Wronged

? 44 ?

My thumbs hover over the keyboard before I write:

Thanks, Nico.

And after I hit send, I shut off my device. Simultaneously, just as the clicking noise happens as my phone closes, the door begins to open. Like all the other times, I look up with a sliver of hope, hoping Aiden walks through.

Still, he doesn't show.

Instead a little girl with beautiful forest green eyes and a height of approximately forty-six point five inches tall. She's clutching onto a purple blanket — the one I remember seeing in the picture for Billard's Home for Girls. She must've retrieved it when she went to go collect her things. And she's so hesitant on entering my room, just barely peeking passed the door.

I've always wondered what her "disfunction" was. The home she was sent to was strictly for girls who have things like depression and anxiety. Psychological disorders. But she doesn't seem anything out of the ordinary. Just quiet and shy maybe. But she doesn't seem like she obtains a mental disability.

"Hello," I greet as gently as I can. "What are you doing here?"

She doesn't respond and instead looks at the ground nervously, fiddling with the bracelet wrapped around her wrist. The girl seems as if she's having an inner debate with herself before she lets out a breath of determination. Then she steps inside completely and shuts the door behind her, facing me with wide eyes.

Then, very cautiously, she steps closer to me and gulps anxiously. Gradually she makes her way to my bedside. I patiently allow her to warm up to this environment with me.

"Hi," I try to greet again. "You're Lily, right?"

She looks at the sheets and nods four times, twisting them up in her fingers. Her inability to speak reminds me of myself before I got better. Only instead of being nervous all the time I was stoic.

"I like that name," I admit truthfully. She finally looks at me, this time in wonder. "There is a character in a book I read a long time ago named Lily. She was a warrior."

Her brows furrow in confusion. "A princess?" I suppress a smile at the smoothness and softness of her voice. It's exactly what I'd picture silk to sound like if it were wrapped around a person's vocal chords.

Instead I shake my head to continue the conversation, happy to have her at least speaking. "No, not a princess. She lived outside in the streets and around these enormous buildings. And she has these cool sword-like things called daggers. She uses them to protect herself and cuts down anything the government bad guys put up in the streets — like posters and stuff."

Lily's eyes go wide in fascination. I grin as she uses all of her strength to hoist herself up onto the bed, and I move my legs a bit so she can do so. She wraps herself in her blanket and looks at me in anticipation.

"Her name was Lily because when her mother gave birth to her, it was in a forest. Fairies came when she was born, bringing flowers to be dropped onto the prophecy's head. Can you guess what flowers they dropped?" I ask, almost in a whisper.

The little girl before me tilts her head to the side, a look of concentration pressed onto her features. "Lilies?"

I nod. "Yep. Lilies. And do you know what a prophecy is?"