Under the Shadow of the Moon

Chapter 9

"How come you're new here?" Lloyd asked as he and Lily walked down the street towards the house. "I know you said you moved here from New City, but you haven't really said anything about it."

"I um..." she paused, taking in an unsteady breath. "I don't like to talk about it."

"Oh..." Lloyd sounded crestfallen.

"I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. "I didn't mean that I don't trust you, I just—"

He stopped her. "Lily, I get it, you don't have to talk about anything you don't want to."

Her eyes widened slightly, the endless blue deepening. She smiled to herself, looking away from him. They walked a few more feet in silence, Lloyd's knuckles brushing against the back of her hand.

Lily took a breath. "A new foster family took me in, so I moved here from New City. The family I'm with now..." she sighed, looking up at him. "They could care less about me. They're only doing it for the money. The house is full of other kids, but hey, I've got a roof over my head so I won't complain. I'm lucky to have that." A sad smile took over her face, pain and sorrow filling her eyes.

"Lily, I'm so sorry..."

She flashed a small smile. "It's alright," she looked away from him. "I've made peace with it."

He reached out for her hesitantly, but dropped his hand. "I'm sorry Lily."

She looked back to him, his brown eyes filled with a look of empathy. She smiled lightly. "It's okay, Lloyd."

He held out his hand to her as they reached the house, and she took it.

"I didn't mean to force you to say anything..."

"No, no, it's okay. I want you to know. I trust you."

A smile cracked across his face. "You do?"

"Mhm," Lily hummed as they reached the house. She stepped through the front door, taking in the stairs to her right and the kitchen to her left. In front of her was the living room, with a couch facing the TV and a glass coffee table sitting on top of a large carpet. She noticed a piano sitting a few paces from the dining room table. It sat closed and covered in dust, as if it hadn't been touched for a long time. On top of it sat a framed picture of a man in his late thirties, with Lloyd's hair and smile. His hair was the same lemon blonde, short and sticking up, unlike Lloyd's which hung low into his eyes. His bright brown eyes held the same light as Lloyd's did, loving and accepting. Beside it was another picture of the same man, hugging Luna and Lloyd when they were very young. Luna was missing her two front teeth, and her hair was in uneven pigtails. Her eyes were scrunched into a smile. Lloyd, on the other hand, looked miserable, with an adorable pout and sad puppy dog eyes.

Lily cracked a small smile as she looked at the photos. "Do any of you play?" She asked in a gentle voice, nodding towards the piano.

She noted the way the smile in his eyes fell even as he tried to keep a smile plastered on his face. "My dad, he used to play. It was just a hobby of his..." Lloyd's voice trailed off as he jerked his head away from the piano.

"Used to?" She echoed quietly, moving her gaze up to his.

"Yeah, uh, used to," he hesitated, fingers flying to run through his hair. "He, uh, he..." Lloyd paused. "Well, we lost him, almost a decade ago. I can't believe it's been that long. He was hit by a drunk driver on his way home from work one day." His voice cracked slightly before the words caught in his throat entirely.

Lily took hold of his hands, holding them between the two of them. She tried to put on a soft smile, but her eyes were filled with sorrow. "I'm so sorry, Lloyd, I know how hard it is to lose a parent."

"You said you're in a foster home..." he trailed off as he saw her blue eyes darken.

"I never knew my father," she started somberly. "He abandoned me and my mom when I was still a baby. He showed up one more time when I was seven and left my mom with my brother, but I lost them both just before the divide. My brother... his name was Euen... he was only three when I lost him... I had an older sister too, but she stayed with him. He forced her, I think. Something about her age. My mother never mentioned her again. I don't even know her name."

Lloyd stood for a moment, unsure of how to respond. He tried to formulate a sentence in his head, but he couldn't think of what to say. Instead, he pulled her into a hug. "I'm so sorry, Lily, I had no idea..." he tried.

"It's okay," She responded, a small smile seizing her features as her arms wrapped around his neck.

He let her go, keeping hold on one of her hands. His eyes darted around the room as courage surged through him. "Lily..." his cheeks flushed, his voice wavering. "Lily, would you maybe, even possibly, consider going on a date with me, sometime? You don't have to if you don't want to, I just think it might be fun..." He trailed off, studying her face. Lily looked surprised, and for a moment Lloyd thought she might smack him. He started to drop her hand. "S-sorry..." he muttered, turning away from her and rubbing his eyes. "I'm sorry Li—"

"Lloyd, wait." She blinked away her shock, catching his hand and slipping back in front of him. "Lloyd, I'd love to."

His smile returned. "Really?" His hopeful tone made her giggle.

"Of course. I'd love to go on a date with you." Her smile reappeared, her eyes lightening and her cheeks tinting pink. "Just give me a time and place."

"Saturday, I'll come pick you up."

"Okay."

Lloyd felt his heart flutter with excitement, but quickly darken with fear. He knew he had to do everything just right for Lily.