Autumn Powell is excited to help her cousin Lily by inviting her to stay with her and her boyfriend until she can get back on her feet. What is intended as an act of kindness, may turn into dangerous confrontations with the shadows from Lily's myste...
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Lily hiccuped as she attempted to breathe properly through the tears. She turned her head away from Autumn and tried to wipe them away as quickly as she could. "I'm...I'm fine." her voice shook as she tried turning herself even more away from Autumn.
Autumn paused for a moment but her shocked demeanor quickly ran away from her and before Lily could stand up from her seat Autumn grabbed the sleeve of her shirt. "No Lily--everything is not fine! You're crying."
Lily shook but refused to turn towards Autumn. She shook her head quickly. "No, I'm just..." she shrugged. "Emotional sometimes."
"That's bullshit--Lily, something has been up since the moment you got here!" she released her sleeve but Lily didn't get up. Autumn stood from her seat and slammed a hand on the table. "You show up with no luggage and no explanation as to what's going on or why you're acting weird! I get it, I'm ridiculous and overbearing--and you're like this perfect angel, but that does not excuse the way you've been acting...which is..." Autumn hesitated and for a moment she searched her mind for words of comfort but all she could come up with was: "If I didn't know you from before I'd think you were some cold-hearted bitch."
Lily froze and kept her face away from Autumn's as she stared at the floor. "I'm sorry," she said in a tiny voice. She stood slowly from the table. "I'll...just leave."
Autumn shook her head suddenly. "No, you will not! You'll tell me what's going on! Lily, will you look at me--" Autumn pulled Lily's shoulder to get her to turn but just as she did she pulled down the neck of her shirt slightly. Autumn gasped and stared at a large deep purple bruise on Lily's shoulder, one that looked horridly fresh.
Lily pulled her shirt sleeve up and then went quiet for a long moment.
Autumn stared at Lily's back and her eyes burned into the back of her head, only this time the anger was turned into shock. "...what happened?" her voice was quiet but there was an edge a deep and angry edge that forced her to keep her calm.
There was an even longer and quieter pause than Autumn would normally be able to handle, but the pause was all that felt necessary at that moment.
"Does he..." Lily started quietly. "I mean...do you like it when he touches you? Your boyfriend, Eli..." she whispered his name as though she wasn't allowed to say it.
Autumn felt chills with her words and for a brief moment she wondered what this was all about, but then she reflexively balled her hands into fists. "Lily," she said in a stern tone that would make any mother's child feel they should regret their recent decision. "Did someone hurt you? Is that what you're not telling me?"
Lily's head lowered slightly and after a long pause, she shook her head. "No. No, he didn't."
Autumn raised a brow and now her brain had another clue. "He?" she said quickly. "He who?"
Lily turned slowly towards Autumn. "I promise I didn't mean to make you upset." She kept her head down and tears forced themselves out of Lily's eyes. "...I know there's something wrong with me..." she closed her eyes and shuddered as a sob was choked down her throat. "I didn't mean to be an inconvenience, I'll go now..." she turned away from her.
