~Flashback~

I felt a gelid hand slowly slithering on my leg, under my dress, reaching to my thighs. An immense tremble ran down my body and I cowered behind. My back was pressed against the concrete wall as tightly as humanly possible. My wrists scraping against the tightening ropes around it as I wiggled them vigorously. My tears were being absorbed by the blindfold on my eyes and I couldn't have perceived anything but caliginous darkness.

That hand gave my thigh an impervious squeeze and I tried to jerk away from the pain. Fear wasn't something unprecedented to me. Like breathing, it was a very ordinary feeling for me. Though I never cried out for help, even in my most angst time, I endured it in sheer silence. Today the irony was that I was struggling to plead out for help but they were muffled against just a mere piece of cloths.

The hand wasn't satisfied yet and kept going higher. I wiggled as much as I could to free myself. I couldn't tolerate this feeling. I felt more and more revolted. Abruptly my blindfold was discarded and I blinked a few times to adjust to the light.

As I glanced up, I was met with two exceedingly familiar pairs of eyes. The only difference was that now they gleamed with an atrocious glint. For a moment I forgot to breathe. I have been in agony and suffering before but I didn't think anything could compete with the pain I was in currently. As they got closer to me, I foolishly tried to back away, even though I knew it was all going in vain. The terror in my eyes seemed arousing to them as they smirked callously at me.

"Welcome to your new home, my Lil lily." He whispered virulently, his smirk wider than ever while the other gazed at my body with salacity. The nickname that used to comfort me once, I knew for sure that from now onwards, it was going to haunt me for the rest of my life.

~End of the flashback ~

I woke up with a gasp and glanced around with wide eyes. I was struggling to keep my breathing steady. I got up in an instant and ran up to my luggage then frantically searched for my inhaler while sitting on the floor. Once I found it, I quickly uncapped it and started taking a few pumps. I kept the inhaler aside and let out a sigh of solace.

I torpidly swiped my fingers across my cheeks to wipe my tears but was baffled to find them dry. My lips twitched in a sardonic smile. It had been 10 years since that treacherous event, still, my mind had managed to keep them as vivid as possible. But I had already used up so many tears of mine in the past that now my eyes reflected nothing but hollowness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I scrolled through my Instagram feed mindlessly to rescue myself from this torturous boredom. Currently, I was sitting in some fancy boutique to choose gowns and tuxes for the ball which was happening the day after tomorrow. Apparently, Lauren's father wanted to have a ball instead of rehearsal dinner, rich people, and their weird fetishes.

I obviously didn't want to come here but then Lauren requested and Orson had that smug face, the rest was history. Her all friends came except for Jerome and their parents because she wanted to keep her dress a surprise for them, if someone had given me such a stupid surprise, I would have cut their dress into million pieces before putting fire on them and roasting marshmallows over it.

"Lilith, there's AC in here and people are staring at me. Can I please stop? Even my hands are aching." Orson beseeched and I rolled my eyes before glancing at him.

"Now we can't forget about our little bet, can we? So shut the fuck up and do what you have been ordered. And fasten your pace." I sneered at him and he huffed in agitation before resuming to do his work. I gazed around and surely people in the boutique were staring at us which just fed to my satisfaction.

Before y'all dirty-minded bitches get the wrong idea, no, we weren't doing anything blasphemous. I found a little fancy hand fan here and instructed Orson to fan me with it.

Orson momentarily glowered at me with a pout but immediately beamed nervously at me as I raised my eyebrows at him and he rapidly fastened the pace of the fan.

"Pass me the juice." I gestured to the glass of juice beside me and smirked in complacency.

"It's not even an inch away from you." He whined and handed me the glass grumpy to which I just shrugged, only if he knew what else gonna happen to him.

"How am I looking, people?!" Lauren shrieked out of nowhere and I choked on my juice, coughing loudly. Orson quickly made me stand up and I glanced at him in tumult in between my coughs while he wrapped his arms around my waist and proclaimed with a look of determination.

"Don't worry, Lilith. I will save you." He started to pull inwards and upwards above my belly button from the back while I gestured him to stop with widening eyes but neither he was stopping nor my coughs. Everyone now had gotten off from their chairs, forming a circle around me, and was staring at me anxiously. Verona, who came in with Lauren at the same time, started to cheer on me.

"Yes, Lilith! You can do this. Just one more push." What the fuck was wrong with her head? I wasn't delivering a baby for fucks sake. I wasn't able to stop Orson and God only knows why was he even doing this. I was choking on juice, not a fucking dinosaur. Even my stomach started to hurt from his continuous pushing and pulling. As always, God loved me too vastly and bestowed me today to cough till my lungs popped out from my mouth. I started to stomp on his feet. He wailed and immediately let me go.

I had quickly moved away from him and started to gasp for air. I took deep breaths and gradually my coughs started to reduce. I glanced at the mirror beside me and my face resembled a tomato perfectly.

"Are you okay?" Lauren inquired warily and I sulked at her while Orson cautiously extended his hand to rub my back but I shot him a glare and he immediately pulled away with a pout.

"Do I look okay to you? Did you lost your eyesight inside this fluffy ass dress?" I scowled and she seemed kinda hurt but was quick to conceal it with a smile. Orson vigilantly offered me a glass with shaky hands and I scoffed at his exaggerated fear from me before taking it, come on, I wasn't going to willingly touch a human even if the world was ending.

"Come on Lilith, don't be rude with her at least today. It's a special day for her." Verona tried to reason and I rolled my eyes then ignoring everyone, I went to the corner to sit. Orson followed my trail and stood beside me. He again started to fan me with his head hung low. A scant smile made its way on my lip before I exclaimed to him indifferently.

"Just fucking stop acting like a forlorn kitten and sit down dumbass." He grinned at me ear to ear, making his dimples visible, and sat beside me. I rolled my eyes and glanced at Lauren who was currently being drowned with waves of compliments for her dress.

Seriously a whole village's children could make clothes for them with this one dress. I plugged in my earphones and played my favorite playlist. A yawn escaped from my mouth and I unconsciously dozed off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Lilith, wake up." I heard someone murmuring and felt pattering on my cheeks. I groaned and hid my face while hugging my pillow tighter. Holdup, where did the pillow come from? I opened my eyes in an instant and gazed up to find a blushing Orson staring back at me. I frowned upon him in perplexity before glancing down.

"Eww! What the fuck?" I shrieked at him and he quivered slightly in dismay. Currently, my arms were wrapped around his arm and my head was resting on his shoulder. I instantly jerked away from him and took out my sanitization spray, sprinkling it all over me. Then I turned to him with a scowl and he bit his lower lip out of anxiety while mumbling, looking down at his hands.

"You fell asleep over me, I tried to pull you away but you hugged me tighter instead." He blushed with a slight smile. I cringed listening to him and moved farther away, food and sleep would be the death of me one day.

"This never happened okay? Next time if I do something like this, throw me in a river if needed. I don't care! But never come near me nor let me come near you." I sneered at him and his smile dwindled. He looked kinda hurt. He chuckled lightly and shook his head.

"You pushed me away way back Lilith. Now I can't come near you even if I want." He smiled dejectedly at me and stood up.

"Lauren was calling you, go to section B. Everyone is there for choosing their dresses." He exclaimed without turning to me and left the shop. I glanced at his back nonchalantly and sighed, resting my head against the wall and staring up at the ceiling, don't care about what he said, his sadness, his existence didn't matter in your life anymore.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I walked into the room, Verona and Lauren beamed, waving at me. I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath, Lilith only a few days were left, then you would be free.

I glanced around and everyone was there, except Orson. Verona and a couple of other girls were on the stage now, wearing fluffy dresses, someone show these girls their birth certificate please, they might have forgotten their ages.

"You arrived just at the right time! We were about to select your dress for the ball." Lauren giggled and I scowled at her.

"I am not participating in this competition called 'The next Cinderella.'" Verona rolled her eyes at me with a chuckle and Lauren gazed at me anxiously.

"I knew you would say something like this. So I chose a dress for you that you might like." Verona chirped avidly and ran off to somewhere. Lauren stared at her befuddled, might be confused at Verona's sudden change of attitude.

Verona came to the room with a dress in her hand and handed it to me.

"Go and try it out." She ushered me to the trial room. I rolled my eyes at her and went inside without a fight as I didn't have the patience to handle her currently.

I unzipped the bag and gazed at the dress with a sigh of relief, thankfully it wasn't a fluffy ass gown. I had to admit, I kinda liked it.

(A/N: As we know, Lilith is more on the heavier side, so don't think this girl is Lilith.)

As I took off my dress, I caught the reflection of the scar on my back through the front mirror. I smirked at myself monotonously. The other scars on my body had healed except for this one and the one in my soul. I knew I could never be normal, even if I wanted to. There was going to be always a taint in me.

I wore the dress and a small smile made its way to my lips as I stared at my reflection. I looked good. The dress fitted me perfectly but wait a minute! How did Verona know about my size? This girl wasn't only annoying but creepy too.

I changed back to my clothes, not bothering to show them, what? I ain't here to be the next Gigi Hadid, so why bothered to gave them a runway show?

As I got out, everyone stared at me in obscure. Verona approached me with a pout and whined.

"Why didn't you show me the dress on you? I was so excited to see you in it! I personally selected it for you, Lilith." I rolled my eyes at her and my gaze momentarily fell on Lauren. Her expression seemed kinda different. It was somewhat murky. But I decided to ignore it. I was about to reply when Lauren had cut me off.

"Verona, you must have given her a few sizes smaller, and now she is feeling embarrassed to wear it out." Lauren evinced with innocence lacing in her tone. Nobody seemed to discern the taunt behind her words. But I wasn't able to comprehend the sudden change in her character, but then again every person had many sides, we were just too naive to notice it.

"It fits perfectly. Pack it up for me." I shrugged and left the room, snubbing Lauren.

As I got out from the boutique, I saw Orson leaning against a bike with folded arms while staring at the ground mindlessly. He grinned at me when he saw me getting out and gestured to come to him. I rolled my eyes and held up my middle finger at him before going in the opposite directions.

"Lilith wait up!" Orson cried out from behind and I heard his footsteps. I turned to him with a scowl.

"What do you want now?" He pouted and pointed at the bike. I raised my eyebrows at him and he groaned in annoyance.

"Lilith you need to stay less with me, you are becoming just as oblivious as me." I rolled my eyes and snorted then sneered at him.

"Well I try to but it's you who don't leave my back." He just innocently beamed at me, acting oblivious to what I said.

"Anyway, I thought that since we are in the Maldives, why not hit the beach once?" He propounded cheerily and I scoffed then was about to refuse when he added.

"I will let you ride the bike." He smirked guilefully at me, this sneaky little bastard. He knew I used to love riding bikes and now he was using it against me. But what he didn't know that I wasn't the same as before. I sighed and turned to leave, wiping that smirk off his face.

"Please Lilith, at least for the sake of our challenge? See I am requesting you." He entreated and I rolled my eyes then sulked at him before strode towards the bike. I heard him cheering from the back and glanced at him to find him dancing childishly outside the boutique with people staring at him in bewilder. I couldn't have helped but let out a light chuckle to which he just grinned widely. I came out of my daze and instantly harden my expression. He seemed to notice it and his smile faded away slightly. Ignoring him, I sat over the bike and wore my helmet. I felt him sitting on the back.

"Let's go! Show me the world, my bad boy." Orson chirped in a high-pitched voice and I groaned in aggravation before exclaiming.

"Annoy me again and I swear I will throw you in a river on the way." He just laughed out loud and took out his phone, starting to tell me the direction to the beach. I started the bike and drove it. Suddenly, I was caught in the middle of nostalgia.

~Flashback~

I slowly lifted the window of my bathroom and climbed up with the help of the commode. I took a deep breath before jumping down. Thankfully, he had beaten her real bad this time, so she probably had taken sleeping pills today and won't be checking up on me in the middle of the night. Currently, it was 3 am and there was no light outside, except for a few street lights.

I walked down a few blocks and as Justin, one of my classmates promised me, there was a bike parked at the location he had instructed me. I quickly got over it and started to drive it.

As I was near Orson's house, I found him sitting on the front porch with his legs crossed and his chin resting over his palm. He was pouting and looking around like a kid waiting in the school for his parents to receive him. He gazed at me in mystify while I parked the bike beside him.

"Lilith how did you got the bike?" he inquired and sauntered towards the bike while staring at it inquisitively with his index finger tapping against his chin.

"I lend it from someone and asked them to leave it a few blocks away from my house," I exclaimed and threw a helmet at him which he caught swiftly before shooting a glare at me and I just shrugged.

"And who is this someone?" He raised his eyebrow at me and I just rolled my eyes at him.

"That's for me to know and you to never find out. Now hop up." I grumbled and patted the back seat, gesturing him to sit.

"Wait, do you really know how to ride a bike? because I don't have any intention of dying today," he scoffed and I felt like banging his head against the wall beside him, he asked more questions than a toddler.

"Why? Do only bad boys know how to ride a bike? now get on it or else I will do that for you and that ain't gonna be fun, I assure you that." I scowled at him and he smiled frighteningly at me before putting on the helmet.

"There better be food" He huffed to himself and got on the bike. I snickered slightly before starting to drive.

I have been riding the bike for an hour now but I wasn't complaining though. The night was filled with sheer tranquillity. The moonlight was making the surroundings ten times more enthralling and I loved the feeling of the crisp breeze hitting my face while riding the bike. I never had the privilege to get a bike of my own. So sometimes I used to lend it from Justin and he was kind enough to let me drove it in the night.

I perched the bike in front of my favorite ice cream parlor called "The Stones". It was a 24/7 open shop and run by an old couple, Mr. and Mrs. Stones. I came here whenever she used to take sleeping pills at night after a brutal thrashing.

"So did you brought me here just for ice cream at 4 am?" Orson scowled at me and let out a loud yawn. I rolled my eyes while getting up and removed my helmet, Orson did the same.

"Taunt me as much as you want but once you get a taste of their ice cream, you will be forever in my debt," I smirked imperiously at him before opening the door of the parlor.

"Let me be the judge of that," Orson scoffed from behind as we entered the parlor. There she was, Mrs. Stone. She was startled to see me at first before beaming at me and in an instance came to hug.

"Can't breathe Granny!" I cried out and she just chortled then patted my back gently before letting me go.

"You don't get to speak young lady, it's been months since you last visited this old hag." She rebuked me with a playful glare and I rolled my eyes with a smile.

"Well, it's not my fault that this old hag decided to open her parlor an hour away from my home." I shrugged and she just laughed before noticing Orson.

"And who is this young man?" Granny smirked, wiggling her eyebrows at me and I scowled at her in response.

"Oh let me introduce myself, I am Orson Sullivan, L's best friend," he muttered timidly, feeling shy under Granny's mischievous gaze.

"Well I am Mrs. Stone but you can call me Granny." she smiled softly at him and ruffled his hair slightly.

"Sure, Granny." Orson grinned at her, slowly warming up to her.

"Anyway Granny, can you give us two special mixed ice creams?" I requested and she nodded her head enthusiastically.

"You guys go and sit, I will bring your ice creams within few minutes." She ushered us to a booth and we settled down there, sitting side by side.

"You know what, I think your Dora the explorer side is my new favorite." Orson beamed at me, and I chuckled, nodding in agreement.

"This side of mine is also my favorite," Mrs. Stone brought our ice creams. Orson and I thanked her. I took a bite of the ice cream and gosh! Its taste kept getting better each day.

"The looks you are giving right now, it suffices to say that you liked the ice cream." I snorted as I perceived Orson stuffing his face with the ice cream gleefully.

"Like would be an understatement, I freaking loved it," Orson exclaimed heartily with ice cream smeared around his mouth, and I chuckled then threw a napkin at him while he laughed along with me.

Soon we bid our goodbyes to Mrs. Stone and exited from there. I wore my helmet and handed Orson his.

"So is our little Dora the explorer adventure finished?" Orson pouted and I shook my head while getting on the bike.

"Nope, we haven't even gotten to the main part yet," I smirked at him while he settled down behind.

"So where are we going now?" He inquired excitedly and I started to drive the bike

"You will see," I replied and he huffed in annoyance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Don't tell me you came here for fucking hiking." Orson shrieked and I rolled my eyes at him while stopping beside my favorite cliff and he stared at it with terror.

"Do you think that a lazy ass like me would decide to hike willingly? I know I am supposed to embrace my inner Dora the Explorer today but not even that much." I derided and he sighed in relief.

"Just follow me and you will get your answers," I instructed and he held my hand to which I glared at him. He just beamed bashfully with a slight blush resting on his cheeks.

It wasn't even that dark anymore as soon it would have been the time for sunrise. I led Orson to the other side of the cliff and found the stairs that lead to the top of it which wasn't that high.

"Wait, why does it have stairs?" Orson inquired and scratched his hair in tumult with a pout.

"That question's answer is still unknown to me but we can ponder over it later, now come on! we don't have much time left. Let's climb the stairs fast." I exclaimed, smiling at his childish antics and both of us started to climb the stairs. Soon we were at the top and Orson glanced around the place in ardor.

"Well this is my pocket of peace, so welcome to my sanctuary," I had let out a deep breath and sat down on the edge of the cliff. He settled beside me and I laid my head on his shoulder. Among all the chaos in my life, whenever I came to this place, I felt peace, even if it was ephemeral.

" Have You never brought anyway here before?" He questioned and I just shook my head. All of a sudden his face gleamed in excitement.

"L, see the view right now, it's so beautiful." Orson eagerly pointed at the front. Surely, the view was so surreal. With the sun slowly taking its place, brightening the sky in a soft orange tint and shading with the blue. I turned to look at Orson but he was already gazing at me, his lips were twitched up in a tender smile.

With the sun's rays falling on his face, it gave him a glow. I couldn't have helped but slowly started to lean and he followed my lead. Our faces were now a few inches away, our breaths mingled and lips brushed scantily against one another.

~End of flashback ~

"Lilith stop! You will get us into an accident." I heard someone screaming and I startled, glancing around in tumultuous before gasping as I remember riding the bike. Fortunately, it was an empty road. I quickly concentrated on my driving and let out a deep breath. What the fuck was wrong with me? When would have my past stop being so vivid in my mind?

Soon we reached the beach and I parked the bike.

"Are you okay?" Orson inquired worryingly but ignoring him, I got up and strolled to the beach. I settled down on the sand, not caring it ruining my dress. Honestly, I felt exhausted both physically and mentally. How long would I have to endure all this? Flashbacks, numerous pills, nightmares, and numbness, that's all my life had left.

I felt Orson sitting down beside me but I didn't bother to look at him. There weren't many people currently and we sat in complete silence. Abruptly, my gaze fell on Orson's bracelet, the one I gifted him 10 years ago.

"You still wear this shit on your wrist?" I snorted and he immediately cognized what I was implying. He glanced at the bracelet and smiled at it dolefully.

" You left, Lilith, I never did. I am still that exuberant guy who was eagerly waiting outside the convention for his prom date, wearing the suit she chose for him and the matched navy blue tie, her favorite color. But she never arrived and he stayed there till the sunrise, standing outside." I chuckled listening to his words. I fucking sniggered as loudly as I could. It was funny to see him being in so much anguish just because of a date gone wrong, only if he knew my whole life got destroyed that night.

"If you brought me here for a guilt trip, then don't. I fucking don't have remorse for whatever I did." I smirked sardonically at him and he had tears in his eyes while his fists were clenched.

"Why do you always push me away from you? Why only me? Why not Alva? She is also from your past." He argued with a pained expression. I scoffed and stood up before sneering at him.

"Because you know a part of my past that no one else knows and each time I look at you, you remind me of my every scar. And stop trying to act like anything is like before because it's not. I have nothing but indifference to offer you." I turned around and strode towards the bike when I heard him exclaimed tiredly.

"At least stop pushing Lilac away from you. What's his fault in all this?" I didn't bother to respond and got on the bike then drove it off at full speed. Tears rolled down my cheeks yet I managed to keep a nonchalant face. I never wanted to meet Lilac again. I knew he didn't have any fault in all this and I did those things willingly, still, I had enough of my past.

A/N:
4590 WORD!!! I finally accepted defeat. I have come to terms that long chapters are just my comfort zone and I don't wanna get out of it. Also, I am sorry in advance if this chapter was boring or cringy. I tried to show a glimpse of Lilith and Orson's past bonding with a few splashes of romance 😓

Also, WE HAVE REACHED 4K!!! THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOO FUCKING MUCH GUYS!!! It seriously means the world to me. Please keep supporting me like this.

Love ya all ❤🧡💛💚💙💜🖤