One Thousand Songs Later

Luke's POV:

I haven't seen "Lily" in a week. And frankly, I could my care less. That wasn't my Lily. My Lily didn't look like an untamed animal, freshly caught from the safari. No, my Lily had strawberry blonde hair, light green eyes, and four feet and ten inches of charisma.

This Ly had hair and eyes so bright, you could barel look at her and she had grown at least two feet taller. Is that even physically possible? She was pale and sickly looking, stick skinny, and I be she weighs under one hundred pounds. The worst part was that glint in her eyes, my Lily had a look of innocence and purity, this Lily had looks of depression and emptiness. Don't get me wrong, this Lily is ten times more stunning than my Lily, but she looks like a model, lifeless.

I don't have anything against models, but most of their pictures have no emotion and they remind me of aliens because they're too perfect. I love that my Lily has flaws, they're what makes her so cute. Like her tiny ears and how short she is. Now she looks like one of those Victoria Secret Models who walk down runways in front of thousands of people wearing barely a square inch of clothing.

Consequently, after she ran away from me, I came to the conclusion that she wasn't actually Lily. She was an imposter. But that didn't stop the ache in my chest that he been growing for over three years. And I know it will remain there until I can get out of this high school and find Lily.

I would've left when I was a freshman but Mum forced me to stay in High School (trust me, I tried leaving). So, I worked my ass off, skipped a year of school and graduated last year the top of my class with a 4.0 grade average and with the highest test score. But Mum still wanted me to stay one more year. So now I take a bunch of online college courses that Mum set me up with and tutor delinquents that have "special needs."

Special needs my ass. I have been waiting for three years to ditch this dump I call school and look for the love of my life! And where has Kyle been all this time? Well, he was sent down to some country in Africa for medical training and never came back.

Mum's clinging to non-existing hope that he's alive, wile I'm hding onto existing hope that he's dead. She won't even hold a funeral because she stubbornly refuses to believe he's dead. Pfft. Women.

Basically my life has been a gray without Lily and has turned into a never ending cycle of school , soccer, home, and sleep. Sleep has been the only thing I look forward to everyday because it's a chance to relive all my experiences with her. But the flashbacks are as painful as wonderful and every morning I can barely drag myself out of bed knowing I'm not going to see Lily today.

But it they're also reminders of why I'm still living because really, what else do I have to live for?

So you can't blame me for freaking out over fake Lily's appearance because every night, I vividly see every detail of her and it's hard that she changed that much. But since she's not the real Lily, it doesn't matter any more.

I think deep down inside of me, I knew that she was actually Lily. But I was so used to her old look that I didn't want to let go of it. Luckily, fate really wanted us to be together.

"Mum I'm home!" I called from the front door, slipping off my winter boots and shrugging of my coat. I listen for the usual response: "How was soccer honey?" But it wasn't asked.

"Mum?" I called again, waiting for her to appear from the kitchen. I shrugged, she was probably running errands or at work, she was a hairstylist for some high-end salon.

"Luke, come here." I heard faintly from the living room. I walked over the living room where I spotted Mum sitting stiffly on the couch, starin vacantly into space. The room was too dark to see her properly so I flicked up the light switch, illuminating the room.

"Mum? What's wrong?" I asked, quickly sitting next to her on the couch, concerned when. I saw the tear streaks stained on her wrinkled cheeks.

"It's Kyle." She whispered. I sighed, of course it is, it's always about him

"What's wrong this time?" I asked, exasperatedly.

"He lied about the field work in Senegal." I rolled my eyes, of course he did, typical Kyle.

"What has he been doing? Was he a call boy or something?" I asked sarcastically.

He probably wants to be one anyways, who doesn't want to do things they love. And boy, does Kyle love sex. Numerous times before, I have caught him with some slut making out or grinding on each other or touching each other's nude skin. And each time, I always see a new girl, which sickens me. And the worst part is, Mum has never caught him, yet I have countless times.

"You know that girl? Lily? The one you fancy?" She paused.

"You mean love?"

Mum has has never been able to admit that I was truly in love with Lily, although I have told her repeatedly before. Love was just too strong of a word for her and I can't blame her for bein skeptical. Dad left when I was one and Kyle was seven and to think that her son was headed down the same dark path of bitter disappointment and loneliness was unthinkable for her.

"She was kidnapped by Kyle."

"WHAT?" I shouted, springing up from the couch. Mum started to cry and put her head into her hands.

"Why would Kyle do that? What happened?" I asked, pacing the floor. Mum continued to sob into her hands and as the best son in the world, I neglected to confort her

"Tell me!" I pressed.

"S-she escaped s-saturday morning and n-now Kyle's in j-jail!"

"How do you know this?"

"A p-police officer c-called while you were at school, t-to ask questions."

"Why would he ask questions? Didn't Lily testify already?"

"Something about her not telling the police anything about what had happened over the past three years."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know!" She wailed. I shook my head, I heard enough. Heading to the front door, I grabbed my coat and slipped on my boots and gloves.

"Where are you going? We need to go and visit Kyle!" Mum asked while I opened the door.

"Where do you think?" I snarled and walked out, slamming the door behind me. Normal Luke would never do that, but these weren't normal circumstances and I was tired of hearing about Kyle and I needed to visit Lily.

Notes