The book was held level with her deep blue eyes, but the fine print from the latest from Chuck Palahniuk wasn’t what she was focusing on. Across the café sat one of the most gorgeous men Lily Harris had ever seen. Sitting in plain dark blue jeans and a white t-shirt he was looking in horror and a stack of papers stapled together. She watched him flip through the pages and get more disgusted with each page. He took a sip of his drink, set down the papers, and pulled out a cell phone.
“Fiona, love.” He said. Lily strained to hear his thick British accent over the noise of the coffee machines in the café.
“Yes doll I’ve got it right here…no…that’s what I said, no…well Fiona did you actually read it?…I think it’s parp…no Fiona honestly it’s complete rubbish…you know me better than this…no, this is worse than that stupid slasher movie that you sent me…no in fact Ned Kelly was a lot different, Fiona, and you know that…because the script was great, the subject was great, the cast was great, the director was great…I’m well of where it’s being filmed…going there was a bonus…”
A man stepped in front of Lily’s view, and she waited a second, hoping he was out of her way. She slammed her book down and scooted her chair over, then picked up the book and repositioned herself to keep staring at the man.
“I know Fiona, I know,” he continued. “Two o’clock tomorrow I won’t forget…that was a fluke…she was one of a kind I promise you that…I don’t remember, Melanie, Melody, something like that, and that was practically a year and a half ago why are you bringing that up…oh I know see what’s happening to me?…Well it’s your fault…I hate the damned thing, it’s always ringing and making noise…No that is one thing you will never convince me to use my dear…oh but Fiona that would mean I’m giving in, and I never give in and you know that…haha you too love…ciao.”
He hung up the phone and leaned back in he chair, he looked satisfied with himself. His dark eyes scanned the café before locking his with Lily’s.
She felt her cheeks turn red and looked down to her book. She looked at the words but couldn’t make them out. There was a problem.
The book was upside-down.
Embarrassed, she laid the book down calmly and took a sip of her drink, adjusting her posture in the chair. She sat back and picked up the book, glancing at the man who was still looking at her. His curly black hair was a mess, and his olive skin glowed under the lights.
He must’ve just gotten a tan, Lily thought to herself. She was known for random thoughts such as these. She looked back at the book and continued reading, none of it made sense; she was three chapters further along than she should’ve been. Out of the corner of her eye she could see him smile.
He stood up, and with his arms open he took a step in her direction. She turned her head fully, a questioning look spread across her face. Then she saw.
A girl was walking towards him. Long, wavy brown hair hung to her middle back, styled perfectly. Not a hair was where it shouldn’t be. She had on a sleek black dress that hung down to her knees and pointy, strapped black high-heels. She held out her arms to the boy and kissed both of his cheeks, she held onto his arms and they both smiled, they seemed quite happy to see each other.
“I missed you,” Lily heard him say. Damn, she said to herself.
They both sat down and began talking. Lily focused back on her book, deciding she didn’t care anymore, and turned to the page she had finished on. But something caught her attention. He was pointing at her. Across the café that man, that gorgeous man, was pointing at her.
Don’t look, Lily don’t you dare look at him, she told herself, don’t look, don’t look, don’t look. She couldn’t help it. From the corner of her eye she saw the brunette turn around. Lily strained her ears.
“She looks familiar,” he said.
“Where, which girl?”
“The one right there, in the jean jacket and jeans, the brown hair in the bun…you do your hair like that.”
“Her?” Lily heard the girl say, she had an American accent unlike his British one. “Lil?”
Lily’s head snapped when she heard her name. Not everyone called her Lil. A smile spread across her face, she set the book down and strained her eyes.
“Elle.” She whispered to herself.
The girl in the killer heels stood up.
“Lil?” She called, loud enough for Lily to fully hear her.
She smiled and stood up.
“Elle.” She said, it wasn’t a question, it was a statement.
They both ran across the café and met each other with a hug.
“Oh God Lil what are you doing in LA?” Elle said. They pulled out of the embrace and both of them had tears in their eyes.
“I moved here, Elle. I just had to get away,” Lily said. “From there.”
Elle nodded.
“I can’t believe it, no wonder I’ve been getting your letters sent back to me, and how long have you been here?”
“Only a month.” Lily said. “I came out here about middle of July.”
“Oh wow, Lil I’m so happy for you.”
“Lily,” she corrected. “Elle please call me Lily.”
Elle looked at her longingly, sadness filled her eyes with the tears, and she slowly nodded.
“So,” Lily said. “Who’s the guy?” Motioning to the man she had been staring at, who was now sitting and laughing at the script in front of him.
“Oh wow how rude of me,” Elle said throwing her hands up in the air. She reached down and grabbed Lily by the hand, pulling her over to their table. “Orlando baby, get up.”
He looked up and stood. He was about the same height as Lily.
“Lily, this is Orlando, Orli baby this is Lily.” She said.
Orlando stuck his hand out to shake Lily’s.
“Call me Orli, please. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.”
Lily couldn’t help but notice how her hand fit perfectly in Orli’s.
“So,” Orlando said, sitting down in his chair. “How do you two know each other?”
“Actually Orli, Lily is my little sister.” Elle said with a brilliant smile, sitting down the same time as Lily.
“Oh wow,” Orli said, looking to Lily. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh shut up!” Elle said hitting him with her small purse.
“And how do you two know each other?” Asked Lily.
Elle smiled and reached over to hold Orli’s hand.
“He’s my boyfriend.”
Lily smiled, well damn, she said to herself.
________________________________________
After talking for a good three hours in the café Lily came to a conclusion, Elle was completely in love with Orlando Bloom. When Lily figured out exactly who Orli was she did her best to suppress her excitement. Elle had moved to California three years ago to become a model, and became a well known on in the California area at that. So after three hours, five coffees and Lily and Elle reminiscing over their childhood, Orli finally broke into the conversation.
“Elle, I’d better get going.” He said up in his chair and kissed her cheek. “I’ve got a meeting with Fiona tomorrow around two and Atti’s coming in around eight. Lij is going with me to pick him up.”
“Ok babe.” Elle smiled, flashing her perfect white teeth.
“Lily you should come and meet the guys soon.” Orli said.
“I’ll just have to do that.” She said, taken aback by his invitation.
What guys is he talking about, she wondered.
“It was lovely meeting you.” He finished, standing up from the table.
“Likewise.” Lily smiled.
“Bye girls.” He said, kissing Elle again on the top of the head and leaving the café, with the script in hand.
Elle watched him walk out of the café and into the bright streets of LA, the smallest smile on her full lips. Lily watched her in amazement. Elle turned to Lily and laughed a little.
“I’m head over fucking heels in love with him.” She laughed. “It’s ridiculous.”
“This coming from the woman who when she was fifteen said she would never get married or fall in love.” Lily joked.
Elle looked down to her hands in her lap, and then gazed up to Lily.
“Things were different then Lil…Lily. Sorry, Lily. I didn’t know what love was then.”
“I loved you.” Lily said.
“I know that, and I loved you but that’s different. Have you met a guy that makes you change your perceptions on guys? That makes you forget why you were so scared to get close in the first place?” Said Elle.
Lily looked up to her with pain in her eyes, shaking her head ‘no.’
“Orlando did that for me.” Elle smiled, tears filling her eyes.
After a moment of silence Lily broke it, standing up.
“Well I’d better be going, I’ve got to get back to the apartment.”
“Ok.” Elle said, standing up from her chair. “You should come over sometime, you’d be impressed with how your big sister has moved up in the world.”
“I’ll definitely do that.”
Elle held out her arms for a hug.
“I love you Lily.”
“Love you too.” Lily said hugging her.
Lily picked up her bag, and her book, and left to go into the sunny streets of Los Angeles. I can’t believe that just happened, she said to herself. It had been a long time since she had seen Elle, but she loved seeing her again because any problems or worries they had about home life was out the window when they first saw each other.
________________________________________
Lily jiggled with the lock before it finally gave in, with two bags in hand she set them in the walkway to her apartment. She went into the kitchen and fixed herself a drink, then went into the living room; sitting on her couch she saw she had two messages. She ignored them and finished her drink.
Lily fell into a deep sleep that night.
She sat down next to her sister, both started coloring with the broken crayons on the ripped paper. Neither of them saying anything. What was the point? They knew what the other was going to say, no point in making Him mad. They both jumped as they heard a bedroom door slam upstairs.
Lil looked over to Elle, who then jumped up and turned off the TV, running to sit down and resume coloring. They heard the heavy footsteps walking slowly down the weak steps then towards the kitchen. They could hear the refrigerator door opening, then slamming shut.
“God damn wench! I told you to buy me beer!” He hollered to the woman upstairs.
The two girls, only six and nine years old, could hear him then walking towards the living room. Lil looked at Elle helplessly.
“Just be quiet.” Elle said, barely above a whisper. “I’ll take care of you.”
Lil nodded.
He stepped into their view, both girls coloring innocently. He scoffed and made his way towards the couch.
“Get outta my God damn way.” He kicked Elle aside; she flinched from the pain as he kicked her abdomen. He sat down with a thump and grabbed the remote. Nothing. “Where are the batteries, too, Jan?” He yelled at the ceiling. “Lil, turn on the TV.”
Lil sat silent. She looked up to him, doing or saying nothing for a second too long.
He sat up from the couch and stood over her, raising his hand and bringing it to her innocent face. A sting ran through his fingers onto the small child’s cheek, she rubbed it to ease it from the pain, crying out with pain.
“You do what you’re told Lil.” He shouted at her, going back to the couch. “I said turn on the TV.
Lil went to the TV on her hands and knees and turned it on, obeying him when he told her to change the channel.
“Go to bed.” He told the two.
“Mommy said we could stay up until seven today.” Elle said innocently.
He shot her a fierce look. Eyes narrowing, breathing heavily out of his nostrils.
“Lil get upstairs, go to bed.” He ordered.
Lil looked to Elle, both knew what was coming. Elle shot Lil a look, meaning for her to follow his orders. Lil’s eyes filled with tears but she agreed. She ran up to the stairs, sitting on the first one where she wouldn’t be seen…waiting for Elle.
“What did you say to me?” He said to Elle.
“I said that Mommy said we could stay up until seven.” Elle said quietly.
“Did I ask what your whore of a mother said?” He yelled. “Huh?”
“No.” Elle sobbed, she was crying.
“Look at me.” He ordered. “I said look at me?”
“No!” Elle yelled.
Lil could hear the phone being ripped form the wall and thrown across the room.
“No!” Elle screamed.
“ELLE!” Lily shouted, sitting up on the couch, breathing heavily. She could feel the warn tears running down her cheeks.
She hadn’t had that dream, or thought of that dream, in a long time. Breathing heavily, as though she had just run a marathon, she padded through her dark apartment to the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water and sitting on the counter. She flicked on the overhead light and blinked the fogginess from her head. Her breathing had calmed, and after looking at the clock, four o’clock in the morning was just a little too early for her to fully wake up, so she went into her bed and fell asleep. A dreamless sleep.
Chapter Two
Fanfic Main Page
Dreaming of You
