Pink City

Chapter 27

Even Lily was taken aback by how quickly she moved on after her breakup with Daphne.

Aiko invited her back into her life immediately after accepting her clumsy, tearful apology, as though the Daphne incident had only been a minor blip in their otherwise wonderful relationship. She was now helping Lily unpack her apartment room so that she could finally set in, something she had fantasized about since her first date with Aiko.

"What's inside this?" Aiko called out across the room, as she held up a large package, her hair unkempt and sticky with work. It looked good on her somehow, and Lily blushed as she recalled an intimate memory between them.

"Oh, nothing important. Just an old nightstand."

"Should we trash it?"

"Yeah, just set it to the side for now."

Lily was staring out the window when Aiko tapped her on the shoulder.

"I want to address our... unspoken problem." Aiko whispered softly.

"Oh gosh..." Lily sighed. "I know what this is going to be about."

"You do?" Aiko cocked her head slightly.

"Aiko, I know this is difficult for you to understand, but I already apologized for it... I'm not sure what else to do."

"It isn't about that," Aiko stumbled. "You were overjoyed to have Daphne. What happened, and why did you come back to me?"

"Aiko, I really don't want to have this conversation." Lily replied angrily. "Daphne is a manipulative narcissist. She trapped me under her web of fake promises, and I escaped. Everything is okay now."

"I know how Daphne is," Aiko replied, gritting her teeth at the unwelcome memories. But y'know, you need to change too. You can't just... switch from person to person, it's unfair. I get you're confused about your own feelings, but why play with mine?"

"I refuse to change, Aiko, because I have nothing to change. Let me repeat what I just said; everything is okay now."

"What if Daphne is trying to change, right now?" Aiko retorted, "then you don't really have an excuse to stay the same person."

"Tell me what to change, Aiko." Lily snapped, her hazel eyes ablaze with frustration.

"I want you to forgive Daphne, Lily, but without going back to that relationship. I'm not trying to criticize you, but I don't think it's possible for you to do that," she replied.

"It is, Aiko, I promise." Lily pleaded, her anger turned into desperation. "But, how could I forgive her for making my friend overdose? That's the worst thing you can do to a soul like Neptune's."

Aiko opened her mouth, then closed it again. She turned around, and when she faced back towards Lily, she was holding a small envelope with a daffodil sticker printed onto it.

"What is that?"

"I saw it taped on your apartment door when you invited me over. I think Daphne wrote you an apology letter last night."

Lily recoiled. "Oh, God, no. Throw it out."

"If you say so..." Aiko replied, disappointed. As she walked to the trash can, she held the letter to her chest.