𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐒 | b. hargrove ²

𝟭𝟵| 𝘾𝘼𝙇𝙄𝙁𝙊𝙍𝙉𝙄𝘼 𝘿𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙈𝙄𝙉'

[ song: california dreamin' ]

[ cool edit lol ]

"All the leaves are brown," the song sang as Lili walked across the living room with pieces of planks that fell from the ceiling three months ago. "All the leaves are brown."

"And the sky is gray," Max swept some of the dust and clutter to one side of the house and sighed as she peered up through the gaping hole, looking at the overcast sky. "And the sky is gray."

"I've been for a walk," Lili rubbed her stomach that has started to show through her tight gray tank. Her hair has been thrown up in a falling-apart bun on the side of her head and she slipped on some cheap pink flip-flops. "I've been for a walk."

"On a winter's day," It's been three months after the Byers and El moved away, which means that Lili is seven months into her pregnancy. It's December now, December 7th to be exact. El should be coming down with Will, Jonathan and Joyce for Christmas in a couple of weeks and Lili was ecstatic. "On a winter's day."

"I'll be safe and warm," Lili threw out scraps of wood out the door and walked back inside, helping Max out with a bigger piece. "I'll be safe and warm."

"If I was in L.A," July 17th came and went. It was before the move, but Lili was too busy trying to keep herself busy at the auto shop to notice it. "If I was in L.A."

"California dreamin'," Lili sniffed a bit, guilt filling her senses as the lyrics sunk in. She was playing a random record from Hopper's collection. "California dreamin'."

"On such a winter's day..."

"Stopped into a church," Lili walked by a run-down chapel on her walk that she usually took to stay in shape whilst being pregnant. "I passed along the way."

Walking inside, it wasn't much different than any other church she's been in. She used to be very religious, but with the monsters running around, the only time for God was when someone was dying. Even then, she couldn't help but wonder where God was.

She walked past the wooden pews that were evenly spaced out along the walkway. Her eyes were set on the stained-glass window that depicted Mary, Joseph and Jesus with God looking down on them. A perfect family. And Lili didn't have that.

"Well I got down on my knees," Lili struggled to rest her knees on the ground, but she eventually made it. She kept on staring at the glass. It was so perfect, so well orchestrated, that she couldn't help but wonder if it was all a lie. This plan that everyone says is in place. A priest walked out from the side door, reading something from folder when he saw the girl in the middle of the aisle. "Got down on my knees."

"And I pretend to pray," Lili bent her head down and stared at the stone floor. What would she pray about? There's nothing she wanted to say to God. She always heard that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all. "I pretend to pray."

"You know the preacher likes it cold," The priest smirked when he saw Lili shivering and staring at the ground. "Preacher like is cold."