23

When I am outside, I realise that I am barefeet, my feet immediately wincing at the snow on the ground as I hug myself and stare down the streets to my house.

The snow is back again, of course but not so much, and I can see Pops...

He's coming out of his sedan, looking so.. old... Older than I remember before I feel some sort of happiness bursting into me as I begin to run to him.

He was still kicking his car, before he paused then turned sideways and a smile coming into his face.

I jump into his arms immediately as he holds me tight and kisses my forehead while I take in his smell, and feel tears come into my eyes as I sob and hold him tighter.

He lets me hug me a while and when he realizes I've calmed down a bit, he pulls away and holds my cheeks as he says "Princess?"

I sputtee a bit, and then use the back of my palms and clean my eyes as I stare at his face.

His eyes have dark circles and he doesn't look okay... He reminds me of me...

"Are you okay?" He asks "Was... Was the trip bad?"

A part of me wanted telling him the truth, that Kim was a psychopath amd had chained me on his bed but the other part of me knew that Kim was right...

Pops... Pops was already worrying about so many things...

I couldn't add myself in it.

I shake my head and force a smile on my face "I just.. I just I'm so happy to see you"

He breathes out a sigh of relief "I was so worried. You know when To Jung had suggested taking you on a trip to clear your head and wouldn't let me talk to you, I nearly lost it but he had said it was for the best... Though I was so worried... But you actually look better than I remember"

I say nothing, just stare at him too he says "It's cold, come on, I am a bit free for now, let's go in and have some hot cocoa with marshmallows hmmm?"

I nod as his warm hands hold my cold one in it's grasp and we begin to walk to the house but before we enter, I look up at Kim's windows...

And of course, he is there, staring at me with an unreadable look in his eyes.

I feel a shudder run down my body as I enter the house after Pops and shut the door.

When we enter, Pops immediately sets his coat on the rack and enter the kitchen "But it's been so horribly quiet. Never knew I'd rather you whining and crying to silence"

I roll my eyes, a small smile still on my lips as my eyes goes to a picture of me and Mum on the shelf close to the coffee table and I walk to it, carrying it in my hands as I stare at the small smile on my face before I feel a small lump grow into my throat.

I can see someone in the background..

A boy... With white hair...

And green eyes....

I gasp, the frame immediately falling from my hands to the floor and breaking on impact to hundreds of glass pieces as I see Pops comes into the sitting room, setting the mugs on the coffee table and running to me, wrapping me in a hug "Breathe Princess. Try, come on, you can do it"

It takes time... But I am still hyperventilating as he begins to whisper sweet nothings into my ear before I feel myself calm down and he says "Jesus Christ, what happened?"

"Picture...." I say, my voice obviously cracking as I point to the broken frame "Kim..."

"What?" His eyes following my finger until he bends down and picks the picture and stands up with it "Oh"

He lets out a light chuckle as I say "There's nothing funny"

"I told you didn't I?" He says "You both have been friends since childhood"

"What?" I say.

" He would follow you everywhere, but was mostly hiding half the time, staring, but when you looked his way, he would look away or act like he didn't care" He says with a smile "Your Mother thought it was adorable"

"What's adorable about a little boy stalking me?!" I hear myself snap.

He shrugs " You both were what. Four or three? He was harmless, IS harmless. It always looked like he was watching out for you, nothing else, and he still is"

You were mine from the beginning...

He sighs and leads me back to the couch and hands me the mug "If the picture upsets you, I would keep it away, hmmm?"

I nod as I put the mug to my lips and take a sip before he says "So here's your phone and letter"

He puts them both on the table and lays back "That stupid boy has been making me miserable at the office begging me to hand it over to you"

Not understanding, I carry my phone and check, seeing millions of messages from Ty, and the girls, wondering where was I, surprisingly, and then I reach for the letter, seeing Tyler's cursive handwriting and slowly opening it, seeing only one word.

Hi.

A small laugh bubbles up to my throat but Pops obviously doesn't think it's funny cause he snorts "I would naturally ignore his pranks but Kid sent like a hundred a day till it filled my stupid office and I had to..."

I place a kiss on his cheeks and say "Thank you"

A small red mark begins to spread on his cheeks as he smiles and says "Anything for you Princess"

I stand, with the letter and phone "Help me keep my tea warm, don't touch my marshmallows, I wanna shower"

He nods "Noted"

"I'm serious. I know it's four in that mug Pops"

"Fine fine" He says raising his hands "I'd only take one"

I roll my eyes and begin to run back up the stairs then enter my room, licking the door and sitting on my bed, opening the letter and rereading the word, smiling stupidly before I take my phone out and send a message to Tyler.

Me: Hi ☺️

Ty: Oh finally, he gave it to you!

Me: I... I haven't been around for a while. You wanted talking?

Ty: Yeah, shit, I'm still sorry as fuck, and I know, I know you probably still mad so I wanna make up. Date? Tonight? Please....

Ty: Lily?

Me: Sure! What time?

Ty: Yes! Six? So I can get you home before twelve.

Me: It's a date ☺️ ☺️

I don't wait to see a reply as I throw my phone on the bed and smile.

I was going to get my boyfriend back, no matter what happened.

Standing up and walking to the bathroom, I pause at my mirror, realising I was wearing a white plaid shirt with ash joggers...

And the smell...

Roses...

Before I can register the fact I was wearing Kim's cloths, my phone begins to buzz and I see the name, Unknown, and pick it, hearing his feathery voice literally breathe to me "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"How can I return it?" I say.

"Keep it, it's yours now"

"I don't want it"

"Would you ever smile or run to me the way you did to your Father today?"

"That's not what we...."

"I deserve it, you know. I've saved you quite a while. You should be grateful, possibly be with me and show your gratutude"

"I didn't ask you to do that"

I hear him sigh and say "Your punishments pile, love. But it hurts, you know... Every day I see your face and know... Know that you're not mine because of my inability to take matters into my own hand, and let God do it"

"Kim...."

"It won't happen again, you know. I failed to kill Samael before, I won't fail to kill anyone else"

I am unable to say another word as he says "You can keep it, butterfly"

And then he hangs up.