Nine Days: Chapter 28

“there were fires burnin’ and my hands learning to paint with passion”—Charing Stars by Alesso, Marshmello, James Bay

It’s officially day seven, which means I only have two more days left…and today. But that doesn’t matter, not right now at least.

Lily is much stronger today. Not one hundred per cent back to her (more or less) joyful self, but she’s doing better.

After my talk with Grey yesterday, I decided to do something really, really stupid. Maybe it’s not that stupid. I don’t think it is.

Okay, maybe it is. Doesn’t mean I regret it though. Now I’m just hoping Lily won’t see it earlier than necessary.

“How are you feeling?” I ask when I walk into my bedroom, carrying a tray with food and a glass of water.

Lily starts to laugh when she sees me, or the tray, or both combined. “That’s sweet, but I’m not hungry.”

I bet she just doesn’t want to let go of her precious frog. She snuggled up to Sergeant Froggo all night, when instead she could have snuggled up to me. Can’t believe that frog is better than me.

“That wasn’t my question, Lilybug.” I set the tray down on the nightstand, taking the glass of water and handing it to her. “Drink,” I order.

She hasn’t been getting much liquid into her system yesterday. She’s been asleep all day and night, mostly. I woke her up a couple of times so she would take at least one sip of water…and eat a piece of bread for that matter. I couldn’t let her eat and drink nothing at all, not all day long. So despite hating to wake her up for that, I’ve done it anyway.

She seemed glad about it. At least she didn’t wake up with a major headache this morning. Though, she was starving.

“How was your day?” she asks, still ignoring my previous question.

“Without you? Lonely,” I answer. “But now that we’re united again, I’m feeling much better.”

“You’re so weird sometimes, Mr. Stinky.” Chuckling, Lily takes the glass, taking a couple of sips before she hands it back to me. “Your hair is wet.”

“It’s still raining,” I let her know. “Just hope it’ll dry before I have to leave for practice. I’d rather not have frozen hair.”

“I don’t think your hair would freeze, but just in case, why don’t you blow-dry it?”

Shrugging, I say, “I don’t even know if I own a hair dryer. And if I do, I’m sure I have no idea how to work it.”

Next thing I know, we’re in my en suite bathroom and Lily is blow-drying my hair. Usually I’d find it weird if someone were to do anything to my hair, but it’s different with Lily. Every single touch of hers is wanted—even if she’s just blow-drying my hair.

But of course I can’t let her dry my hair without messing with her. I mean, I have to sit on a closed toilet so that she can reach the top of my head properly, might as well mess with her a tiny bit.

Tracing my fingers up her smooth legs, I can feel her shiver. She tries to hide her goosebumps by moving around but she’s always near me, right there for me to touch her.

I love that she’s not wearing any pants, thinking the t-shirt she’s wearing should be enough. It’s more than enough for spending her day in my bed, I would prefer her naked with me buried deep inside of her, but I’ll take half-naked, hair-drying Lily as well.

Actually, I’ll take any Liliana Heaven Reyes.

Well, if it’s my Lilybug. I only want—need—this one. The one that’s currently laughing at my hands on her ass while she stands between my legs, drying the front of my hair.

“Lilybug?”

She hums, showing me that she’s paying attention.

I know this is a bad idea and I know how displeased my father will be with me when he sees her, but I just can’t hold myself back. “Come to practice with me.”

It’s not that anyone would really care about Lily being around during practice. My whole team keeps mocking me about her living here already, so might as well give them something else to mock me about. Though, I know they’re all glad to see I have a heart, I guess.

My father, he’s a difficult guy when it comes to hockey—especially when it comes to his team. It was a miracle that he gave me five minutes to go talk to Lily the other day. Having her around, distracting me, won’t be on the good page of his likes and dislikes.

I know he likes Lily, he told me so himself when we left the house the morning of her birthday.

According to my father, bringing the girl you kind of have a thing for to hockey practice will complicate a lot. I don’t see much of a difference to bringing her to a game or bringing her to watch the team practice.

Perhaps he just sees practice as something…private?

Hell, what do I know? I wouldn’t even care if he saw it as such.

I can’t leave Lily alone for much longer. She’s been at the house by herself all day long already. I had a few classes to attend, and neither Aaron nor I allowed her to attend hers today.

Have some mercy on me.

This is a serious situation. I’ve already had to deal with Grey’s disapproving looks when I told him I couldn’t tell Aaron. And then when I told him Lily was all by herself back at the house. Surely I won’t spend another two hours away from her, leaving her all alone.

“Can’t,” she says, “I’ve loads to do.”

“That’s a lie and we both know that.”

Lily shrugs, smiling. “I didn’t attend any of my classes today, I can’t just show up at the arena to watch your team practice when I’m ‘sick’, Colin.”

I suppose she has a point.

But my team won’t rat her out, so she’s fine. And it’s not that any professor really cares anyway. As long as she hands in her assignments and knows her stuff for exams, she’ll be good.

“I’m taking you to a pumpkin patch after practice,” I inform her. “And when we’re back home, we’ll do some chocolate tasting.” It’s not like she asked for information about what we’re doing today, but I figured telling her is better than continuing to pretend that she wouldn’t be spending the next two hours at the arena.

“To how many weird tastings are you going to drag me to?” she asks, chuckling.

“I bought a bunch of different chocolate bars, even ordered some in from different countries. The guys are beyond excited for it.”

Another laugh from her follows. “You invited them?”

“Excuse me?” Aaron’s voice comes from the bathroom door. “He didn’t need to invite the team, it’s an open invitation. Always.”

“Shut up, Ron.”

“Is that true?” Lily goes to unplug the blow-dryer and sets it down onto the counter to let it cool.

We’re in my en suit bathroom, not the one down the hall that’s accessible for everyone, and yet Lily doesn’t question Aaron’s presence.

“Kind of,” I answer. “We have this group chat. The guys always know exactly where the others are. Plans don’t really go lost on each other. They know what we’re doing today, so if they want to tag along, they most likely will.”

Lily looks at me through the mirror, her mouth standing open in either surprise or shock. Maybe both. “That’s like the ultimate stalking.”

“Not really. It’s voluntary, not a rule or anything. If plans are supposed to stay unsaid, they will,” Aaron explains. “The guys always knew when I went off to see Winter.”

“Gross.”

“Not as much. It’s weirder when your boyfriend sends a text saying he’s about to get laid by you and I have to read that text.” And that’s my cue to get up and punch Aaron.

Before I can do that, Lily shoots me a warning look. I’m not sure if it’s because she knows I’m about to murder her brother, or because she is asking me what the hell this is about. I’m not so good with reading minds.

“I have not once texted that.”

And like Lily is waiting for more information, her eyebrows rise as her arms cross in front of her chest. It’s cute whenever she does that. Like she believes she has some more power when her arms are crossed. It’s like an armor.

She doesn’t need that armor. This woman could ask me to rob a bank and I would do it for her.

Most likely my father’s bank account, but same thing.

“Lily it’s not that deep. We’re just having the other’s location at all times. You know, in case someone sends an SOS and doesn’t have time to send their location. And the plans just kind of became a thing we do.”

“And besides, most of the team knows when tagging along is okay and when it’s an absolute dick-move to do,” Aaron adds, crossing his arms in front of his chest just like Lily has it. “Chocolate sounds amazing though, and I bet at least 40% of the team is in.”

I bet so, too.

“I know Grey and Miles are,” I say. “Maybe even Brooke.”

“Obviously,” Aaron responds, chuckling. “It’s free chocolate, and a good show because Lily will make you carve a pumpkin and put it on your head.”

I eye Lily, waiting for her to laugh and tell me Aaron is kidding. But instead she shrugs pitifully.

He is not fucking joking.

But you know what? Fine. I’ll do it. I survived a fairy costume on ice, I will survive turning into a pumpkin. I hope.