Everybody Has a Reason

Talking till early hours of the morning and falling asleep in the freezing cold wasn’t the best idea, as Lila felt frozen in the morning. Conner had his arms wrapped tightly around her and he was sleeping gently, his chest going up and down gently. It soothes Lila somehow. Her eyes felt itchy from crying and her throat felt heavy.

Her thoughts were spinning around inside her mind, she was thinking so many things at once. She had to apologize to Maria and Eve.

She opened her eyes fully, realizing she was in fact in the middle of no where. She sit up quickly, they had stayed out…all night.

“Conner!” says Lila panicked and she nudges him, Conner’s eyes flutter open, he rubs them tiredly and sits up, yawning, covering his mouth as he did.

“What?” he mumbles.

“We stayed out all night. Maria is going to kill me!” she squeaks. Conner smiles carelessly.

“Don’t worry, we’ll drive back and explain” he says gently and he swung his legs over the edge and jumped off. Lila shimmered to the edge and Conner helped her, putting his hand on her waist and helping her down.

“Thanks” she mutters, rewrapping the blanket around her. Conner smiles sleepily “No problem, now come on. I need breakfast” he teases and opens the passenger door for her. Getting in and they began to make their way back. Although the heater was on and the blanket around her, Lila was still shivering. Conner glances at her and puts his arm around the back of her seat.

“Come here” he murmurs and Lila shuffles up, snuggling into his chest he put his arm around her now. He was so warm, and cosy. She smiled to herself as she snuggled further in.

“I could get use to this” murmurs Conner, flicking his indicator on. Lila smiles more.

“Me too” she whispers, but Conner heard it clearly. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face.

---

Slamming the car door shut, Lila ran up to the house, she panicked as she saw the police car outside. She rushed in, and into the living room seeing not alone Maria, but Maggie and her sons and daughter.

“LILA!” shrieks Maria, who was sobbing on Maggie’s shoulder and jumped up and ran and hugged her. Lila hugged back fiercely.

“I’m so sorry!” she sobs, and Maria squeezed her tightly. The policemen murmured into their radios, they looked pleased. Knowing that a girl hadn’t gone missing.

“Where’ve you been! I’ve been worried sick!” cries Maria, who had no makeup on and was wearing her pyjamas still.

“I-I-I” stutters Lila, unable to get her words.

“It’s my fault. I asked Lila to come take a drive with me. We ended up lost. We stopped at a nearby motel. I’m so sorry Maria. I shouldn’t have drove so far” he explains apologetically. Lila stared in amazement, why did he just take all the blame? When she was the one who begged Conner to drive.

Maria didn’t look too angry at him, “It’s fine, as long as your safe. I just…I can’t believe you just ran out like that. I thought you’d at least come back” says Maria, stroking Lila’s hair.

“Conner Samuel McGill, you are grounded till the end of the year! You understand me?” cries Maggie, who hugged her son. Conner apologized profusely.

“I’m sorry Ma” he says softly, kissing her head. Maggie wiped her eyes. The boys seemed shocked. Maggie hadn’t cried in a long time.

“I really am” says Conner, feeling guilty.

“You should be, worrying you’re brothers like that!” Maggie teases, smacking his chest lightly. Conner chuckles and smiles.

“Sorry…brothers” he says and Paddy smirked but it didn’t seem genuine.

“I’ll be back in a sec” he says suddenly and Lila noticed him with his cigarettes in his hand as he snuck out the back. Lila wanted to go talk to him, something was bothering him. But Maria insisted she went and had a hot bath.

“You go on up, have a nice hot bath, some clean clothes and come back down. I’ll make lunch for everyone” orders Maria, returning to her normal self. Lila had no choice as she was rushed upstairs and Maggie offering to make brews for everyone, including the police officers whom politely declined. Lila looked back over her shoulder, and the one person she noticed was Conner, smiling at her. Only those two would know what happened last night.

---

Lila had to admit, Maria was right. A hot bath was what she needed. She felt so much better, she wringed her wet hair out and dressed in some clean underwear, some grey cotton bottoms which were too big for her but she didn’t really care. She slipped a plain t-shirt on and Conner’s hoodie which she didn’t want to return. She dried her hair quickly, it falling into it’s natural curly stance. Lila pulled it up into a high pony, after slipping on some thick slipper socks. Lila hopped downstairs, seeing that the policemen had gone, and Frankie and Pippin were playing cards. Shaun was longing on the settee, Conner was sitting on the arm chair, his legs propped up on the little poof. Paddy was most likely outside and Maria and Maggie were in the kitchen.

Lila would have normally sat at the free space, but instead, she shuffled over to Conner, and without needing to ask she sat on his lap, putting her feet on the poof too. Conner immediately put his arm around her waist, and pulled her close. She snuggled closely, smiling.

Shaun gave them a questioning look but seeing his brother so happy, he couldn’t bring himself to. Paddy came back in after his fifth fag, they could tell from the smell.

“Paddy smells!” announces Pippin, giggling and it set everyone off. Even Paddy smiled, his eyes wandering over to where his brother and Lila were. Lila was whispering something to him and Conner smiles. Paddy couldn’t help feel pleased for him. Maybe they weren’t a couple yet, but Paddy was giving it a week at the max. These two, seemed…made for each other.

---

It’s been one week since the disappearing act, Lila confessed to the real reason when everyone had left. Maria quietly called Maggie and said there was no need for Conner to be grounded. Lila also apologized to Maria, who was very understanding about it. Which Lila appreciated.
Today, Lila and Conner had a date. Yes…a date. Conner had asked her last night and Lila accepted. She had no idea what they were doing, but she knew she was excited nonetheless.

Lila awoke early that morning and took a long, luxurious bath, pampering herself to her heart’s content. After, she got dressed into some dark blue skinny jeans, a dark purple long sleeved t-shirt, and a black zip-up going up half way. She pulled on her white coat, and slipped some chestnut coloured Ugg boots. She checked her appearance in the mirror, her hair was nice and curled naturally, her fringe was nice to her today and swept slightly to the side, showing her beautiful grey eyes, which was outline with some black eyeliner, a few layers of black mascara, a slight tint of blush on each cheek and some clear lip gloss on her lips. As she looked at herself, her clear complexion looking far more healthier then before. She felt good about her, confidence in the sky and it showed. She gave a full smile and she felt herself meaning it. She knew today was going to be a good day.

A continuous knock at the door bough Lila back to earth and she almost skipped to the door and she opened it, seeing Conner looking more gorgeous then ever. He was dressed casually too. He smirked.

“Hey, you look beautiful” he says honestly and Lila felt herself blush slightly.

“Thanks” she whispers and smiles brightly, she rushed back in the house, shouting a goodbye to Maria and went back out and shut the door behind her. Conner smiled softly.
“Ready?” he asks hopefully, she nods and links arms with him as they walk down the pathway, out of the gate and towards Conner’s beloved car.

“Where we going then?” Lila found herself asking. Conner smiled secretively.

“A secret place” he says, winking and starting his car.

20 minutes later, and they were driving up a large hill, when they finally got to the top, it was flat so the car wouldn’t actually roll down the hill. Conner pulled up, the view in front of them was breath taking. It was just green, far away fields all the way over, the sky was a bright bubbly blue and the sun was peeking out of the clouds.

“Wow” says Lila, actually impressed. Conner smiled “There’s more obviously” he insists and gets out of the car. Lila copied and watched the view in front of her. It didn’t seem real almost. The wind blew against her slightly, pinching her cheeks with coldness, her curls flaring out slightly. A slam made Lila jump and she spun around clumsily. Conner’s laughter was heard, smiling cheekily.

“You’re face” he breathes through his laughter, as he came into full view, he had a basket, a large picnic basket, on top of that was a rolled up blanket. Lila smiled widely.

“We’re having a picnic!” she squeals excitedly, clapping her hands together. Conner smiles and nods.

“Yep, and I take no credit for the food. Ma made it all for us. But I do take credit for one thing” he teases. Lila waited impatiently as he laid out the blanket for them to sit on, at the edge of the hill, daisies and dandelions all over the grassy fields. Lila made herself comfortable and watched as Conner unpacked everything.

“We have….ham, cheese sandwiches, crisps, salad, quiche, sausages, pieces of beef, potato salad, coleslaw, chocolate strawberries which Pippin and Frankie did, and fairy cakes too which I made” he says, unpacking each thing. Lila’s eyes widened.

“Oh my god, this is amazing” she says, as she sees the wonderful food. Then, Conner finally got out something.

“And this is a bottle of peach wine. A delicacy of Little Valley” he teases. Lila smiles.

“This, is more then perfect” she says gratefully. Conner smiles, inside feeling pleased with himself.

“I’m glad, so here’s your drink me Lady” jokes Conner, pouring some of the peach wine into a plastic tumbler. Lila takes it and sips it politely. It actually tasted very nice, she could get use to this.

“Nice?” asks Conner, Lila nodded “Lovely.” she corrects. Conner grins and tells Lila to dig in. They each help selves to plenty of food, Conner loved how she actually ate. She wasn’t fussy, she wasn’t picky and she actually had humanized portions. Yet, she remained a lovely figure but Conner thought he’d like her anyway even if she wasn’t beautiful. She was just that kind of person.

“So, if I get food poisoning from these cakes, I blame you right?” teases Lila, taking a bit off and eating it. Conner pretending to look offended.

“Hey! Just because I burnt the last lot doesn’t mean it always happens. Besides, I spent my time and all of it stayed in the bowl thank you very much Miss Scott” protests Conner, laughing.

Lila grins and finishes off her fairy cakes, they ate till their heart’s content and by the end, Lila was full as a balloon.

“I’m stuffed!” announces Lila, lying back and staring at the sky.

Conner grinned “Like a chicken?” he jokes and Lila smacked his arm playfully.

“Shut up. I really am full” she groans. Conner smiles mischievously.

“So I guess you have no room for ice cream then? Vanilla Ice Cream?” he says, emphasizing each word. Lila shot back up.

“Ice cream! Really?” she asks surprised. Conner nodded, chuckling as he searched in the basket, taking out a cooler bag, it had ice blocks in it too, to keep the ice cream…well ice.

“That’s so cool! Did you get this from the café?” asks Lila, as Conner handed her a miniature pot of delicious creamy ice cream. He nods.
“I know people” he says seriously, but humour in his tone. Lila rolled her eyes and greedily dug in.

“I thought you said you stuffed?” asks Conner innocently. Lila glared at him lightly.

“I was-” she begins and Conner takes the ice cream out of her hand. “Well you really shouldn’t eat this then, I’ll eat it for you” he teases, the ice cream well out of her reach. Lila groaned with frustration, she climbed over him trying to reach, but she couldn’t move, so full with food. She ended up sitting on him, legs either side of his waist.

“Conner McGill!” she says sternly, trying to keep a straight face, hands on her hips. Conner smirks and hands the pot without a word.

“I like this position” he says suddenly and Lila looks down, realizing the way she was sitting. She blushed slightly but leant down, her face near his.

“I like you” she whispers, taking the plunge. Conner smiles “I like you too” he whispers back and fills the gap between them, with a sweet vanilla tasting kiss.

The Kiss? Well, let’s just say that Lila knew that Conner’s kisses were way better then ice cream…..SO much better.

---
After packing up the food and putting it back in the car, Lila was sitting on the car bonnet, waiting for Conner. He closed the door, which made the car shake slightly and came back round to Lila. She smiled shyly.

Conner stepped closer to Lila, who was now slightly taller then him, just because she was in fact sitting on his car. Conner was now standing in between her legs and Lila smiled cheekily and wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing him fully in.

Conner chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist, looking up to her.

“You’re beautiful Lila” he says softly. Lila smiled gratefully, but her confidence was soaring. Silence between them was never awkward, just right. Conner looked up to her again.

“Can I have a kiss?” he asks hopefully and Lila nods and reaches down and they kiss again, her hands around his neck. She felt herself slipping off the car, Conner lifted her off before she slipped fully and let her feet touch the floor, leaning back against the car, still kissing.

“Lila” murmurs Conner, their foreheads touching. Lila looked at him “Yeah” she whispers, pecking his lips again.

“I know I’m rushing this. But…will you be my girl?” he asks softly, his anxiety rising. Lila broke into a bright, confident smile.

“Only if you’re mine” she teases and they burst out laughing, swaying slightly in each other’s arms. Lila kissed Conner again with passion.

“That’s a yes” she confirms and hugs him. Conner felt his heart lighten, his smile widened and the urge to kiss her again increased.

Conner lifted Lila off, surprising her and she shriek with laughter.

“Conner!” she protests and he spun her around. “Calling me a girl” he mumbles, laughing. Lila grinned, and she felt her own heart lighten and all the sadness and despair of Drew disappeared for a while, as she looked into her boyfriend’s mysterious, green eyes.