know he's crushing on her big time. "How can I help?" Finally something good, something sweet and innocent. That'll help me get something else in my mind.

She smiled, she seemed pleased. "Can you bring him to this location tomorrow?" She handed me a note with an address and a tiny map. It was all drawn.

I looked at it, then at her. "Sure, and do I just drop him off or wait there?"

"Wait there until I'm there."

"Ok," I put the note in my back pocket. "I will."

She smiled even more. "Thank you so much." She then hugged me. It was a sweet gesture, but it was too early for that. It felt unnatural.

"You're welcome." We then pulled back. "Well I'll see you tomorrow." And then I left. I went to my bike and hopped on it.

I rode as fast as I could, which wasn't that fast, towards the building. I had to speak to them. They had to clarify things for me.

When I arrived, I secured my bike but before I entered, my phone buzzed. I answered it. "Hello?"

"Lily?"

I sighed. "Esmee."

I heard rumbling in the background. "Can you come by the office?"

"I am at the building."

"Oh," I then heard mumbling, Catherine must be there as well. Or someone else, but that wouldn't make sense. "We'll be waiting for you in my office." She then ended the call.

I put my phone away and made my way inside the building. I passed by the receptionists, who didn't stop me from entering anymore. I guess they still thought I worked here, somehow.

I took the elevator up to the top floor.

When I arrived at that floor, I walked straight to Esmee's office. On my way there I felt my ex co-workers watching me, but I ignored them. I was on a mission right now, and I think it was visible in my facial expressions as well as in my body language.

I entered Esmee's office, without knocking, and stood there, arms crossed.

She gulped. "Have a seat, Lily."

I ignored her, I kept standing exactly where I was and just looked at her. My facial expression: emotionless.

She gulped once again. "I'll go get Catherine." She got up and walked to the office next doors. They had a brief conversation before they both entered this office again.

Esmee sat down at her desk while Catherine stood kind of in between us. "It's good to see you again, Lily."

"Why did I need to come?" I don't know why I was angry, I wasn't even angry with them. I was just angry. Maybe I was angry with myself, because I actually care about them.

Esmee looked at Catherine, who looked at me. But she seemed sad almost. "What happened to you, Lily?" She stepped towards me a bit.

"Don't!" I demanded. "Stay there."

Catherine looked from me to Esmee, they exchanged a look. Catherine then looked at me. "Ok," She walked backwards and sat down at the chair there. "I'm here, ok?"

I nodded.

"There's a chair there," She motioned to the chair practically next to the door. "If you want to sit."

I looked at the chair before sitting down on it. "Why did I need to come?"

Esmee gulped yet again, she was very nervous. And I knew why. "I'd like to thank you," She looked down. "If it weren't for you..." She wrapped her arms around herself, hugging herself.

I let out a breath. "Why didn't you two tell me?"

They both looked at me. It's now that I noticed those eyes. How could I not have made the connection before. Well I assumed they were but I never really wanted to see it. They were a part of them.

I looked down. "You know exactly who my dad is, you know he's against you." I looked up at them. "He taught me to be against you, your kind."

"But you're not." Catherine interrupted.

I looked down again. "I should be." I buried my face in my hands. "But I can't, and I don't know why."

I heard someone getting up, this person walked to me and then caressed my back. "You're a good person, Lily." Esmee said.

I looked up and saw Esmee still seated, I saw Catherine standing next to me. "Come." She pulled me up and pulled me with her towards Esmee's desk. She went to sit down on her chair and made me sit down at the other chair that was there. 

"I betrayed my kind, my dad, my family." I still don't know why exactly I was telling them all this. They were a part of them yet here I was being open and honest with them. "I'm a failure."

"You're not," Catherine reached for my hand, she held it in hers, caressing it ever so slowly. "You're special."

I looked down, and that's when I lost it. "But why haven't you two told me?" I looked back up, tears in my eyes. "How many people here are like you? What company is this even?"

Esmee looked at Catherine. "We haven't told you because we didn't want you to judge us."

I looked at her, then at Esmee.

She seemed to get the hint. "As soon as people know we're part of them, they freak out." She let out a breath. "It's not our fault, we were born this way."

"You're dangerous." I stated to which they both seemed upset. "You were attacking a retirement home." I looked at them, observing their facial expression. "Why would I ever believe that this all isn't your fault?"

Esmee looked from me to Catherine, and Catherine looked at me. She looked determined. "Because you belong with us."