c h a p t e r • 14

-you've been a bad, bad girl, Shortcake-

Lili's PoV

That night I couldn't sleep.

All the scenarios that could happen not only to me but the people I love played in my head over and over again like a horror movie playing in repeat.

I climb out to the roof with my blanket wrapped around my shoulders.

I lay down there and stared at the dark sky filled with stars.

What should I do?

Why didn't he come after me before this?

Who is that gang leader?

I just need someone to let me borrow them for a night.

A night filled with tears.

Just like how Caleb had always let me borrow his shoulder to let me cry on it.

I have been getting weaker.

I'm crying too much.

A traitorous tear escapes my eye and I don't bother wiping it.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

It's going to be fine, heartsy.

I'm always gonna be by your side.

Don't worry about it. Just think of me.

Those three sentences. It's something he would say at times like this.

I want someone to say that to me.

Take his place for one night.

I know it sounds mean but, I need him. I need someone like him.

I got up and climbed back into my room, leaving my blanket on the bed and putting on a black hoodie then I took my phone from the nightstand.

I crept down the hallway and the stairs quietly and left through the back door.

I snuck through the huge gates using a secret way.

I walked and walked for a few minutes until I finally stumble upon a lot of trees.

I walk through the trees, retracing my steps from 2 years ago, hoping nothing changed.

Finally, I see the cliff but that wasn't the only thing I saw there.

Mr. Giraffe was there. Smoking and drinking.

How dare he smoke at my sacred place?!

Maybe it's his sacred place too.

But only I knew about this place.

He could've-

"Who's there?" He says and I immediately hid behind a tree. "I know you're there. Show yourself. Don't be a coward." He pauses. "Must be an animal."

I sigh in relief quietly.

But everything happened to fast.

In a flash, his hand was covering my mouth and his other arm was holding my waist.

I froze.

"You've been a bad, bad girl, Shorcake." I could practically feel him smirk.

"That's 'cause the good girl in me was killed brutally." I retort.

-•-

We sat on the edge of the cliff quietly. He was still smoking and drinking.

"Stop." I say.

"Stop what?" He asks.

"Stop smoking and drinking." I sy crossing my arms.

"It's my distraction. I need it." He slurs a little.

You said the same thing last time.

"Then, find a new distraction. A healthier one. One that won't kill you." I mumble the last part.

"What distraction?" He asks.

"Anything. As long as it's healthy." I shrug.

"Then, be my distraction." He slurs staring into my eyes.

My breath hitches in my throat.

"That's not what I was-" He cut me off.

"Please." He sounded so vulnerable. What was hurting him?

"Fine." I say.

"Thanks." He says and before I could protest he laid his head on my lap.

Might I remind you we were on the edge of a cliff.

"Are you crazy? Do you want to die? What if you fall?" I say looking at him like he's a madman.

"I trust you." That's all he said before closing his eyes.

You've gotta be kidding me.

I play with his soft hair and stare at his face.

He looks so peaceful without that frown. His eyelashes can make a girl jealous. His full lips look so kissable I could just-

"I like it when you stare at my face. It's cute." He says smiling.

I blush red. I thought he was asleep! And awww, I love his smile.

"You should smile more. It looks good on you." I say.

"So should you." He says and I smile.

His eyes flutter open and meet mine.

"What happened?" He asks.

"What are you talking about?" I say innocently.

"I know something's on your mind. What is it? You can tell me." He says.

Should I?

"I don't think I should." I say looking away.

He lifts his head from my lap and puts both his hands on my cheeks, squishing my face.

I look at him with a frown.

"Tell meee." He squishes my face around and I look at him with an angry pout and well, my disgustingly squished face.

"How am I shupoze do dell yew if yew awr squishing my fashe?" (How am I suppose to tell you if you are squishing my face?)

"But you look adorable." He says.

"Sure." I am cute but not when my face is being squished by a hot guy.

"But it's true." He pouts.

He's definitely drunk.

I smile.

He looks so adorable.

"We should head back. There's school tomorrow." I say.

"But, I don't want to go to school. I want to stay here with you." He pouts and lays his head on my lap again.

I brush his hair softly.

"I'll stay with you. But we can't stay here forever." I say, playing along.

"Please. For me?" He pleads.

I guess we could leave early tomorrow.

"Okay, Giraffe." I say.

He grins. "I like it when you call me that."

Aww.

"But, let's lay down there." I point to the area where there's grass and where we won't fall of a cliff.

"Fine." He says.

He gets up and walks there with me behind him.

He stands there and waits for me to sit.

I roll my eyes but I lay on the grass which I hope isn't filled with insects.

It was a bit damp because it was raining earlier but it's okay I guess.

He lays on my stomach and I let him while playing with his soft hair.

I tried not to, but my mind still wandered off to the phone call earlier.

"Please, tell me what's going on in your mind." He pleads.

He would be too drunk to remember anything in the morning anyways right?

"I had a boyfriend, 5 months ago." He tenses up. "He died. People think he committed suicide, but he was killed. Killed by a gang. He got in trouble with them and the only way he could get out of it was if he handed me to them." I sucked in a deep breath. "Their gangleader wants me. They tried kidnapping me before, but they should've known better than to kidnap a girl who was crying in front of her boyfriend's dead body." I say looking up at the stars.

I needed to let that out and tell someone.

"What. Gang. Is. It. Called?" He says through gritted teeth.

"I think it was...Crushed Skulls?" I say.

"What?!" The weight on my stomach was lifted and I got up only to be met with a pair of brown stormy eyes.

-•-

A/n: not much to say except you guys are amazing and I love you guys sm! Okay bye.