One Thousand Songs Later

"Lily, come on! Wake up!" I heard a thick accent yell.

"Huh?" I slowly sat up and blinked rapidly, trying to adjust my eyes to the blinding light. I rubbed my eyes and focused on the fuzzy figure in front of me. I yawned and stretched before I could clearly see him.

"Luke?" I asked, squinting. Was I dreaming?

"Lily." He smiled widely at me, sat down beside me, and leaned in. I could feel my breath hitch when his lips grazed my cheek. I felt my cheeks burn and my lips curve into a smile. I was definitely awake now.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, once I had composed myself enough to speak.

"Don't you remember? You have to learn all the years of high school that you missed!" I groaned loudly and fell back, into bed.

"It's all too much work!" I complained.

"Aww c'mon! We get to do it together so it'll be fun!" He leaned over me, grinning madly.

"You're not going to let me do anything else are you?" I asked.

"Nope." I sighed, grabbed a pillow and threw it at his face.

"Fine! But let me get dressed!"

"Alright, first you need to finish you're freshman year; we can finish all you're homework assignments for one subject for today." Luke climbed off to the bed and walked over to his backpack. Wait, whoa whoa whoa. Whoa. Since when does Luke have a backpack?! Luke pulled out seven, three inch binders and set them on my bed.

"Do you expect me to finish all of this by the end of winter break?" I asked as I walked into my closet and shut the door.

"Yes! But I'll be helping you. We'll finish one binder each day and spend the rest of next week studying for the all the tests. On the Monday that you get back to school, you'll take all the tests and hand all the assignments in." I groaned again, this time more dramatically as I tugged on some leggings, a blue tank top, and a long, bash, knitted sweater-jacket.

Opening the door, I went to the bathroom and brushed my hair (trust me, this is no easy task), and my teeth. For the finishing touch, I pulled my hair into a hair ponytail, although my hair could still go 1/3's way down my back. Yes, my hair is this long.

"Lily?" Luke called from the my room.

"Yeah?" I responded, currently getting out a tangle.

"Eleanor and Louis said you never sleep in, but you were still sleeping when I arrived at ten." I bit my lip, I had slept probably twenty hours total the week before. Last night was the best sleep I had gotten in ages.

"C-can we talk about this later?"

"Uh yeah, sure."

Once I had got out of the bathroom, Luke and I journeyed down to the dining room, and piled all the school work on the table.

"This is going to take forever." I grumbled, opening the binder labeled "Science."

"Will this make you feel better, love?" Before I could respond, Luke gave me a kiss on the cheek. My face immediately flushed. Damn cheeks. Oh Luke, you have no idea how much I really love you.

****************Nine Hours Later*****************

"So Lily, can we talk about the sleep thing?" Luke asked. We were laying, exhausted on my bed. Nine hours of writing really tires you. We had actually finished all the homework for Science and Humanities, we even got a good head start on Geometry. I cleared my throat nervously. I really didn't want to tell Luke about the imaginary Kyle's I kept thinking I was seeing. Or Kyle's voice saying: "This isn't over!" The last thing I need is another death on my behalf.

"Can we please not talk about this?" I begged. Luke sighed.

"Whatever it is that Kyle did to you, will all be justified if you tell me what he did. I hope you know that you can trust me with anything."

"I'm going to tell you about my blood family." I announced, trying to change the subject to something else. Anything else. Even if it means talking about my family. Luke stared at me intently in the eyes, and then spoke.

"Okay, tell me."

"Well, I had a sister named Stacey who was eighteen years old. She was going to go to a great University, Vanderbilt, which is in Nashville, Tennessee."

"Wait was? Isn't she 21 now? What happened to her?" Ignoring Luke's interruption, I continued deeper into my past.

"I had an amazing Mom and Dad. They were probably, the best parents you could get. My Mom was a physical trainer and my Dad was the CEO of a book publishing company. I didn't fight with them and I loved them, so much. And-"

"Hold up, hold up! Why do you keep using all you're words in the past tense? What happened to you're family? Why did Louis and Eleanor adopt you? Couldn't you've stayed with a Grandparent or Aunt or Uncle?" Luke asked, impatiently. I kept going with the story.

"And then during the summer, I went to Grandma's cabin for a week and met Eleanor because she was there for a modeling job. That's when.." I had to swallow because my throat started to close with emotion.

"...That's when they were all shot....Stacey...Mom....Dad....my aunts...uncles...cousins...Grandparents....everyone in my family...just gone." My voice was low and you could hear how hard it was for me not to burst into tears. I lowered my head and examined my hands.

I knew I would have to tell Luke sooner or later about my trail of bloody footprints. I just didn't expect it to hurt so much. This was the first time I actually talked about my family, ever since all the funerals. And I was the one who brought it up.

"Lily, look up at me." I shook my head no, still staring at my hands. If I looked up, I would cry. I knew I would. And I couldn't break my promise now. I felt Luke's arms wrap around my waist and pull me to him, so I was leaning against his chest. Luke gently combed my hair, comfortable, I closed my eyes and relaxed against him.

The silence was deafening buy it was serene, cozy. I was so grateful for the silence, no "I'm so sorry's" or "It should've never happened." I know! I know that I'm the world's most pitiful creature; no real family, prostitute and held captive for three. I know they're death's should've never happened, but obviously someone hated my family and I was the lucky one. I've heard it all. But what's really nice is that Luke knows I don't need an encouraging speech or sympathy. I just need him.

That's all I need.

Notes

Again, don't know why it's all in italics. My computer is so messed up.
Anyways, enjoy!

-Louistomlinson