Lillian steadied herself shaking her head to clear her vision. She saw TJ smirk at her before his hand formed a fist and connected with her face, harder this time. She resisted the thunder forming inside her chest and pulled herself together and felt TJ behind her. He took his right hand, twisting it hard and punched her just below her left ribcage and tears swelled in her eyes as she fell on ground, breathing heavily. She opened her eyes to see a shocked Tris and an angry Owen looking back at her. Even Deb had sobered up a little, arm around Liam who was looking between Lillian and TJ.
She got up, dusting off her pants and shaking her hands. TJ smirked at her annoyingly.
“Ah, the good old days.” He smirked
“Things are now out of my hands.” Lillian said and gave Tris a wink, while she stared back, as if Lillian had two heads.
Soon Lillian lunged forward and punched TJ hard on his jaw and then his stomach making him stumble back. She took the opportunity and punched him multiple times before TJ brought his hands in front of his face. She pulled his one leg and jerked it hard so that he fell and punched him on his face.
TJ tried to block her and stood up but she was not ready to budge and finally Lillian jumped ahead trapping TJ’s head firmly with her legs and rolled over him in choke position, retaining it till she heard all too familiar sound of tapping. She stood up and sound of roaring and shouting filled her ears as she turned to see her group going crazy and Deb dancing on the table. The scent of victory and nostalgia hit her before she held her hand out for TJ.
“Woman, I hate you with every last of my breath.” He whispered for only Lillian to hear, scowling.
“Oh TJ, you knew this would happen.” She said “I am just glad you followed our pact.”
“Sure, that is why I hit you on your rib, friendship pact.” He answered rolling his eyes and pulling Lillian into a hug which reminded him the pain of his stomach and her ribcage, but was worth it.
Together with an arm around TJ, Lillian stumbled towards to group who were now having a low conversation. Tris and Deb gave her a proud and surprised look, Ben shrugged and gave her a “knew it” look and him a “Deserved it” one and Liam clapped for her in, winking his eyes. But Lillian saw a hurt look in Owens eyes as he quickly took her from TJ and sat down beside her on the hard bench.
He took the first aid kid from Ben and dabbed her jaw with wet cloth. She smiled at his look of concern and turned to see Liam and Tris doing the same to TJ. He looked back with tears in his eyes. Lillian thought about the time when they had no one to dress their wounds. Back then they did this to each other, wincing in their own pain but dressing up other’s. Lillian came late in his life and left early. For years TJ had no one to even ask about his pain and seeing a beautiful girl that too Tris, melted and broke his heart at the same time.
“Owen, Are you mad at me?” Lillian asked softly as Owen applied cream to her hand.
“Do I have a reason?” He asked now placing cotton on her knuckle.
“I am sorry I never told you.” She said craning her neck to look in his eyes.
“Okay” Owen answered still not looking up as he tied the knot of the bandage.
“Owen” Lillian sighed and placed her other hand on his cheeks and he finally looked up. “I am really sorry. Please talk to me?” she said and Owen exhaled heavily before keeping his hand above hers on his cheek.
“I am just disappointed Lillian that you never told me about it.” He answered truthfully. “I am not mad at you but a heads up would had been appreciated.”
“I know honey but all this is in past. I am not this girl anymore. I cant forget how to fight but I can stop it, I did stop it, but TJ brings back a lot of feelings and some of them are good too. Will you believe me when I say that I still hate violence?” she asked and he nodded a second later giving her a small smile.
“Thank you but now leave this, come on it’s already 11, we better get back to the hotel soon for some sleep.” Lillian said and stood up groaning involuntarily as she felt the pain under her rib ignoring which she sat beside TJ on the bench.
“Okay. go” Tris said and Lillian looked back at her confused but got the answer when Deb ran around her clapping her hands and shouting, “STORY, STORY, LILLIAN WILL TELL HER STORY.”
She laughed at her and then at Liam who had his head in his hand smiling and muttering under his breath. She looked back at Tris and smiled before speaking.
“So, when I was 15, I met my dad, or whom I consider my dad, and found out that he was a mafia. He kept me away from all those things but when he started getting threatening calls, he thought it was better to teach me how to defend myself. For days I practiced with him and everything then a year later my dad started getting anxiety attacks. In terms of money we had nothing and to make it worse dad was under debt. And so one day I came in this club, as Virago, back when it was owned by someone else and fought. Pay was good and I met TJ here, aka vector. We became friends and started helping my dad out in his dark stuff.” At this Lillian glanced at TJ giving him a grateful smile.
“TJ was the only one in the whole club capable of defeating me and after we became friends, he became reluctant to hurt me and then we signed a friendship pact which clearly stated that I wanted him to give his best and not stop until I tell him to. He kept his words and knew my weakness was my left side, just below my rib. My second foster care mom broke it when I was young. I was running away from her when she shoved me and I broke it.” She felt Owen go rigid beside her and took his hand in hers.
“Long story short, I did street fighting, I don’t anymore and I still hate violence.” She said letting out a breath she did not knew she was holding.
“Wow, your life can be made into a movie.” Liam laughed and Deb looked at him lovingly before putting her arms around him.
“LILLIMAN….NO, NO, LILLIGIRL!!” Deb shouted and Lillian was sure that she is going to get sore throat tomorrow.
***
After 15 minutes of waving and bidding farewell to TJ, all of them climbed into the car and everyone looked at Deb as she stumbled into the driving seat.
“You aren’t driving miss.” Owen said and Deb pouted at him
“DEB DRIVES!” she shouted and Owen covered his ears.
“Stop SHOUTING.” Ben said, rolling his eyes and helped Owen to remove Deb from the seat but she wasn’t ready to budge and held Liam’s hand in the passenger seat. Smiling Liam nodded in their direction and quickly moved to driver’s seat with Deb on his side. Ben and Owen shared a glance and took their spots.
The drive was slow and uneventful, beside Deb getting out of the window shouting and then, when Owen forced her in, she locked her hands around Liam’s head and even covered his eyes which made Tris scream shrilly.
When they reached the hotel, Owen looked at Lillian who was sleeping with her head on his lap and smiled. Tris and Ben walked inside the inn and Liam waited for the other two as he helped Deb out who was fast asleep now. Owen gently lifted her head and instantly Lillian removed his hand wrapping hers around him. Owen let out a small laugh before he helped her out and she walked with him groaning loudly.
They all went to their beds and Liam insisted Lillian to sleep in one of the rooms while he and Owen slept in the pull out couches. Around midnight Liam heard shuffling beside his bed and then he felt someone slid in the couch beside him and he turned to look at Deb as she slept with her head on his hand, soundlessly.
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Virago ~ The better wrong
Tiểu Thuyết Chung2 in #goodevil In a world of possession and greed, no one can be classified as entirely good or entirely bad. We categorise Villains as supporters of wrong and heros as supporters of......well, the better wrong, so what do you call the most wanted v...
