Page 46 of Lilly
Chapter Eleven
Lilly
“I’m so excited for tonight,”Imogen says when I arrive for my shift at the hotel before heading to uni to hand everything in. Imogen is doing the same course but she’s a little less organised than me; she looks like she hasn’t slept a wink. “I’m going to hand everything in the second I leave here, then sleep all afternoon. I didn’t think there was much point by the time I finished everything at four this morning, so I just necked a few Red Bulls and here I am. I’m getting so trashed tonight.” She says all this at such a pace that I have no doubt the fact about the energy drinks is true. “Even Eve’s coming, aren’tyou?”
“Yes, I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to watch you get wasted and make a fool out of yourself. My mum is babysitting.” Eve’s got another year left on her course as she took a year out when she discovered she was pregnant at eighteen. She’s now trying to juggle motherhood, working and uni. Hats off to her, because I don’t think I could manage all that. She’s determined that Elissa isn’t going to stop her getting the career she dreamsof.
“I’m not going,” I admit. Of course I want to go with them, but I haven’t really seen Lucas all week other than in passing in the mornings, and I’m desperate to spend some time withhim.
“Why the fuck not? There is no excuse under the sun that’s good enough. You’re coming,” Imogen squeals, looking completely putout.
“She’s right, wait a minute,” Eve says eyeing me curiously. “Oh my God, Lilly, have you got a man?” she guesses correctly. My cheeks flame red so there’s no point denying it. “Oh my God! Who, when, where, what’s helike?”
“It’s early days,” is all I say before Hillary comes in and sets us off. As soon as she’s finished, I run as fast as I can. I’ve been holding back telling anyone other than Taylor, Connie and Nic about seeing Lucas, and we haven’t had the conversation yet about letting people at work know about us. It’s obvious Catherine knows something, and I’m surprised she hasn’t spread it around yet—or more likely some twisted version that makes me lookbad.
“Morning, beautiful,” Lucas says the second I enter the livingroom.
“Good morning,” I reply before walking over to where he’s sat on the sofa with his laptop to give him akiss.
“Hmmm, that’s what I’ve been waiting for,” he says with a smile when I pull back. “Now, I’ve got to go. I’m really late for a meeting.” I barely get a chance to blink and he’s gone. So much for asking him about tonight and the possibility of telling other people aboutus.
I do what I’ve got to do at Lucas’ before lugging all the stuff to uni. I decided it was a better idea to drive this morning so I didn’t waste time walking back and forth to work. Once I decided my projects were completely done I wanted to hand them over and move on. I’m looking forward to a life that doesn’t include constantly obsessing over the tiny details of each of my projects. I’m happy with what I’ve achieved and I’m confident in my work. Now I just have to wait to see if what I think is good actuallyis.
The feeling of relief when I finally hand everything over is huge. It feels like a two-ton elephant has been lifted from myshoulders.
“I was planning on going home to sleep for tonight but I’m fucking buzzing. Drink?” Imogen asks and I can’t refuse. I’m flying high right now and a drink soundsperfect.
We head away from uni to a local bar and order a cocktaileach.
“To success, to our futures, to rocking the fucking shit out of that course and smashing it,” Imogen announces loudly for the whole bar tohear.
“To us,” I say with a laugh as our glassestouch.
Excitement bubbles around in my belly as we reminisce about our three years together and everything we’ve been through. I also think about the weekend ahead of me. I know that Lucas has plans for tonight, so I hope he’s not going to be too annoyed that I’m going out with my friends for a bit. He’s got me all day tomorrow and Sunday for this charity auction thing he’s taking me to. I’m excited, but I’m also a little apprehensive, because I’ve never been to anything like that before. Hell, I’ve never worn a dress like the one he boughtme.
“So it’s time to spill the beans, Lills. Who’s the guy that almost had you leaving ustonight?”
“It’s just someone I met…uh…” Thankfully, Taylor arrives right on cue and plonks himself down at ourtable.
“Hey, chicas. I can’t believe we’re done,” heexclaims.
I’ve seen more of Taylor this week than I have done for the past year, I think. He’s been in every night surrounded by his photographs, getting everything ready for the bigday.
“We are. Now to start thinking about the rest of our lives.” I try to say this with excitement but I can’t help feeling a little uneasy about it. I always thought I’d try to join Dec down south, but now there’s Lucas. It’s only been a few weeks but already I feel like leaving him would bewrong.
“Come on, have another,” Taylor says once our glasses arefull.
“No, I drove. I’ll have morelater.”
“I’ve got a bottle of pink bubbles chilling in ourfridge.”
A couple of hours later and we are back to get ready for tonight. I hadn’t mentioned my plans to Taylor about going out with Lucas tonight because I knew I’d get grief aboutit.
“Uh…what’s the casefor?”
“I’m going to Lucas’. It’s the charity auction this weekend,remember?”
“Yeah, I remember. Do not tell me you’re not coming out with ustonight.”
