The light inside

Chapter 22

The next morning I woke up in Lucas's arms. His lovely scent and strong arms around me makes me wish that we can stay like this forever.

He seems so peaceful when he sleeps, but I have explaining to do when I get back home. No matter how much I want to stay in bed with him, I force myself to get up and get dressed.

"You want breakfast?" he says sleepy but already making jokes early in the morning. His patting on the bed's matrass for me to have breakfast in bed with him.

"I can't, sorry" I say to him continuing to get dressed. He gets out of bed with just the sheet around his waist and kisses my neck from behind.

"Please don't go Lillie" a gasp and a laugh escapes my mouth. I can't stay here, I have to go and look at a place which I'm interested in so I can get my gallery up and running,

"You know I want to, but maybe give me a call later then we'll see...I have to go home and take shower and get dressed into something else before I go see a place...And El will probably have a hundred questions as to why I didn't go home last night.."

After back and forth with Lucas about not staying the morning, I finally get out and prepare to do the walk of shame in my own house. Thankfully I have my own key and as I walk in the house, El is still asleep. I go to my room and take a nice warm shower before heading out again.

After driving around trying to find the right building I finally get there. The building is very old and needs a lot of work, but the space is what I'm looking for. After discussing all the details with Mr. Lowry, I decide to keep contact with him as I'm very interested in this place. He gives me paperwork to look at but people become very suspicious of you when you try to buy a place but you're only 21 years old.

On my drive home, I decide to stop at Kalis for a quick cup of coffee then I will work through the paperwork. After all Kalis makes the best coffee in town. I get seated at my regular spot and after I ordered my coffee, across the room I spot Elliot. Oh no! Not him! Hopefully he does not see me, And just like that, with a charming smile he comes over to my table and takes a seat. "So...Lillie, what's up?" he says very casual "Hi Elliot" I say sipping on my coffee not really making eye contact 

 "So...I don't see you around anymore and a little birdie told me that you are fucking Lucas now" What the??!!...Thanks for that oneNatalie. 

"Don't talk to me like that Elliot! I don't owe you an explanation of what's happening in my life...and quite frankly, if I keep running into you at Kalis, I will just stop coming here from now on" I say upset as I take my purse out and drop $4 dollars on the table just before I want to leave. "I'm sorry, I just...Please sit" he says trying to stop me but I can't deal with with him right now, I don't need his negativity in my life. "Why don't you just go back? You never liked this town anyways Elliot" I spat out now standing upright to leave. "Lillie please...I'm sorry...I'm just really broken up about you and Lucas when I..." "When you what Elliot?" I ask annoyed "..When I came back for you Lillie. Everything I've done was for you because I love you" "Elliot? Why now? When I finally moved on with my life, why are you doing this now?" I say disappointed in him "You were the one who left and I wasn't good enough for you at that time. You left me in pieces when you moved away and to top it all, you moved on without me by pushing me away. I had to pick up all the pieces when you left, it almost destroyed me Elliot!" "I am truly sorry Lillie. I was in a bad place when my father died and I did not want to burden that on you too so the best thing for me was to leave..." he continues I take a seat again to hear what he has to say. "I realized when I came back that I was still madly in love with you after all these years, but knowing now that you are in another man's arms is tearing me apart!" he says frustrated with himself and becoming a little emotional too. "Well isn't that just good riddance then? How can you expect for me to wait on you for the rest of my life? I loved you Elliot, I loved you so much and I really hoped that we could work around some issues, but you were the one who pushed me away, not the other way around." Tears now fill his eyes before I add, "I deserve happiness and so do you, but I don't think you can find it with me anymore. I'm sorry Elliot" I get up and give him an apologetic smile and walk out of the coffee shop. Feeling sad and so sorry for Elliot, but also pissed at the situation, I get in my car and drive home. I should've stayed in bed with Lucas this morning. ... Days have passed on and I'm spending plenty of time in my art room. Making great progress as the days pass on but Lucas tries to come by almost every day when he's not busy working. It is distracting me a little, but I do enjoy his company very much. As I'm busy with a piece of art my phone buzzes for a message to come through, it reads: 

  Please meet met at 7th Lane, corner Neil, you will see a bar opposite the Clothing store. Meet me there at 7 sharp! Very important!

I don't know who this contact is but if it's that important, why don't they just call me? Thinking about the text I still continue painting and wonder who this might be. Possibly Elliot. Perhaps I should just phone? No whatever, I'll just ignore it, I think to myself. Another text follows shortly after saying: 

  If you can come now, please do! 

 So pushy but being very curious about who this person is, 7th Lane is not too far from my house so I get dressed in something comfortable and leave to find out who this might be. Seeing no familiar face outside the bar, I decide to park opposite and walk across into the bar. This does not feel too comfortable but I go inside anyway. "Lillie!" an unfamiliar voice shouts to my direction "Over here" as she waves for my attention. What the?! It's Hailey! 

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