Infinity (Times Three #3)

Chapter 1 Lily

ONE

LILY

PAST

“Can you touch the sky?” my bestest friend in the entire world roars up at the sky, glancing at me quickly as the wind makes his brown hair blow crazy in his face.

Pushing my body forward, fighting the breeze that pushes me back, I yell, “Yes! And I can touch it before you can!”

My cheeks hurt, but I want him to think I’m super cool.

“That’s not possible. I have bigger muscles than you.”

Stupid boys, thinking the world would be nothing without their muscles. I’ll show him.

Pushing my legs forward, I feel like I’m flying in the sky, leaving everything but him behind. Extending one arm out like an airplane, I squeal, “I’m flying!”

“Me too!”

Sticking my tongue out at him, I try to focus on his face as my body jolts. “But I’m higher.”

“That’s okay. Just touch the sky for me too.” He laughs before launching himself off the swing and landing on his knees instead of his feet.

No one is cooler than my best friend. I wish I could just jump off my swing with no hesitation.

He’s fearless—that’s what I hear both our moms whisper to each other.

I’ve never told him this, but I want to be just like him.

Except he doesn’t know that because I want him to think I’m cool and not lame.

Just as I’m about to jump, I notice how something behind me catches his attention and his eyes widen.

“Are you a baby?”

My legs instantly lock up when I hear one of the screechy voices that I’ve grown to hate behind me. Mia and Luna thrive on bullying me.

“Only infants play on swings. I always wonder why you want to play with a baby, Elijah.”

I forget how fast I’m swinging as I dig my toes into the hot sand. Flying forward, I almost eat sand before Elijah jumps in front of my body and catches me. His thin fingers grip me tightly, making me gasp before looking into his concerned eyes.

His brown hair falls into his eyes as he whispers into my ear, “Don’t listen to them.”

Mia and Luna walk closer to where we’re huddled.

“Aw, look how cute. Only weak people need to be saved.” Luna laughs, glancing down just in time to see Elijah lace his fingers with mine.

I’m not sure what I’ve ever done to deserve how they treat me.

I’ve only ever been nice. Mom tells me it’s because they’re jealous, and maybe she’s right because I see the way they look at my best friend.

Everyone loves him; people try to replace me and become friends with him.

But he never leaves my side; I think that’s what makes them mad.

Elijah raises an eyebrow as he pulls me to stand behind his back. He protects me all the time, but sometimes, I think that fuels them. “Don’t you have anything else to do but be mean?”

“We’re just telling the truth.” Mia shrugs.

I can’t help the tears that gather in my eyes, and when they see the despair on my face, they laugh.

Luna smirks. “You’re so weak—”

“Enough!” Elijah yells, puffing out his chest as he takes a step closer to where they stand frozen. “You know what I love about Lily?” Before giving them a chance to respond, he tugs me to his side and throws his arm across my shoulders. “That she’s nothing like you and I know she’ll never be.”

With that, he turns us both away and starts putting distance between them and us. I can feel his frustration seeping out of him in deep waves. We’re both quiet as he leads me to the tall hill we love rolling down.

“I just wish they’d leave me alone.” I hate crying in front of people, but Elijah makes me feel safe to be myself, so as a sob travels through my body before it bursts through my mouth, I don’t run away like I usually do.

“I’m sorry, Lulu. I wish I could make them stop. But you need to breathe. They’re gone now.”

I didn’t even notice I’d stopped breathing. That explains why pressure is starting to build in my forehead.

“The mean things they say about you are never true. They’re sad, so they want to make you sad as well.”

Unlacing our fingers, we drop down onto our bums and start picking at the grass.

“Can I ask you something, but you have to swear you’ll tell the truth?”

He nods, which is full of enthusiasm. “You know you can ask me anything, and I will never lie to you. We’re best friends.”

“Are you embarrassed to be friends with me?”

“Why would you think that? I could never be embarrassed by you. I love you!” he exclaims, punching me in the shoulder. “Stop being a butthead. Don’t let them make you sad.”

Shrugging, I keep my eyes forward. “I don’t want to be a butthead. It just feels like everyone wants to be your friend, and no one ever sees me.” I can’t believe I’m admitting this.

His finger swipes away the tears that trickled down my cheek. “If people don’t see you, then they’re just blind. I don’t know how you wouldn’t be able to see the sun, but I guess anything is possible.”

Punching his leg, which is leaning against mine, I send him a frown. “You say this now, but what happens when we’re older and it’s not cool to be friends with losers?”

“You’re not a loser, and you will never be one,” he huffs, resting his chin on his bent knee as he sends me a smile. “And anyway, we made a promise to each other. You haven’t forgotten it, have you?”

“Of course not.” Copying his actions, I give him all my attention. Most of the time, to me, he feels bigger than the entire world. “We’ll always be best friends,” I say, beating him before he can say anything else.

He nods while holding out his pinkie. “For infinity.”

I hook my finger around his, and he squeezes tight, like he’s trying to hold on forever.

“For infinity.”

LILY

PRESENT

A couple of years ago, I brutally realized noise was such a blessing.

The sound of Mom and Dad’s alarm clock blaring through what seemed like the entire house at seven a.m. The timer going off on the oven when breakfast was ready.

Hearing footsteps all throughout the house, at all hours of the day.

The muffled chatter as I lay awake in bed at night as a child.

Hearing my parents place “Santa’s” presents under the tree.

It didn’t matter if I’d just learned how to ride a bike or skate or if I’d graduated high school; I always heard them somewhere in the distance, knowing even the little things made them proud.

I always assumed they’d be here. Until I had gray hair and children of my own. I never expected I’d be surrounded by static silence so soon. I only hear my alarm clock now. Nobody but me cooks breakfast. I don’t celebrate my achievements because nothing has been achieved in a long time.

Silence haunts me now. I never thought I’d be alone. But I am. I’m an orphan, living in a house full of memories.

I hold back the sudden urge to scream up at the sky as I water my mother’s tulips, which she loved dearly, on our front lawn.

My parents died in a car crash three years ago. Dad died on impact, but it took Mom two days until she gained her wings and reunited with Dad. I knew she had been scared to leave me all alone. I could see it in her eyes. She was on her deathbed, but she’d still managed to put me first.

Ever since their funeral, my mind won’t stop thinking about ten things at once.

Like, for starters, how both my parents are gone.

I’m trying to learn how to be a responsible adult …

but I feel like a kid. I’m the furthest thing from being rich.

Every single penny counts now. Most days, I find myself eating cereal for dinner because the bills keep piling up.

There is nothing I want more than to keep my childhood home.

It’s my parents’ legacy. Not only did they work countless hours to keep the heat on, but they built it from the ground up.

When I’m home, it’s almost as if they’re with me.

I can’t sell it, but if I don’t get a permanent teaching job soon, the bank might take it from me.

I’ve done countless interviews, but I’m still out of a job.

The first five rejections were tough. I thought I’d never land a full-time position at a school.

But then I realized I’m just one in a million people looking to become a teacher.

Just because I’m having a hard time right now doesn’t mean I’ll forever be out of a job.

For goodness’ sake, I’m only twenty-four.

It could be worse, and I couldn’t have any substitute teacher jobs.

At least that’ll keep me afloat while I feel like I’m going to drown in bills.

When I adjust the water pressure to the max, the poor red tulips standing up perky almost bend in half.

“Darling, what on earth are you up to? Your mother would have a heart attack.”

The scratchy voice belongs to my elderly neighbor, who is basically neighborhood watch. Trust me, I would know.

Laughing off my nosy neighbor, I adjust the water pressure with a fake, friendly laugh. “Don’t know where my head is at.”

I watch the flowers bounce back up, hoping she’ll leave me alone, but she never gets the subtle hints I throw her way.

“That’s why I’m here.” She chuckles, squinting her eyes from the sunlight as she makes her way to where I stand. “So, tell me, how are you holding up?”

I shrug. “I’m doing fine. Thank you for asking.”

Like I would share anything personal with someone I hardly know. And anyway, she’s known as a gossip. The last thing I need is for my information to spread like wildfire.

“That’s terrific. Keep up the good work!”

I have to hold back an eye roll as she gestures dramatically to the garden I’m trying to water in peace.

“Your mother was such a peach. I know she’d be so proud of you.”

“She was the best,” I agree before shutting off the hose and gathering it in my hands. “If you’ll excuse me. I hate to—”

“Have you heard anything?” Her loud question interrupts me rudely.

Each time I’m forced to have a conversation with her, I notice how it seems like she was never taught manners.

“I’m lost,” I say, looking over my shoulder. How she expects me to read her mind baffles me.

“Your old pals, the ones who travel the world, doing God knows what.” Her yellow teeth pop out at me.

See, she always loves being the first to know everything.

“Sorry, I know just as much as you do.”

A couple of years ago, just after my parents died, I spotted Amelia Drakos going in and out of their house for months. I’m not sure if she’d remember me from her brother’s past, seeing how the two of us were never really close.

“It’s a shame that house has been vacant for so long now.” Crossing her bony arms, she cocks up an eyebrow. “If that young boy you seemed to be so fond of turns up, you should snatch him before he runs loose again.”

I send her a small smile. “Our friendship is in the past, and it’s going to stay that way. If you don’t mind, I need to get going. Have a nice evening.” Waving over my shoulder, I hurry away before I can hear anything else.

Puffing out a frustrated breath, I brush away the hair that fell into my eyes.

I know she’s just using me to get information about the Drakos family.

Every conversation we have always ends up leading to something about them.

I’m tired of talking about them because it always makes me question if I did something wrong.

Something to make him disappear one day without even a goodbye.

Did fifteen years of friendship mean nothing?

We had been best friends for as long as I could remember. Our parents would force us to attend Greek school every Saturday morning. He would never pay attention; he used to drive me crazy.

We were inseparable. People at school would tease us and call our friendship an obsession.

He was my only friend, someone I found comfort in when I got bullied in school. I never knew how to stick up for myself. But he always would.

Until, one day, he packed up his car with his family and never returned.

For so long, all I wanted was a phone call, for him to tell me why he’d left. Instead, I had to watch him become a world phenomenon on a screen.

After all the promises we made to one another, I’d count it as a win if I never had to see Elijah Drakos again.