The Lost Girl... (Faith, Hope and Tranquillity #1)

CHAPTER 11

Lily's POV

I opened my eyes to look up into a dark-haired boy's face with black eyes. He was handsome. I blinked, knowing I had seen this face many, many times, but this time not realising I was in a dream. I raised my hand and placed it on his cheek. I was lying on the grass with my head in the boy's lap, he was stroking my hair whilst humming a song I knew.

“I love that song Celeb!” I said, closing my eyes again.

SUCH A SHAME ITS BEING SUNG BY THE WRONG PERSON. That voice again… My eyes remained closed.

“I’m glad you enjoy it Sere; I will always sing it for you.” I opened my eyes again and smiled.

“SERE!” A voice shouted from the large stone house I could just see in the distance.

“Coming mum!” I shouted back. “I need to go Celeb!” I stood up and so did Celeb. I saw the usual older silver-haired man standing just behind the boy, Celeb. Once again, my body separated from the young girl, and I walked over to him.

“Hello again.” I smiled at him.

“Hello…” He said, “You know this memory has been tampered with again.”

“I don’t know anything… You seem to know a lot though... What’s your name?” I asked, realising I didn’t know.

“It doesn’t matter, I shouldn’t be here, but I can’t stand to see the memories of your youth tainted.” He scowled at the two children chatting happily in front of us. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

“OK, so why don’t you help me remember them correctly?” I asked, turning to the man and staring him down.

“I can’t…” He looked hurt and avoided my eyes. “You need to remember yourself, so you believe the truth.” I sighed again and walked towards the kids who were now headed towards the house, hand in hand.

“Well, I still don't believe these are memories. They are not real, and I'm screwed up! But if you're not going to help me, well, I guess I’ll just continue to watch until I wake up, bye!” I shouted as I walked, following the children. Why was he dead set against helping me? What could happen if he did? It was a dream! My subconscious was supposed to be on my side, right?

As the kids reached the house, I saw that they locked eyes. I knew then that these small children were going to kiss. They were only about 7 and 10!!! As I turned to look away, I noticed the silver-haired man stood behind me, so I looked hard at him. He stared at the children and then at me. He was chewing his lip, something he didn't look like he did often. He looked cute being so unsure. I studied him closer, his long silver hair glittered like icicles in the sunshine. His silver eyes without a pupil were deep and old. It was the first time I really noticed his clothes and accessories. I looked down and saw he was wearing a pendant that matched my newly cleaned one. I started to reach towards it. I needed a closer look at it. Something was screaming inside me to see it.

“Just this once…” he mumbled, reaching down, put his hands on my cheeks and kissed me softly on the lips before I could grab the necklace. I was so shocked that I dropped my hands and stared into his eyes. Then, he grabbed my chin and turned my head towards the children. They were now kissing but the boy no longer had black hair, he was back to the silver-haired Celeb I saw sometimes. I turned around to the man again and he had disappeared. I felt myself being pulled back to the waking world and closed my eyes.

UNKNOWN POV

Loud angry footsteps could be heard banging down a wooden hallway.

“What did you do?!” An angry woman’s voice shouted, slamming a door open.

“Nothing” A masculine voice answered, uninterested.

“Don’t lie to me, the elements are reacting again. I know you meddled!”

“Estel…”

“Don’t Estel me, Celeb. You knew to leave things be! Now what will happen?”

“Nothing…”

“ARGH!” The angry feminine voice stormed back out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

“I had no choice…”

Lily’s POV

I awoke the next morning feeling, well, great! It was the first time in over a week I had woken up from my sleep without a headache. Despite the dreams which usually made them worse. I couldn’t help but smile. Even knowing the dream wasn't real, the kiss with the silver-haired man felt... right. I noticed that it was 6am and got out of bed to start my day ready for work.

After getting dressed in a knee-length cream, smart dress and a black blazer with black flats. I headed to my usual routine of putting on the news and making breakfast.

“Multiple small tornadoes were reported over the sea late last night. No one was hurt and they stayed out at sea for approximately 15 minutes before completely disappearing.”

My head whipped towards the TV. Tornadoes? My heart started pounding. I was deathly afraid of them, and I had no idea why, but I knew it must have been something I witnessed as a small child, as I had been afraid of strong winds all my life. It was an irrational fear, I knew, but it didn’t stop it from being there. I breathed out a sigh of relief once I knew they were over the sea, but it didn’t stop a shiver running through me. I made breakfast, cereal and milk and headed to the balcony with my bowl and another with dry cereal for my friend, just in case he visited.

UNKNOWN POV

I was watching as she walked onto her balcony with her bowl of cereal and another bowl. My heart stopped as I wondered if she had invited someone to share breakfast with her. It wasn’t until I saw her talking to a small bird had I realised she was entertaining a creature instead of a human. I sighed in relief. I didn’t want to see her with anyone else.

I closed my eyes as I could hear a song in my head that was coming from her. Whenever we were close, I could hear it. I would recognise her anywhere, in a crowded room or even from across a building with walls in them. Even if she drastically changed her appearance or had surgery to change her features, I would recognize her. We were meant for each other.

I relaxed from where I was sitting and started humming the tune out loud, feeling extremely relaxed.

Lily’s POV

My head snapped up as I heard a tune, I was extremely familiar with. Where was it coming from? That tune… Where had I heard it before? Then a realization dawned on me. Last night, right before, I fell asleep and again in my dream. Celeb had been humming it to me in my dream. Was I dreaming while awake now? NO! I could definitely hear it. I leant over my balcony trying to see where it was coming from. I traced the sound to the coffee shop I frequented before work most mornings. I had never realized I could see it from here or vice versa. Why could I hear it so far away? My heart was pounding again, but this time not in fear. It was excitement. If my dreams were right, then this person might know something about my past and my dreams might have an explanation.

“I’m sorry Mr Swallow, I really need to head out.” I ran and grabbed my bag and coat before heading out of the door, not even realising I had left the balcony door open. I ran as fast as I could down the stairs of my building and crossed the street heading to my usual coffee shop. There was no one indoors or outdoors except Mrs Sanderson who was clearing a table off. It looked like it had just been vacated.

“Morning dear!” Mrs Sanderson smiled happily.

“Good morning” I said distractedly, looking around for whoever had been sitting there.

“Are you OK dear?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, I thought I heard someone singing a song I liked.”

“Oh? The young man who was sitting there was humming a beautiful song, he also had an instrument, although I don’t know what type, I think he was a musician of sorts.” She said, smiling whilst heading inside. “The usual dear?”

“Oh, yes please…” I was so disappointed, I wished I could have asked him about the song.

“Are you OK dear, you seem sad?”

“Oh, it’s nothing…” I said, sitting down at my usual table inside. “I just loved the song and wished I could have asked them about it…”

“Well…” Mrs Sanderson stopped talking mid-sentence, her mouth hanging open. I looked at her, she seemed to lose her focus, science hung over us for a few seconds before she blinked a few times, then she smiled again. “Well, you’re in luck dear, because this is the man who was singing the song.” I turned around excitedly and was shocked at who I saw.

“Hey again Mrs S, I think I left my re-usable cup behind…”