"We are products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it."   

- Rick Warren - 

"Oh, I...um, I'm sorry," I stuttered, scrambling aimlessly for my books which were scattered around me on the floor. It was hard to tear my gaze away from his. His features were more defined, and impossibly more perfect, close up.

He chuckled. His laugh was deep but soft. "It's not your fault. I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you alright?"

I could feel a blush seeping into my cheeks as his dark eyes traced my features. "I...I'm fine, I think," I muttered.

He offered me his hand. I stared at it with a lump in my throat, my mouth becoming dry. I gathered my books in my one arm and slowly took his hand, slipping my fingers between his.

"Thank you," I said.

"No problem," he smiled. He turned and started to walk away. My eyes followed him to the end of the corridor, where he turned left and disappeared.

"You look all flustered, are you okay?" Sage asked at lunch.

I fell down onto the seat next to hers. The blush was clearly eminent on my cheeks; I could feel the heat in my face. I picked at a salad with a fork, avoiding her question. All I could think about was him. Him. I wasn't sure why. Sure, he was incredibly cute. But I didn't even know him, and he didn't even know my name.

I was snapped out of my reverie by the sound of trays slamming on the table. Brea, Alexa, and Eva all sat down, chatting absentmindedly about something I couldn't decipher, and probably didn't understand. I glanced at Sage and she smiled at me with a roll of her brown eyes.

"What are you two talking about?" Brea asked with a smirk, popping a grape into her mouth.

"Nothing," Sage said with a shrug. "We were just..."

"So, there's a party at my place tonight," Brea interrupted. "Want to come?"

"A party?" I asked.

"Yes, a party," she sighed, flicking her hair. "Are you coming or not?"

"What time?" Sage said.

"About eight. Bring your own drinks if you want, but there'll be plenty there. My parents are out of town for a couple days, so I have the whole house to myself," she grinned, clapping her hands together.

I sat in silence, barely hearing the details about Brea's party. Even if my parents let me go, did I even want to? Nobody knew me, apart from the few friends I'd made, and I didn't even know if they would acknowledge my presence there. The last thing I wanted was to be standing in a corner by myself all night, looking like a loner, and knowing me, that is what would probably happen.

"I don't know if I can make it tonight," I muttered.

Brea rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, party-pooper. I always throw the best parties."

"She does," Eva added, with a wink.

"I don't even know where you live."

"Chill, Lili. I'll send you my address. My house isn't hard to miss," she grinned.

After lunch, I walked to my next class with Sage.

"If you want, you can come back to mine and we can pick out an outfit together?" Sage offered, opening the door of AP Chemistry, and walking inside.

"That would be nice," I smiled. "I'll have to ask my parents, though."

"Message them quickly before class starts. I'm sure they'll be fine with it," she smiled, reassuringly.

We sat down at the back of the classroom. I pulled out my phone and messaged my mom. She replied almost immediately, surprisingly saying yes, but I had to be back by ten. Sharp. She must have been in a good mood today.

I secretly hoped that Elijah was going to the party; my heart leaped at the sudden thought of seeing him again.

After school, we walked back to Sage's house. She didn't live far away, so we were there within five minutes of walking out of the school gates. Her house was bigger than mine; a huge, pristine house with a front garden of emerald green grass, and red and pink flowers in baskets on either side of the front door.

"Your house is beautiful," I whispered.

"Thank you," she smiled. "My mom is kind of a clean-freak. It can get annoying sometimes."

She pushed open the front door and we stepped inside. The floor was wooden, and it was so shiny that it almost sparkled. She took off her shoes and placed them carefully on a shoe rack. I copied her, leaving my shoes neatly next to the rack.

"Do you want something to eat? To drink?" she asked, kindly.

I shook my head. "No, thank you."

She grabbed my hand, and I followed her up the winding, wooden staircase to the top, where she turned right down a long corridor, carpeted with white fur. At the end of the corridor, she pushed a door open which led to what I presumed was her bedroom. It was positively larger than mine, with a sparkling chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and a King-sized bed with a golden canopy hanging from it.

"Wow," I whispered, breathlessly.

She giggled at my reaction. "It's kind of over the top, I know. My mom is like that."

"No, I love it," I smiled.

She walked over to one of the walls which had a door built into it and was surrounded by drawers and cabinets. She opened the door, which led to a massive walk-in wardrobe, and an en-suite bathroom.

"Okay. So, let's find you something to wear. I think I know exactly what will look great on you," she said, walking over to one of the racks of dresses, and flicking through them. "Ah! Here it is." She pulled a dress out. It was an incredibly short, plain black dress with long sleeves.

"That is very short," I said, with an eyebrow raised.

She laughed. "Lili, it will look great on you. I promise." She handed it to me, and I grudgingly took it from her. She carried on flicking through the rack and brought out another one. It was another short dress, but hot pink this time, and strapless.

"I think I'm going to wear this. What do you think?" she grinned, holding it against her body.

"Um...yes?" I said.

"Try on yours and let's see if it fits."

I walked around the corner and stripped out of my clothes, pulled on the dress, and turned around to look in the mirror behind me. I stared at the reflection with shock. This girl surely couldn't be me. It looked nothing like me.

"Let's see!" Sage called.

I stepped over my pile of clothes on the floor and walked around the corner to where Sage was waiting. She gasped when she saw me.

"Oh, Lili. You look incredible. The boys will be drooling over you tonight."

I blushed. I didn't at all feel like myself, but it somehow felt right.

Being a different person was the fundamental reason why I moved to a school on the other side of town. This is what I wanted and needed.

This was the new Lili Ayres.

A/N

I'm back!

Happy New Year everyone!

Thank for all the positive feedback on this book so far - it means so much to me, especially seeing as this was just a rough draft on my old laptop! I appreciate any feedback, positive or negative, in order for me to improve as much as possible.

- Olivia Clarke -

GIF: Lili (Lilith) Ayres - Crystal Reed

© Olivia Clarke 2017

The Devil's Daughter