✓𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐱𝐨𝐧² | 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥

4.7

I dropped off CJ at Aaron's house so he could play with Gracie and the other kids whilst my dad and I found Lydia a bit after.

"You want to live here, right?" My dad started off, leaning against the brick wall.

Lydia was cleaning her knife and shoving it back into her pocket. "They deserved it." She stated.

"We know that. Trust me I hate those guys just as much as you do." I replied with my hand over my chest.

"You can't be doing shit like that." My dad also added.

"But they can just write whatever the hell they want on our door?" Lydia then asked, standing up and almost getting in our faces.

"I'll talk to 'em. I'll set 'em straight." Dad suggested, but Lydia wasn't so fond of the idea.

"Lilia has already spoken to them once, they don't listen." She huffed and folded her arms stubbornly.

"We'll make them listen this time." I firmly said.

"No please. I don't want you both to fight my fights for me, okay?" Lydia responded, a bit irritated. "They want me to give up. I know that. But I'm not gonna, I can't."

"I get it. Can't you just avoid 'em?" Dad asked and Lydia gave him a look of annoyance. She then sighed heavily and grabbed her stick, brushing past us both and walking away. "Great."

"Don't worry about it, at least you're trying." I reassured my dad who looked guilty. "I'll leave her to cool off for a bit, then I'll talk to her again."

•

It started to get darker pretty quick. I checked up on CJ who was having a great time with the kids, he even begged to have a sleepover. Although I feared the worst again, every time he asked for one I was always faced with that day again when he was taken. I brushed my fingers over my fading scar before agreeing.

I thankfully found Lydia wandering around with her stick in hand, often fiddling with it from time to time. Henry did that too. When he was thinking or in a world of his own he would lift it and catch it from time to time, it seemed like Lydia had picked up on one of his old habits.

"Hey." I greeted quietly, trying not to startle her as she turned around.

She saw me and looked down briefly, before wrapping her hands around the stick firmly. "Here to give me another lecture?" She asked.

I shook my head no with an amused smile. "Nah, not my thing. Just checkin' up on you."

"Well, I'm fine. Thanks anyway." Lydia stated before turning on her heel.

"Great talk." I muttered to myself, but I refused to give up. So I followed her some more. "I ain't leavin' you, it's dark."

"Really? Wow." She asked sarcastically.

"Hey, listen to me." I stopped her and held my hand on her shoulder. "My dad doesn't mean to make you annoyed or anything about this, trust me on this, he's tryin' his best. We all are."

Lydia thought about it for a moment from the look on her face, pouting her lips and looking down. "I know, sorry. It's just...weird."