The light inside

Chapter 9

Ella takes my hand that leads to her car and softly shoves me into the car, saying

"You get in darling, I'll be right back"

I obey her demand and get in and close the door behind me. Staring out the window I can hear their voices, but unable to hear what they are talking about. Ella walked to the direction of this woman, who is still a distance away from our car. I see the woman's hands waving towards me and if I'm not mistaken she's becoming aggressive with Ella. Unsure of what's happening I decide to get out of the car to hear what their on about.

"She's my daughter for Christ sake! I have the right to know her!" the woman shouts.

"You have no right whatsoever Hailey! You tossed your rights out the window the day you threw your own blood away!" El shouts back to her

"What's going on here?" I ask as I move closer to the conversation.

"Lillie.. Please get back in the car!" El pleads with me

"Lillie..." the tall attractive woman says. Up close she is even more beautiful than from afar.

I can't just get back in the car after everything I've just heard. That's my mother and yes she has no right over me, but I still want to hear what she has to say for herself. After all these years she pops up out of nowhere and El just expects me to get back in the car? I'm not a child anymore and I refuse to be treated like such!

With the commotion going on, this attracted some attention and Elliot storms out with Lucas following shortly after. Elliot looks furious once he sees El and Hailey fighting with each other. Lucas takes me one side and tries to calm me away from the chaos.

"I'm not going anywhere Ella! Just know that!" Hayley shouts before Elliot takes her inside Lucas's house.

"I'll arrange with Elliot to take her home or take here wherever she needs to be" Lucas says to me.

By this time my emotions are too overwhelmed and I'm already sobbing as the words leave Lucas's mouth. I don't know how this happened.. This night turned out to be a complete disaster!

"I should've never agreed to come to this party.." I say to Lucas

"Please don't say that.. I mean, I'm glad that you came and even happier that I've met you in person" I try to get a smile out but only half of it comes out.

"Can I take you home?" he asks politely.

"That's fine, it's just down the road so I'll take a stroll down . I could use some fresh air." Perhaps the short walk would do me good to be alone for a while before I get home to the drama that waits.

"I'll walk with you then" he says and his body language already suggests that he's not taking no for an answer.

I start walking a different direction from his house, the opposite direction of where El and Hailey were arguing. I've driven the back roads before and they take longer than supposed to, but tonight I feel that this is just what I need. My feet are killing me in these heals so I decide to take them off while I walk bear feet.

Lucas interrupts my thoughts as we walk in silence and blurts Is Hailey your mother or your aunt.. if I may ask?" Suddenly I feel the urge to tell Lucas to go home and just leave me alone, but there's something caring and genuine about his tone even though all I want to do is forget about this nightmare. I'm not even sure about the facts either, I know my mother gave me away and if this Hailey woman is my mother, why is she only making contact 15 years later? The original thought of not caring about the details of my past has in a split second flipped upside down.

"I'm not sure... they were shouting and fighting... and... everything just confuses me... I'm not sure what to think to be honest" I respond.

I don't like to talk about my feelings so much, I've learned to keep things to myself. El has taught me to own my scars, no matter the situation or whatever you're past was like, you can still strive in your future. This helped me so much when Elliot left, he shattered a part of me. When he left, this was what kept me strong, kept me going.. Hope for a better future because I deserve it.

"I'm sorry- I don't want to sound so curios with all the questions.." Lucas says sweetly and suddenly this snaps me out of my thoughts once again. I realize Lucas has been talking to me this entire time but I did not hear a single word he said.

"... you did not really hear what I just said, did you?" he asks as he can see on my face that I did not pay attention to him.

"I'm sorry, that was completely unintentional, it's just..." I start but Lucas interrupts me

"It's completely understandable.. You don't have to explain.."

We continued walking until I finally reach my house. I note that Ella's car is not parked, perhaps she also needed to be alone for a bit.

"This is it" I say to Lucas when we reached my front porch. He was sweet enough to walk me home but I strongly have the urge to just bury my face in my pillow right now.

"Do you have your phone on you?" he asks

"Yeah.." I say with a frown as I reach inside my purse and take it out. He takes my phone from me and puts a number in the contact list.

"I've saved my number on your phone, please call me if you need anything.. I'm just a couple of houses away" he sweetly smiles at me as he hands my phone back to me. I gave him an appreciative smile then he turned around and walked back home.

I walked to my front door and uncontrollably I turn around again to look at him. He just continued walking home and the sweet gesture from a complete stranger was exactly what I needed now. This puts a smile on my face as I enter the front door of the house.

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