You're Haunting Me (Edward)

[Lily Montgomery]

Lily sat on the swing of the garden as the sun rose high in the sky. This was one of the few times it was quiet since most of the younger children were taking naps, and the older children were either eating their lunch or off doing their own thing. It was around this time, she liked to be out in the garden just swinging underneath the tree. The smell of flowers filled her nostrils, and she felt at peace amongst the turmoil.

It still hurt that the one person she cared for most was no longer on her side. She took out her locket, opening it to look at Edward's picture. Since neither one of them knew if the other would survive, they each gave each other something to remember the other by. He gave her this old photograph and she gave him a ring that once belonged to her mother.

She quickly tucked it away so no one would see. Her feelings for Edward were the most private of her thoughts. The only ones who knew were Violetta and Simon only because she trusted the both of them very much. As she began to swing on the swing, she failed to notice a familiar person enter the garden.

[EDWARD HOLMES]

Edward scrubbed at his face with his hands, barely looking where he was going. He knew the path to the garden by heart, anyway. The brunet stumbled and almost tripped over a shrub before he managed to catch himself. Well, maybe he didn't know it by heart after all. He uncovered his face, revealing bleary cobalt eyes. He was so tired... He wished he could fall asleep for weeks... But then everything would go to hell in his absence, he just knew it. He'd wake up and find that the Aristocrats had turned the entire compound into some kind of concentration camp, with everyone down to the little five-year-olds suited up in combat fatigues, marching around and saluting each other like morons. God, it pissed him off sometimes... That's what Lily wanted? Sometimes he felt like she had grown into a stranger, nothing like the friend he once had.

He found himself rubbing at the front of his plain button-down shirt, near his collarbone. There, a lump wrinkled the cotton, but only just slightly. Beneath his shirt was an antique ring on a crude chain. The ring had been Lily's. The chain something he scrounged from the orphanage. At one point, the ring used to fit him. Then he shot up five inches and put on about forty more pounds. The thing wouldn't even fit on his littlest finger at this point. So he kept it on a chain beneath his shirt. Everyone assumed he wore a cross, and he let them. Lily's ring was, in its own way, something to be idolized.

Well, speak of the devil. Edward felt himself stand a little straighter as a crooked smile wormed its way onto his face at the sight of her. She didn't seem to have noticed him, either. He moved soundlessly over the grass lawn as he came up behind her. He paused, timing the swing with his eyes, then spoke in her ear and gave her a hearty push.

"'Afternoon, Lily."

[Lily Montgomery]

Lily nearly jumped from her seat when she felt a warm breath against her ear. She soon stopped the swing and turned her head to see a painfully familiar face. "Edward, did no one teach you it's rude to sneak up on a lady" she said, her tone a bit biting and sharp which is the tone she tended to take with him. She did after all have an appearance to keep up in order to keep her position.

She felt if she let her guard down for even a moment, all of her work would have been for nothing. She felt that since they were all in this place together that they should all have their own places within the orphanage, all of them working for the common good of all. 'Besides living as you please is a selfish thing adults do' she thought. She decided to let her thoughts go for a moment, bringing attention to her rival.

"So, what brings you out here? I'd figure you'd be asleep with how sleepy you look" she said, noting his tired appearance. She couldn't help, but feel sorry for him since she was the only one who knew what it's like to be in their position. She wished desperately she could tell him such things openly, but the last thing she wanted was to give him any sign of weakness. She didn't want him to know that just when he whispered in her ear that her heart began to beat faster. Even now, she was fighting to keep the light blush that was forming on her pale cheeks from being noticeable.

[EDWARD HOLMES]

"You were the one off in your own little dream-land, Lily. Did no one teach you it's rude not to pay attention?" He mocked, lips curling into a smirk. A hidden part of his mind sighed. Why was he always like this with her? If they only disagreed on certain principles before, she would surely hate him for personal reasons now. But he just couldn't help it. The caustic remarks rolled off his tongue in her presence, a defense mechanism against getting hurt. Like "Hit them before they hit you first," and, "Don't let them get too close."

"Why Lily, how kind of you to fret over my well-being. Rest assured, I am in the pink of health. You're not taking over the whole orphanage while I'm sick in bed any time soon, thank you very much." He crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against a nearby ash tree. Although his tone had been light and mocking, his cobalt blue eyes regarded her soberly, searching her body language for any clues she might give away.

He broke his stare and glanced out over the expanse of the garden. "And you? What were you thinking of before I arrived, hm? That Simon fellow?" He heard his stupid mouth say. His outward appearance remained calm, but inwardly he cursed himself. Now was not the time- Actually, there was no time that was a good time to appear jealous. They were all but fighting a war against each other. Two political factions in one "country" forced to interact to serve an overlord... There was too much going on. He must not let himself behave like this. He had more important things to do. Lily just distracted him... In all the most pleasant ways. No. He shouldn't have come to the garden after seeing that Lily was here. He should have just stayed away.

[Lily Montgomery]

"Perhaps I should remind you that although we're rivals, I'm not a snake in the grass. I don't take advantage of someone who is weak in order to get what I want" she said, hurt and anger flashing through her vibrant blue eyes, and her shoulders slumping just a little bit. While they may disagree did he really think so little of her that she'd take advantage of him while he was vulnerable. However, she quickly regained herself, hoping he didn't notice the sadness that was in her eyes.

"And so what if I was thinking about him? I'm sure you have thoughts of some tart in your group" she said, shooting a glare in his direction. She wanted to smack herself for letting some of her own jealousy show in a moment of annoyance and anger. The thought of him even thinking of another girl in such away was an unbearable one. 'If he should be thinking of anyone, it should be me' she thought to herself.

"But I'm serious, you really should get some sleep otherwise you'll become sick, and what good what that do your group" she said, letting her anger go for a moment to actually allow her true feelings of concern show. True, they had a doctor that was able to take care of them when they got injured or sick, but that still wasn't an excuse to ignore ones well being.

[EDWARD HOLMES]

At Lily's accusation, a spark of hope warmed Edward's heart, and his teeth flashed in a grin. "Now, now, Lily. Jealousy is unbecoming of a lady," he taunted. "Some of us have better things to do than chase after a pretty face. Like, say, trying to run this place. All your 'rules' and 'order' must tire you out. It's never to late to shuck the system and embrace true freedom." He spread his arms wide in a gesture of freedom. Then he heard her next statement and closed in on his body language, re-folding his arms against his chest and slouching against the tree trunk.

"I won't get sick." Defiance shone in his eyes. "Even if I caught pneumonia, I still wouldn't go to see them." An adult was an adult, not to be trusted. The only reason they kept the doctor around was as a physician, but s/he was afraid of them. And sooner or later, that fear would turn into something threatening, something that would make him/her mistreat one of their children, let an illness go undiagnosed, make a slip-up when treating an infection. And then where would they be? Well, they'd just have to look for a new physician... Yes, s/he was afraid of them. And rightfully so.

[Lily Montgomery]

"I hardly call what you do "running things"" she said, "it's more like you let your lot run around doing as they please without any thought to your fellow children." It bothered her the selfishness he seemed to possess, it was a trait unfitting for him. "The only way for us to work together in this place, each doing our part instead of just doing as we please. Adults are the ones who are selfish like that" she spat at him, knowing being compared to the people they hated most would really get to him.

'I guess that's what makes them perfect enemies, we know what to say to each other to wound the other emotionally' she thought, slipping out of her seat on the swing, straightening up the skirt of her dress. "Don't be stupid, you'll die if you get the pneumonia, have you forgotten how many of us nearly died before we had a doctor" she said, panic overtaking her delicate, pale features. "I mean if you died, who on Earth would be a worthy rival" she added sheepishly, looking down at the ground to avoid his entrancing cobalt eyes. She didn't want him to see that the thought of losing him brought her to tears lest he tease her even more than he already was.

With a deep breath, she looked back up at him, her confidence regained once more. "As much as you and I disagree, we still have a duty to The Shadow Man to get him a sacrifice. Do you have any suitable candidates in mind" she asked, brushing her chocolate brown locks over her shoulders.

[EDWARD HOLMES]

Edward scowled, rolling his eyes. He lurched away from the tree and stuck his hands over his ears, circling her and coming to a stop in front of her.

"Blah, blah, blah. Lily, do you know who you sound like? Hm? You sound like one of them. Since when did you grow up and turn into an adult?" He gave the swing a push. "Doing as we please is doing our part. We do what we need to and don't bother with any frivolities like hierarchies, social orders of command, paperwork, long boring meetings, anything stupid like that." He moved out of the way as she got down from the swing, then hopped on himself, pumping his legs and propelling himself higher and higher into the air. Show-off.

Upon hearing the distress in her voice, he jumped off the swing at the pinnacle, landing in a crouch on the ground. He slowly stood and turned to face her. "I'm not going anywhere," he said in a low voice, suddenly serious. He tried to convey with his eyes everything that was impossible for him to put into words.

At the mention of the Shadow Man, Edward turned away. He didn't want her to see the uneasy look in his eyes. As for a suggestion of an adult... "The doctor," he muttered, half-joking. "I don't have an opinion. I'll ask around for suggestions. See if any of yours have found a suitable candidate. If no one in particular comes to mind, we can always send out a volunteer to pull the old 'Would You Help Mister/Mistress, I Can't Find My Way Back To The Orphanage Would You Come With Me' bit."

[Lily Montgomery]

"Doing as you please helps no one, but yourself, we all have to look out for one another, and just doing whatever you wish helps no one" she said sternly, refusing to back down. When he suddenly jumped off the swing, and got all serious, it startled her as she stepped back a bit. She was used to seeing an easy going yet head strong boy, but this side of him wasn't right. "You won't be around long if you're reckless" she muttered as he turned around. "I'll ask around to, and if we can't reach an agreement, we'll just find someone" she said.

"Hell, even I'll go out into the city, and lure an adult here if needed. I'd much rather if someone does, it's me" she said, walking over towards the rose bushes. When their scent hit her nose, she felt a sharp pain wash over her head. Although she loved these flowers, she had some awful memories of them which ended up giving her a headache. Long ago, the groundskeeper cornered her here, and she fell into these bushes. Her stomach turned knowing had it not been for Edward finding her, 'who knows what that vile man would have done' she thought as her hand gripped the stem of the flower tight, causing the thorns to dig into her palm.

When she noticed she quickly withdrew her hand. "Oh, how clumsy of me. I got to caught up in my thoughts again" she murmured to herself as the blood trickled down her wrist.

[EDWARD HOLMES]

Edward glanced over quickly, brow furrowed. There was no way she was sending herself as bait. "Forget it. Have someone else do it. Like Simon. Or I'll go. Someone male. Someone older. Not a shrimp like you. They'll just snatch you up and we'll never see you again. Not like it'd be a bad thing. One less Aristocrat whining in my ear." He watched her grab the plant and grimaced when he saw blood.

"And one less clumsy day-dreamer going around grabbing rose thorns. Come here, you dolt." He drew his only-slightly smeared handkerchief out of his pocket and ripped it in two. Half blotted her cut, half was converted into a makeshift bandage.

"There, all better." Reflexively, he brought the wrist to his lips and kissed it, as he had kissed so many of her ouches when they were younger. When he realized what he had done, he hurriedly dropped her arm and took a step back to put space between them, his cheekbones already beginning to stain red. Damn. He turned away and started talking to cover up the silence.

"Look, you don't have to ask anyone. I'll go. Tonight, even. I'll find someone. Don't argue. I'm the one who does as he pleases, remember?" With that, he promptly turned and beat a hasty retreat out of the garden.

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[[ We can start up a new one in a different time/setting someplace else, but I thought this was a good place to end this particular thread. Or at least, it'll end once you do your post after this one. ]]