Code Red (Book#2 of The Runaway Club)

18. Blood Stained Lilies

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Aaron Krystals

"What are these?"

Her hazel eyes were wide with surprise and awe at the bundle I held in my hands. I chuckled nervously. I didn't even know why I was nervous; Ma told me that all girls liked flowers. But I took a huge risk by not going for the traditional roses.

Maybe its still not late to make a run for it and come back with roses.

"It's lilium Casa Blanca." I blurted, "Lilies. For you."

If I wasn't holding the bundle in my shaky hands, I would have face palmed. Great, she might think I am more weirder than I already am. But my breath got knocked out of me when I received the most brilliant smile from her. She looked like the most beautiful woman in the world—scratch that, she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

She reached forward and gently took the bundle from me to take a deep breath. Her eyes twinkled with satisfaction and joy and I felt like I was on top of the world.

"They are beautiful, Rafael." Her melody said with delight. "Thank you so much!"

"You are always welcome." I replied with a dopey grin.

"Is it because you call me lily?" She giggled.

I scratched the back of my head embarrassedly. I looked back to the Barcelona skyline and the vast, blue seas beyond it. My lily and I lived in El Poble-Sec, a scenic and quiet residential area and this park called Mirador del Poble-Sec was where we frequented to meet up. I would always take her up the cable cars up this small hill and the vast skyline viewpoint was our spot.

"I think it's cute."

She slid closer to me on the park bench we sat on. I took a deep breath of her sweet scent. It was something indescribable—a pure fragrance of flowers yet an undercurrent of something smoky; so innocent yet so seductive. It was my lily. I slung my hands over her small shoulders. I was not a big guy but my lily's small frame made me feel like one.

"It's not cute. It's supposed to be romantic." I huffed indignantly.

"Whatever you say" She laughed and hugged the flowers close.

We watched the busy ports miles away from us in comfortable silence. The breeze was calming in the balmy Spanish heat and made my lily's long black hair flutter about her. It was moments like this I treasured, the moments I may never get back and so I relished in her warmth close to me.

I dreamt of the life we could have had if fates were kind to us. I would come back to Palermo one summer when my lily turns 18 and right here, in our most special place, I would ask her to be mine forever. We would move somewhere far away, nestled in the European countryside away from all responsibilities I was expected to shoulder and her and I would stay side-by-side till we both grew grey and old.

But fates were cruel, and I knew that.

"Would you love me forever, Rafael?"

I looked down at her bright hazel that brimmed with unshed tears. Perhaps she knew that the dreams we held in our hearts would always be a distant dream. But be it be dreams, nightmares or reality, I knew that I would follow her anywhere. I would follow my lily for she was my heaven and hell, my suffering and salvation and she was the end of my universe.

"Forever, my lily." I vowed.

"Then why do you forget me?" A tear rolled past her cheeks and my broken heart shattered into a million pieces. "Is forever only till you find someone else? Is forever only till you move on from me?"