ch 9
634 Words
Alina stood by the window, watching the driveway as the car was prepared.
“Mom?”
Alina turned around. Lily stood behind her, dressed for school, her bag slung over her shoulder. But the hesitant look on her face caught Alina's attention.
“Can Serena take me to school today?” she asked. Alina walked toward her slowly, each step deliberate. Lily looked down slightly. “I’ll take you today.”
Lily looked up, surprised. “But...”
“No,” Alina said calmly “But today, I will.” There was no room for argument and that made it final. The drive to school was quiet. Lily sat beside her, fidgeting slightly, glancing at her before looking away, over and over again.
“You’re upset,” Lily finally said. Alina kept her eyes on the road. “No. I'm thinking”
“About what?”
Alina didn’t answer immediately. Then she said, “About what’s best for you.”
Lily frowned slightly. “That sounds scary.”
Alina almost smiled. The car stopped outside the school, where students bustled around them. Alina turned to her. “After school, the driver will pick you up.”
Lily blinked confused. “Why not you?”
“Because I’ll be busy.”
“Then Serena...”
“No.” Alina interrupted, her voice soft Lily went still.
“But I want..”
“I know,” Alina said. “Just for today,” she added.
Lily hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Okay.” She got out of the car, closed the door and walked away. Alina watched her go, her grip tightening on the steering wheel.
That afternoon, Lily waited outside the school gates watching every car, every face to see if it's Serena or her mom. But only the driver.
“Miss Voss?” the man called. Lily hesitated, then walked toward him slowly.
Back at the mansion, Serena stood in the hallway waiting for Lily, checking the time again and again. “She should be back by now,” she murmured.
Damian sat nearby. “She will be.”
The front door opened but it wasn’t Lily, it was Alina. Serena straightened. “Where’s Lily?”
Alina removed her gloves calmly. “She’s on her way.”
“With who?”
“The driver.”
“You didn’t tell me,” Serena said. "I would have picked her up."
Alina looked at her. “Not anymore.”
“You can’t just decide that,” Serena said turning to Damian. "Say something." She said to him.
Alina stepped closer.b“You’re right it but I already did.”
Serena’s breath caught slightly. “You’re hurting her,” Serena said, her voice shaking slightly now.
Alina leaned in just enough. “I’m protecting her from snakes like you.”
The front door opened, this time it was Lily. She stepped in slowly looking between them. “Why didn’t you come to pick me up?” she asked, her voice small and hurt.
Alina turned to her. “I told you someone else would.”
“But I thought..”
“I know what you thought.”
Lily’s eyes glistened a bit. “You always come.”
Alina knelt in front of her, bringing herself to her level.
“I won’t always be the only one in your life,” she said gently.
Lily shook her head. “I don’t want that.”
For a second, Alina almost broke. She placed a hand on Lily’s cheek. “You don’t get to choose that yet.”
Lily pulled back slightly, hurt and confused. And behind them Serena watched them finally understanding this was strategy and it was working, because now Lily wasn’t just leaning toward Serena. She was being pulled from both sides and that would shatter her.
- Writer
