Chapter 17

SAMUEL'S POV

I was there in the living room, trying to pass the time while waiting for Lily to arrive. Everything seemed rather dull. I cleaned my room, took out the trash, gave my car a once-over, and even played some guitar to see if it would distract my mind. But nothing seemed to work. My thoughts kept fixating on one thing: Lily.

Meanwhile, my phone was flooded with messages from my friends, asking where I was, if I wanted to rehearse, or go out for drinks. In other times, I would have agreed without hesitation, but now, sitting there in the living room, I could only think of one thing, or rather, one person.

The sound of the front door finally caught my attention. Lily walked in, backpack slung over her shoulders, heading straight for the stairs. I got up from the couch, feeling compelled to confront her about her absence.

“You're late,” I remarked as soon as she crossed the threshold of the living room.

Lily turned to me, visibly puzzled.

“I didn't make any plans with you,” she replied, trying to understand my concern.

I fixed my gaze on hers, keeping my expression serious.

“It's too late for you to be out at this hour,” I stated, trying to convey my worry.

Lily met my stare, looking slightly annoyed.

“As I said before, I went to a friend's house after school,” she explained, her voice defensive.

I grimaced, suspicious.

“Friend, huh,” I commented, making it clear I wasn't entirely convinced.

She looked back at me, clearly bothered by my distrust.

“Believe what you want,” she said, turning to head upstairs. “I'm going to take a shower.”

I nodded briefly, deciding not to prolong the discussion at that moment.

“I hope you haven't eaten at this 'friend's' house,” I commented, a smirk playing on my lips. “Because I ordered pizza.”

Lily turned to face me again, and I could see a faint expression of surprise on her face. “Pizza?” she repeated, genuinely taken aback.

“Yeah, pizza,” I confirmed, shrugging. “Thought it would be a good dinner choice.”

She smiled, looking more relaxed now. “Well, then I guess I won't complain,” she said, turning to continue up the stairs. “Thanks, Samuel.”

I nodded my head, watching her disappear down the hallway. I sighed, feeling somewhat tense about the situation, but decided to let it go for now.

***

I was sitting on the floor in the living room, watching Lily pull the infinite cheese from her slice of pizza with her lips, completely mesmerized. She glanced at me, seeming a bit self-conscious, and commented on the amount of cheese on the pizza.

“This pizza has so much cheese,” she remarked, looking at the slice in her hands.

I shrugged, taking a sip of my soda.

“I ordered it with extra cheese,” I explained.

Lily looked at me, still seeming a bit skeptical about the amount of cheese.

“It's noticeable,” she replied, with a slight smile.

I grabbed a piece of pizza and took a bite, casually asking her about how school had been for her.

“And school? How was it today?” I inquired.

Lily stared at me, her eyes meeting mine.

“Normal,” she answered. “But definitely not normal for you.”

I raised an eyebrow, curious about what she meant by that.

“How so?” I asked.

Lily took a deep breath, gathering courage to continue.

“I saw you at the school gate, surrounded by fans,” she explained.

I shrugged, trying to downplay it.

“The band is kind of popular among teens,” I commented.

She looked at me incredulously at what I had said.

“Kind of popular?” she repeated. “The song 'Somebody' is playing all the time on the school radio and in several other places.”

I took another sip of my soda, realizing she knew more than I thought about the band.

“I forgot you're a big fan,” I admitted.

“Yeah, and many of my schoolmates are too,” she confirmed.

Curious, I asked about the friend she spent the afternoon with.

“And is this friend also a fan of the band?” I inquired.

Lily stared at me with a penetrating gaze.

“Are you jealous?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

I shook my head quickly.

“Of course not,” I denied, trying to sound casual. “Just curious.”

She chuckled, somewhat ironically.

“Yeah, and this friend is a big fan of yours,” she said. “Even more than I am, actually. She even begged me to bring you to her birthday party on Wednesday. Her name is Ashley Cooper.”

I swallowed hard, not expecting that revelation.

“You promised that I would go?” I asked, surprised.

Lily shook her head.

“No, but I said I would talk to you about it,” she replied.

I took a deep breath, immediately deciding my response.

“Well, I'm not going,” I declared firmly.

Lily looked at me, and I could sense a hint of surprise in her gaze. I knew my decision might disappoint her, but I wasn't willing to get involved in a teenage party, especially not one where I would be the center of attention as the host's brother. It was better to keep things simple and avoid any unnecessary drama.

“Okay, I understand,” she said, returning her attention to the pizza. “But Ashley Cooper would be disappointed.”

I nodded, determined.

“I can't go just to please Ashley Cooper,” I replied. “She'll have to understand.”

I was on the floor of the living room, savoring a slice of pizza with Lily when she asked me a question I didn't expect.

“Would you go to Ashley's party for me?” she asked, looking a bit sheepish.

I raised my eyes to meet hers, curious as to why she suddenly wanted me to attend this party.

“Why would I do that?” I asked, somewhat surprised.

Lily gazed at me, her eyes locking with mine.

“Please, just to please me,” she pleaded, seeming a bit embarrassed.

I reflected on her question for a moment, thinking of the times I had already done favors for her.

“I've done something for you in the morning,” I recalled, hoping she understood what I meant.

She blushed slightly, indicating she remembered very well what had happened in the morning.

“I haven't forgotten,” she admitted.

I shrugged, looking at her with an inquisitive glance.

“If we're keeping score, I think I've done more for you than you have for me,” I remarked. “So, technically, I'm at a disadvantage.”

Lily moved closer to me, her eyes meeting mine with a mix of determination and nervousness.

“What do you want in exchange for going with me?” she asked.

I took a moment to consider her question.

“Well, this party seems to be very important to you,” I began, my mind working to understand her motivations. “I'm curious to know why.”

She took a deep breath, gathering courage to tell me the truth.

“Actually, Ashley Cooper is not my friend,” she confessed. “She's the most popular girl in school, and my friend Emily and I have always dreamed of one day being invited to her party. And now, this opportunity to be invited has arisen.”

My curiosity piqued.

“Why were you only invited now?” I asked.

Lily stared at me nervously. “Because now everyone at school knows that we're half-siblings,” she admitted.

This revelation caught me off guard, and I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with the idea of being Lily's date to a school party, in fact, going as her brother.

I nodded slowly, understanding her situation better. “I see,” I murmured, thinking about what she had said. “Well, I guess I could go with you. But with one condition.”

Lily's eyes lit up with curiosity.

“What's the condition?” she asked, eager to hear my proposal.

I smiled, knowing I had the chance to fulfill a fantasy I had been nurturing for some time.

“You'd have to fulfill a fantasy of mine,” I declared, waiting for her reaction.

Lily stared at me with a suspicious expression, clearly trying to figure out what I had in mind. Her direct question broke the tense silence between us.

“What fantasy and where?” she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.

I shrugged, grabbing another piece of pizza before responding.

“All you need to know is that it will be at Ashley Cooper's party,” I replied, keeping my answer vague.

Lily stared at me intently, clearly dissatisfied with my response.

“I'd like to negotiate your presence at the party better,” she stated, her expression determined.

I arched an eyebrow, intrigued by her proposal.

“What do you mean?” I asked, curious to know what she had in mind.

She looked at me seriously.

“You left your proposal very open,” she began, explaining her position. “Your fantasy could be anything, however you wanted. So, if you want me to do what you want, you need to go to the party with all the members of The Wild Ones band.”

I was surprised by her demand.

“Are you serious?” I asked, trying to confirm if I understood correctly.

Lily held my gaze, not backing down.

“Yes, I am. If you show up with all the band members, I'll do whatever you want,” she affirmed, extending her hand towards me as if sealing a deal.

I looked at her outstretched hand for a moment before firmly shaking it.

“Deal,” I declared, knowing I couldn't let this opportunity slip away.

I was there, on the floor of the living room, holding Lily's hand. I felt the texture of her skin under mine, that contact enveloping me in a sense of closeness that I didn't want to end. So, without thinking too much, I pulled her towards me and kissed her, trying to convey everything I was feeling in that moment.

But soon she pulled away, leaving me confused. I gazed at her, trying to understand what had happened.

“What's wrong?” I asked, seeking some explanation for her reaction.

She looked at me, her expression unreadable.

“It's better to save that for Ashley Cooper's party,” she replied, her eyes avoiding mine.

I lightly touched my lips, still feeling the warmth of the kiss we shared.

“I'll look forward to it,” I said, trying to disguise my disappointment.

Lily got up abruptly, as if she wanted to escape the tension that had settled between us.

“Good night,” she said quickly, before heading towards the stairs.

I watched her back as she climbed the steps, a strange sensation settling in my chest.

“Good night,” I replied, even though she was already out of reach of my voice.

I stayed there, on the floor of the living room, lost in my thoughts, imagining what could happen at that party. Curiosity was consuming me, but at the same time, there was something exciting about letting things unfold naturally. I knew I would have to wait until then, but that only heightened my anticipation.