Tigerlily (The Last Shifter Sequel)

Tigerlily

They call me Tigerlily. They meaning my owners, the people who stole me from my family. I am not your normal tiger, in fact, I'm not really a tiger at all. I am a shifter, a person who can turn themselves into an animal. I recieved this "strange" ability on my mother's, Anna, side. She, too, was a tiger shifter. She showed me the ropes and taught me how to control it. Her and my father, Derrick, named me Lilly. I'm not sure why. Maybe mom liked lillies, but then again, she had dad make my nursery room have a daisey theme all the way until I was old enough to decide how I wanted it to be. So maybe she just liked flowers in general. Then again, dad was the one to come up with Lilly. Well, anyway, Lilly's my true name, so I guess it's okay that these people call me Tigerlily - it's pretty close, right? Mabe I should start at the beginning, before these people took me from my home.

Two weeks ealier:

It was my tenth birthday. Mom and dad were bustling around trying to gte everything ready for my birthday party that was to start in a few short hours. Everyone we knew were coming, from my friends to my parents' friends. It was chaos around here as we all prepared for my big day.

"Sweety, why don't you go put on your new dress. You'll look absolutely adorable in it," mom told me as she tied a string on a bright blue balloon.

I internally groaned. The dress she was refering to made me look like a kid-sized human cupcake, with all it's ruffles and lace, and general puffiness. Sure, girls around my age loved dresses, but I wasn't one of those girls. I was completely like my dad. I loved sports and getting dirty. Why would mom ask me to wear something so nice when I would most likely ruin it before the party was even halfway over? "Being 'adorable' is for kids, mom, not for ten-year-olds like me."

Dad, who had been putting up streamers, chuckled and directed at mom, "Sound familiar?"

Mom sent a mock glare at him. "Oh, hush up, you."

He chuckled again and said to me, "Do as your mother says, kiddo."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I am not a kid. And I'm only going to go put on that girly dress, because I have to or else I'd get in trouble, not because you tell me to." With that I stomped my way over to my room. Seeing the offending article of clothing lying neatly on my bed, I went to my clothset and started to take out my old sneakers, that was when I saw them - white dress shoes that matched perfectly with the dress, tucked away in a bright pink box with the words 'Little Miss Sunshine' written on it. That must have been where they got the shoes from. I knew that place well - it's where mom dragged me to get my birthday dress at. It was a little shop for girls dresses and accessories. It wasn't really expenisive, but it difinately wasn't cheap, either. I took the polished shoes out and set them down next to the dreadful dress.

I know my parents, especially my mom, had been planning this party for years, probably the minute I was born. The wanted my tenth birthday to be extra special. I also knew that as soon as they finished planning for my tenth, they started planning for my sixteenth - something about it being a super sweet sixteen, or something like that. So looking back at the blue dress I knew I had to wear it - to make them happy. I was thankful that they were doing this for me, but it wasn't really what I wanted. I wanted it to just be my friends and I and my parents hold it at an amusement park or Chuckie Cheese's or something. I never wanted it to be at home where the decorations were over-the-top and lots and lots of people attended. However, that's what I got, and I was grateful for it anyway.

Lifting up the dress I quickly put it on, followed by the shoes. I walked over to my full-length mirror and looked upon my reflection. I was right, I really did look like a huge, blue, kid-sized human, cupcake. All I needed was a cherry or something on top of my head, which I no doubt will recieve during the party - either a crown or regular party hat. I sighed and tried to flatten down some of the ruffles.

Giving up, I walked over to my vanity set and took the seat, facing the mirror. I grabed my hairbrush and tugged it through my red-brown curls. That's when mom's friend and co-worker - and my former babysitter -, Madori, made her way into my room.

"Want some up with that, honey?" I lifted the brush up behind me and she took it, her other hand slipped under my hair, and she started to brush it. "You have gorgeous hair, Lilly. I wish my hair was like your and your mother's."

I scoffed. Ever since I discovered a baseball, I wanted to have straight hair. I didn't really care what color it was, but to me my hair color was quite boring.

"I'm serious!" she laughed. "I can't do anything with my hair except brush it up into a ponytail or a messy bun." She grabbed up some bobby pins and a few clips. I could feel her twisting my hair here and there and sticking a bobby pin there and a clip here. I kept my head down, not looking into the mirror. "Your dress looks very pretty, like a little princess ready for her ball."

I laughed. What I wouldn't give to have a T-shirt, some jeans or shorts, and my old, dirty sneakers. Casting a brief gaze at the mirror I saw her smile.

"Laugh all you want now, missy. Just know that today you're a lady, and boy do you look it!" She put a finger under my chin and lifted my head up to look in the mirror.

"I'm-"

"Beautiful," she cut in.

My hair was done up in an elegant updo, with a few stray curls cascading on the side. It looked like every girly-girl's dream come true hairstyle.

Madori grabbed some strwberry scented hairspray and put on a light mist of it on my hair. Then she picked up some of the sparkly butterfly clips and placed them in my hair as well. "There," she exclaimed, "all finished." I didn't know what to say. "Oh, we need to put the finishing touches on ya. Now, I know you're a little young for makeup, but some lipgloss and glitter will definitely put all this together."

Was I going to my birthday party, or a girls beauty pageant? Regardless, I let her do so.

"Your parents have the place looking like something out of an ideas for kids parties magazine out there," she said. Seeing as I had no reply she said, "Why aren't you so talkative, hun? Usually you're yapping my ear off. Today you haven't said two words to me."

I shrugged my shoulders.

Madori put her hands on her hips, putting the gloss and glitter brush down. "I know you better than that, Lilly. Tell me, what's wrong?"

I didn't answer for a moment. "This isn't me," I stated.

She looked sad at first, but then she smiled. "Oh, hun-ney, it's only for a day. Less than. You can change back into your normal clothes and put your hair in a ponytail and wipe all that makeup off after your party."

I cast my eyes down, feeling guilty. "It's not just the way I look, it's the party, too." I looked up at Madori. "I didn't want something like this - like some snoby girl's dream tea party. It's just not who I am."

Madori pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry, sweety. Did you tell your parents how you felt?"

"Not exactly."

She pulled back some. "Well, honey, I promise that next year I'll suggest to your parents that they take you to a big lake and go fishing, how does that sound?"

I giggled, actually giggled, like one of those mean, bossy girls from my school that loved to have tea parties. "That would be awesome."

Madori grabbed my hand and led me out of my room. Everyone had arrived.