Eyes full of stars | ✔️

Chapter 27: Love story

"It's a love story, baby just say yes"

-Taylor Swift

*

Felicity, Sherlock and I spent the rest of our vacation in the most relaxing and funny way. Enjoying the sun, the beach, the sea, the food, laughing, running, painting, listening to music. I had painted so much that, in order to carry two women, one dog, two big suitcases and multiple sketchpads and canvases, we had to rent another car to make it through the entire ride from Devon. We arrived in London tanned, with softer hair, slimmer and happy - in Sherlock's case: happier than ever -.

Once we walked through our home doorstep and put everything on the floor, Felicity sighed loudly and jumped face down on the sofa, exhausted for the long drive. I chuckled and gave Sherlock fresh water.

"Tea?" I asked to my nearly dead friend.

She nodded and moaned. I took it as a yes.

When I went back to the living room with our steamy mugs in my hands, I found out that both Felicity and Sherlock were now sound asleep. I smiled, left her mug on the table and went to my room, closing the door behind me. I sat on my bed, my legs crossed, and turned on the television, keeping the volume down. I drank tea zapping from channel to channel, my mind haunted by something else.

After five minutes, I took my mobile phone out of my jeans pocket and I dialed Toby's number. It wasn't late, so I guessed I wasn't bothering him. His phone rang and rang... I was about to end the call after the seventh ring, when he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey" I greeted, putting my mug on the night table. "Is this a good time or--?"

"No, no" Toby said. "It's a good time. I was just..." I heard a door closing and I had the impression that he was walking. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, yes" I said. "All is good. Felicity, Sherlock and I just came back from Devon."

"Cool." He cleared his throat. "Did you enjoy your vacation?"

I smiled. "More than I expected. Actually, I would like to see you, there is something I need to show you." I was eager to surprise him with my artworks, sure that he would have loved them more than Felicity and Sebastian. "Will you come over for dinner next weekend?"

"Oh" Toby hesitated. "Well, I'm not sure. I'm being very busy at the moment..."

I frowned. "You sound weird. Are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly okay. Just absorbed with tons of stuff."

I paused. I knew that something wasn't right, but I wouldn't insist. "I see" I simply said.

Toby sighed. "Lily, I have to go now. I'll call you later this week, hopefully I will be able to set a date for our dinner. Okay?"

He sounded so distant, so... not Toby. Something moved inside of me and it wasn't good. All I could reply was "Okay. Talk soon. Goodnight" and I immediately hung up, keeping myself from adding "Sorry if I bothered you!"

All of a sudden, all the happiness and the peaceful feeling that have grown in me during my vacation were gone and I just couldn't understand why.

***

Felicity came into the living room with a bowl of popcorn in her hands and sat near Lily, who had just slammed her mobile phone on the table, whispering "Fuck you".

"Fuck who?" Felicity asked in an indifferent tone.

Lily shrugged. "Looks like that Toby is avoiding me."