Everybody Has a Reason

Connor glanced at this beautiful girl sitting beside him. He noticed her as soon as she entered the pub, he was practicing for his set. Connor worked there three times a week, for about 5 hours depending on what shift, he occasionally did bar work too. But he mostly played music. He watched this girl walk in, she looked frustrated, annoyed almost. She was soaked too, but she still looked incredible. She had dark brown hair that seemed to naturally be in those curls, bright greyish blue eyes that seemed full of sadness and despair. Something attracted to him, more then just her looks. Something more. He finished his set and told his friend he’d be right back. Little did he know, he was on for an adventure with this girl.

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For Lila, an hour went by fairly quickly. Connor was a very nice person, he was funny too, sweet and just a great person to talk too.

Soon, Connor was pulling up to Aunt Maria’s house. “This is the one Lila” he says softly and Lila looked up at the house, which was slightly on a bank. It was decently sized, it was painted a pale green which blended in with the green hills behind it, there was a stony pathway leading up the house and some purple flowers in baskets by the door. This was her new home.

“Thanks for everything” she murmurs.

“I’ll help you with your bags” he says suddenly and gets out ‘Buttercup’. Lila copied, she heard the boot slam close and Connor smiled as he carried her bags. Lila walked up to the black gate and tried to open it but it wouldn’t. She tried again, she heard Connor laughed from behind her.

“It helps when you unlock it from inside” he teases. Lila felt herself blush slightly.
Connor reached over, from behind Lila and unlocked the gate.
“There you go” he murmurs near her ear. Lila involuntarily shivered. The gate opened and Lila quickly walked through, Connor followed.

They walked up the pathway, before they even reached the front door, it swung open revealing none the other, Aunt Maria.

“Lila! Darling!” calls Maria happily, trotting down the pathway in some very fashionable high heels. Maria was a beautiful woman, no mistake. She had bright blonde hair and blue eyes, she was tall, elegant and what Lila would easily describe as a supermodel. She always had perfect, hair either straight or curly or styled, She had perfect makeup done every day and the perfect figure of a tiny waist, big bust and a good curvaceous body. Today, she was dressed a black pencil skirt with a dark purple blouse tucked in, with a waist belt around her. Her blonde hair was straightened to a T, and her makeup always consisted of thin black eyeliner that made her eyes pop, mascara, powder, and lip gloss, today was a neutral day.

“Aunt Maria” says Lila, feeling hope as she saw her Godmother, she always got on well with Maria, they had this connection with each other. She could talk to Maria instead of her brother if needs be about women problems. They had a close relationship, in fact Lila would call her, her second mother because Maria was always there when their parents died so long ago. She only just moved to Ireland roughly, three yeas ago.

Maria engulfed Lila in a huge, expensive perfume wafting Lila’s nose as she hugged Maria back.

“My goodness, darling you look so beautiful. Doesn’t she Connor?” says Maria, gushing, and placing her hands on Lila’s cheeks, examining her. Maria could see the big difference in her appearance.

“She sure does Maria” he says softly, watching Lila. Lila felt her cheeks flame again and refused to make eye contact with him.

“Connor, thank you so much for bringing her here. I tried to ring your mobile but the signal out here isn’t good darling”

“It’s fine, Connor was great help” reassures Lila, lancing at him.

“Oh good, he’s such a good neighbour.” she teases, flashing him a pearly white smile. Connor nodded and smile politely back.

“Would you like me to bring these in for you?” he offers, before Lila could protest. Maria smiled, putting an arm around them both.

“Yes please. Would you like to join us for lunch Connor?” she asks happily, as they entered her home. Connor smiled appreciatively.

“I would, but I’ve got to finish my shift at the Pub. I promise Derrick I’d do another set” says Connor, Lila felt guilty for bringing him all the way here, when he had to go back to where they came.

“Oh dear, well you’ll have to come round some time for dinner. Lila needs teenage company around here.” insists Maria

“I’m looking forward to it” he says softly, focussing his gaze on a red faced Lila who stayed silent.

Connor put the bags down and gave one last, charming smile. “I’ll see you soon Lila” he says, like it was a promise. Lila shyly waves, unable to comprehend words.

“Bye Connor” she whispers, but he was always retreating back to ‘Buttercup’. Maria squeezed Lila softly.

“We’re going to have some fun aren’t we?” she says kindly, kissing Lila’s head before shutting the door and informing Lila on where everything was.

Finally, when Lila reached her new room, she opened the door cautiously and stepped inside, her suitcase rolling behind her. Maria followed her, putting her travel bag on the double bed. The wall were painted a soft lilac colour, with a dark purple wall paper travelling at the skirting boards at the top of the walls. A dresser was by a door, and it was plain wooden, painted white recently. A mirror was on the wall opposite the dress, a floor length one. A decent sized, double bed in purple linen with plenty of cushions on was in the centre of the room, and a small working desk was close near the mirror. It was fairly decent size, and a nice room too. The window was above the bed and it showed the most spectacular view of the hills, amazing green scenery was seen all around, the sky was a greyish colour but I seemed to blend in so well.

“You like?” asks Maria hopefully. Lila came out of her daze and smiled reassuringly.
“I love it Maria” she says honestly, sitting on the edge of her new bed.

Maria gave a pleased smile “Good, your bathroom is through that door there” she points to the door beside the dresser. Lila nodded, taking in the information.
“Fresh towels are in the airing cupboard, shampoo and conditioner in the cabinet and if there’s anything you need, you give me a shout.” Lila nodded again.

Maria clapped her hands together once and smiled, exhaling. “I know this is hard for you” she says suddenly, a quiet, soft tone in her voice. Lila looked up, surprised. She didn’t need to ask anything, as she knew what Maria meant. Drew.

Maria sighed gently, and sat down on the beside Lila, putting a comforting arm around her, crossing her legs elegantly. “The pain goes away, eventually” she says softly, rocking Lila softly like you would for a child. Unable to be stubborn any long, Lila put her arms around Maria’s middle and clung tightly. She felt tears in her eyes.

“I miss him so much” she sniffles, trying to control herself. Maria soothed her, stroking her head like a mother does.

“I do too. But, Drew had his reasons, reason we don’t know.” Maria says in a tone that Lila didn’t recognize. It sounded sad, and lonely.

Lila didn’t want to argue, she didn’t have the strength, she just let Maria calm her, hold her like she wanted. After finally getting it together, Maria let Lila unpack and get settled in, telling her lunch would be ready by 2.

Unpacking her belongings seemed harder then packing them, as she assorted through her things, more and more reminders of Drew appeared. The top he bought her as a random gift, he always noticed the little things. If Lila happened to say “I love that top” the following day or so, it would be hanging up by her door of the old flat.

There was jewellery from birthdays and Christmases, a necklace which Lila had and she had never taken off. She got it when she was 16, Drew was eighteen and had got a bonus at his work place as a worker in one of the warehouses of car industries. Something that Lila never really understood was his work.

Then, the camera. It was full of pictured, captured memories. Pictures of friends, family. Lila put the camera on the desk, not wanting to look through it any more. She got out her laptop, setting it up and hoping there would be email connection. A good 20 minutes later, everything was in place, her bags were now hidden away under bed, her clothes all neatly hung up and her personal belongings were set on the desk or the shelves on the opposing wall.

“Lilly! Lunch is ready!” calls Maria, Lila was staring at her ceiling, wondering what was going to happen next for her. She was 18 years old, finished school, too depressed to even think about college and she had no close blood family left. She was alone in this world.

“Lilly!” shouts Maria again. Lila got up slowly from her bed and shuffled downstairs, putting on a fake smile for her Godmother.

“What we having?” she asks. Maria had two plates in her hand and they sat at the small breakfast table that was in the big kitchen. Maria’s home was fairly modern, which surprised Lila as she imagined it to be old-fashioned.

“Tuna Bake” says Maria proudly, putting the plate in front of Lila. They both started eating silently, occasionally talking about nothing particularly interested, it was only so they would know that nothing was wrong. But again, that was lie. To Lila, everything was wrong.