Lily From It Ends With Us Novels & Stories

I ask. She looks at me and gives me a half smile, somehow that was supposed to answer the question. “Well, your leg is wounded but you’ll be able to walk in an hour.” “I believe thanks is in order. But why were you sobbing?” I reply. She gives me another half-smile and tells me she has to get more supplies. ”Wait!” I call out to her. “I don’t know your name. So I can thank you properly” I say. She smiles again at me, but this time it’s a full smile. “Livillia Lepida, Bright Tigers Medicae.” “Thank you again Medicae Livilla”I reply “Don’t thank me just yet, this war is Eternal after all.” she says as she turns away “Oh yes, and welcome to the Northern Border.” A cold wind blew by, letting her

So Lily ended the call and turned to the old maid who had a skeptical look on her face. “You seem different,” the old maid observed. Lily breathed up and down and dared to say, “Yes, and that is because I am not Ashley. I am Lily Bashwood.”

Lily may be gone, but her love and strength live on in him. ---------------------------------------------

They're going to be the death of me. Kiara made a thoughtful face, her eyes swiftly glancing back and forth at him as though assessing his worthiness. Her small forehead creased in concentration, and she tapped one finger against her chin—a gesture she had clearly picked up from watching cartoons. "Lily," she announced finally, nodding once. "I'll let you call me that. Because you helped me stop crying, and we aren't strangers anymore." She stood up, smoothing down her dress with both hands, and adjusted the collar with a prim little gesture that made Justin's heart clench. Her tiny, elegant walk carried her toward the door, her sneakers squeaking softly on the linoleum.

I looked around at the waiting families, welcoming their loved ones, I was wondering, where is my crazy ass best friend? “LILY! LILY!” I looked to my left to see a blonde vigorously waving and yelling my name, “Lily...it's me!” “Mel?” I whispered. She was making her way through the thick crowd, I got up meeting her halfway. “Lil,” she excitedly pulled me into a warm hug. Pulling away, I stared at her new hair color, “Blonde huh?” Chuckling lowly, she rolled her eyes, hauling on my arm, “There is so much you've got to learn Lil.”

I smiled. Weeks passed, Lily's emails filled us with joy. She joined an art class. I knew she always had an interest in paintings and drawings. “I made new friends, mom. Sofia and Marco.” “Tell us more.” Alex requested. “Sofia is from Spain and Marco is 'Italian.” Lily said over Skype. “They're amazing!” She exclaimed happily. “We're glad you're happy.” I smiled. “We will give you all the support you need, okay.” “Yes mom.” She smiled.

After a moment of hesitation and thinking of the best way to write it out, I finally typed: Lily is about to become our Luna. I hit send and slipped the phone back into my pocket.

Her skin is cool beneath mine. "It’s complicated, Lily. You’re from a different... country. They have different rules where you’re from. We’ll talk about this later. Away from listening ears." I glance pointedly at Mrs. Albright, whose interest in our conversation is very thinly veiled. “You must have lived a sheltered life, you lady,” Mrs Albright says. “If you don’t even know that in this country everything has a price.” “Lily grew up in a… naturist community,” I quickly step in before she says something she won’t be able to take back.

Instead, she slowly turned the screen towards me. The message wasn't about the brown envelope. It wasn't about Crownline. It wasn't about Claire. It was a photograph. Lily. Standing just outside her school. The timestamp showed it had been taken that morning. Beneath the photograph was a single sentence. "Maybe her mother should know how easy it is to reach her."

We could not afford to waste any more time. Lily’s eyes widened, flickering nervously between Mrs. McAllister and us. “I’ve already shared everything I know. You even used that witchy stuff on me. What more do you want to know?” she cautiously inquired, the scent of her fear lingering in the air. “Anything else? His name? His manner of speaking? Did he possess any distinguishing features?” I probed, hoping to extract additional details. “No, Aarya... I mean Luna,” Lily murmured, her gaze avoiding direct contact with mine. Since our last encounter, she seemed subdued, a fraction of the defiant and disrespectful woman she once was.