The Choosing Game

Back in time

(17 years ago)

"But what if all the other kids don't like me?" Little Lilliana asked her mother tearfully.

"They wouldn't dare! My little Lady is amazing, they will just have to get to know you" her father interjected.

She smiled at her father, he always made her feel at ease. Her mother handed her her lunch at told her good luck. Lilliana had never had to make friends on her own, all her play dates were set up by her mother. She played with rich noble kids like herself and now her father wanted her to go to public school and mingle with other kids.

She was nervous through out the ride to school but she had Nate and she knew he would never let anyone hurt her. "Will you eat lunch with me?" She asked him, making a sweet face.

He smiled sadly "i'm sorry Lilly, mom said to let you make friends" he told her.

He walked her to her class and left, she meekly walked in and took a seat. The teacher noticed her and stood up "alright kids be seated" she instructed "we have a new student with us today, stand up and introduce yourself" she said with a smile.

Lilliana placed her bag beside her and stood up carefully "Hello." She said inaudibly, looking down at her tiny fingers.

"Speak up please" the teacher said.

She took a deep breath and exhaled. "Hello, my name is Lilliana Marie Jackson but everyone calls me Lilly" she said with a little courage.

"Class, say hello to Lilly" the teacher said.

"Hello Lilly" they chorused, lilly smiled feeling at ease with everything now, she took her seat and the class commenced.

Once it was time for recess she followed the flock of kids out as stayed by a corner watching them. A dark haired girl with big brown eyes walked up to her with a smile "hello, i'm Sofia. Will you like to be my friend?" The little girl asked.

Lilly smiled brightly "yes, i will" she replied.

"Alright! We are best friends now" Sofia said hugging her, they both giggled in delight.

As the pulled apart they noticed a raven haired boy surrounded by other little boys coming come to them, he stopped in from of lilly "you are really pretty" he said.

She smiled "thank you" she replied, with that he turned and left with his little goons trailing behind him.

Sofia giggled "that is Nicholas"

.......................

Years went by, Lilly and Sofia remained best friends through elementary school with Nick as their protector, he never let anyone hurt them. During middle school, Nick's family moved away. It was sad for all of them. He had become one of them by then.

"I will write to you, i promise" he promised Lilly, she was a lot sadder than Sofia was when he left.

Nick kept his promise, for everyday he would send Lilly an email and tell her how his day went. That went on throughout middle school. It became the best part of her day.

Lilly and Sofia were finishing middle school soon enough. Starting hight school was all they dreamed about. The first thing that Lilly wanted to do after her first day was to tell Nick about what the start of their last year there is like, that day was the one of the many unanswered letters she wrote to him. It was hard for her but she eventually forgot about him.

.............................

(8 years ago)

"I cannot believe my little bunny is all grown up and starting high school! How cool is that?" The duke said with a grin on his lips.

"Come on dad! You don't say cool" she mumbled under her breath.

Her mother laughed, passing her father the camera. "Alright! It's picture time" Her father said.

Both Lilly and Nate groaned at the same time, they despised the fact that their parents felt the urge to take pictures of them whenever they start a new grade. Lilly is a freshman while is a junior, they were both excited but they hated this part of the day, they posed for the pictures nonetheless.

"Bye mom, bye daddy" Lilly kissed her parents and head out, Nate mumbled goodbye to them and joined her. Nate drove them to school "hey listen, it don't want you talking to me in school. Okay?" Nate spoke.

Lilly looked a him, shocked "wh..what?"

He burst out laughing "you are such a jerk!" She hit his arm getting out of the car.

He followed her out laughing "oh come, i'm just kidding" he wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they walked together "i want you to tell me if anybody gives you any grief, okay?"

She only nodded. All the girls said hi to Nate and she only rolled her eyes, Sofia spotted them and waved. "Hey Nate!" She sang excitedly.

"Hey Sofs!" He mimicked her tone, even the Lilly knew that Sofia had a crush on her brother, not unlike every girl in that school. Lilly wiggled out of his grip and pulled Sofia away.

"Hey so Gina just told me that there is a new boy in our grade and he is cute!" Sofia exclaimed.

Lilly rolled her eyes at her friend "what about Dean?" She asked, Dean is Sofia's boyfriend.

"What about Dean. I'm talking about you here" She said as they reached her locker.

"Yeah right!" She snorted.

"Lilly! You have to stop obsessing over..."

"Nick!" She cut her off, not quite believing it was real.

"Yes him. Stop it! He is gone and you are better off" she said with a sigh.

Her eyes were fixated in one place "No Sofi. Nick. Nick is here" she said, as if he heard her, his eyes met hers.

Sofia spun around, a loud gasp escaped her lips when she saw him. There he was in all his glory, Nick. He was grown up now, with curly shaggy hair and his same old boyish grin. He walked towards them. He reached Sofia first and hugged her "Oh my God" she whispered.

"Hey Sofstar" he said back at her. When they pulled away from the hug the noticed that Lilly was still frozen in place looking at him.

He walked two paces and stood in front of her " You're really pretty" he said, making her remember the first day they had met. She let out a low sob and engulfed him in a hug.

Nick and lilly were inseparable since that day, they meant everything to each other, he never told her why he stopped replying her and frankly, she didn't care anymore. Nick could kill a person and still be her Nick, she was completely and undoubtedly in love with him as he was with her.

Through out high school, the two became the IT couple of the school. She was the dukes daughter that every girl envied and he was the heartthrob jock that every girl wanted to be with. Their lives revolved around each other, it was like a fairytale.

Sofia never minded being the third wheel and around the two, they did not make her feel like the third wheel. Lilly never gave her any reason to be jealous, even when they won prom king and queen, lilly was cool about it.

They got into the same college, which was a dream come true for them. Everything was perfect.

...........................

(3 years ago)

"Why are you all dressed up?" Lilly asked at the door, she just came in from a class and saw Sofia dressing up fancy.

"I have a date in half an hour" she said with a sly smile.

"With whom? If i may ask" Lilly asked while coming in, she threw her bag on the bed and sat on the edge.

"You may" Sofia sang "his name is Tom. He is a sophomore, in the business department . He will be here soon" she told her.

"Oh.. he sounds interesting. So, where did we meet him and where is he talking us?" Lilly teased.

She giggled, trying to hide her blush. "We met at the bonfire that you bailed on and i do not know where he is taking me."

"Aww i finally get to meet the mystery bonfire guy."

"You do but please be cool" she warned her.

Lilly laughed "when am i ever not?"

Sofia rolled her eyes at her and kept shut. "Well you know the drill" Lilly said in a serious tone.

Sofia nodded and went to her phone. She sent a live location to her friend and locked her phone. It was something that Nate made them do all the time until it became a part of them. They never left the dorm room or anywhere alone without send their location to the other person, for safety reasons.

The knock on the door interrupted them "he's here!" Lilly said wiggling her brows.

Sofia went to the door, then stopped and turned back to Lilly "will you be fine on your own?" She asked.

"Yes mother" Lilly said rolling her eyes. "Nick is coming over anyway." She added.

"Ok. Don't do anything i wouldn't do though" Sofia warned playfully.

"What exactly is it that you would not do?" She mocked.

"You know" she wiggled her brows giggling and Lilly blushed. "How do i look?" Sofia asked.

"Like a total knock out!" She exclaimed.

"You bet" she said turning to the door, she opened the door and introduced her date to Lilly. Lilly saw him ogling at her, which made her uncomfortable, she said hi and bye at the same time. She had an off feeling about him, in her opinion Sofia dated a lot and it wasn't healthy but she didn't dare say a thing because she felt it would be like her rubbing her relationship in Sofia's face.

She changed out of her clothes while waiting for Nick to come, he arrived a little bit after with pizza and chocolate eclairs. "Hey baby" she said as she opened the door.

"Hello pretty lady" he greeted, leaning in to kiss her. The thing about her love with Nick is that it never gets old, he still gave her butterflies after years of being together.

She pulled him into the room and closed the door. "Where is the Sofstar?" He asked after Sofia.

Lilly smiled "she has a date"

"Cool" he said sitting down on her bed. "So... what are we doing tonight?" He asked.

She walked to him, sat down on his laps and pulled the pizza box on hers. "Eat. I'm starving" she said.

He nodded and joined her, they ate while they decided what watch on tv. "So who is Sofy out with?" He asked.

"Some guy.." she said not paying attention "oh, you might know him. He's a sophomore in your department"

"Mmhmm" he hummed as he placed little kisses on her neck, not really interested anymore on the topic.

She smiled "His name is Tom something. God i got this awful vibe from him. I don't know why"

Nick stoped what he was doing, he froze. "Tom? Tom Lance?" He asked.

"I guess. He's tall with red hair and creepy eyes" she said turning to look at his face.

"That guy is really bad news Lils! He has a reputation for ruffing girl's drinks at the end of the date, he was called to the disciplinary committee last semester and since they did not find any evidence he is on probation right now " he informed her making her heart stop.

"Oh my God Sofia!" She leapt up and went to her phone. She looked at her live location then back to him, "we have to go" she said slipping on her shoes.

He drove to the location with so much worry in their hearts, they finally found her at a crowded club's dance floor, being groped by the culprit. She looked pretty much out of it and from that they knew they were almost too late.

Nick jumped right at him and started hitting him hard, Lilly managed the pull Sofia away before the guys got into a full blown fight, security broke up the fight and kicked both of them out. Lilly helped Sofia into the backseat and got into the car.

It was not until they had gotten back to the dorm and safely tucked Sofia in that Lilly noticed how beat up Nick was "hey, are you okay?" She asked.

He bit his lip, trying to hide his pain. He slightly nodded, he took a hard blow to his head but she did not know that, he smiled slightly at her. She hugged him tight "thank you" she mumbled against his chest.

"I love you" he said and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you too, so so much" she said to him making him feel so many things at the same time, he knew one thing for sure at the very moment; that the pain he felt was not just the aftermath of a bar scuffle.