Let Me Be Your Home

Cordelia's POV

As I clean up the mess from the brownies, I wonder if I overstepped a bit with Lucy. Looking back, I probably shouldn't have given her a taste of the batter like that. But we were laughing, and talking, and I felt playful. I hope I didn't scare her off.

When the dishes are done and the brownies are out of the oven, I let them cool off while I go check on Lucy. As I'm climbing the stairs, I think I hear a bird singing outside. Maybe a canary? Then I realize it's too beautiful, too perfectly crafted to be birdsong. But I've never heard a human sing like that...

The second I reach the top of the stairs, I realize the voice belongs to Lucy. I approach her door quietly, so I can listen to her sing. Her highest notes soar and ring through the walls. With my ear pressed against the door, I can hear the richness in her voice and my heart swells. I let out a small sigh of joy as she hits a note so high, I'm worried it will shatter the chandelier. 

But just then, her singing stops. I start to worry that something happened to her, because she ended the song so abruptly. I press harder against the door, trying to at least hear her breathing. I think I can almost hear footsteps when the door suddenly opens, and I fall.

Lucy, who didn't realize I was pressed up against the door, gives a small shriek as I fall onto her. I end up with my head slamming into her chest. I feel her heartbeat against my cheek for only a moment before I sit up, moving myself off or her. Lucy just lays there, stunned.

"Are you alright?" She nods, but closes her eyes as if in pain. Her hand goes to the back of her head, and I realize that she probably hit the same spot when she was knocked out earlier. I get up and reach out to pull her onto her feet as well. 

We walk back to the kitchen, where I sit Lucy down at the table and get an ice pack for her head. As I go back to the stove to cut a brownie for her, she says, "Why were you leaning against my door?"

"I was listening to you sing," I reply sheepishly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she says. "But next time, just come in. I'll sing for you any time."

I smile at her as I bring a brownie over. She takes a bite, and I watch her reaction. She closes her eyes and grins. "Good?" I ask. She nods. 

Soon enough, the rest of the girls have joined us in the kitchen for dessert. They giggle and chat as they enjoy warm brownies and cold glasses of milk. Lucy sits in a corner alone, having finished her brownie. I look over to see some of the other girls staring at her and whispering. I'm about to walk over and tell them off when I see one girl take her milk glass and telekinetically send it across the room, dumping it on Lucy's head. 

Lucy just sits there, stunned, as milk runs down her face. The girls laugh, and I immediately start to berate them. "Molly! Olivia! You two have earned a week's detention. Go to your rooms and don't come out until morning."

Molly and Olivia stalk away, leaving the other girls in awkward silence. Lucy then stands up and rushes out. I watch her as she flees, running up the stairs to her room. I turn to the other girls.

"I am very disappointed in you girls. I know you all didn't go as far as Molly did, but still. None of you have shown Lucy an ounce of compassion or empathy since she arrived. I would have thought I'd taught you better."

I turn and leave, though I go see Molly and Olivia to reprimand them again before finally going to check on Lucy. I knock, and I hear a soft voice say, "Come in."

When I open the door, Lucy sits on the bed, wrapped in a towel. Her hair is wet from the shower. "All clean?" I ask, not breaking eye contact with her as she sits there, almost naked. I don't want to make her uncomfortable. She nods, holding my gaze. I ask, "Were you about to get dressed when I walked in?"

She shakes her head. "I don't have anything else to put on. I have to wait until those ones dry," she says, gesturing to her just-washed clothes hanging on the towel rack.

"Where are your other clothes?"

"I don't have them anymore. My car was towed this morning, and I couldn't afford to get it back. Everything I had was in there," she says, on the verge of tears.

"Everything?"

"All I have are the clothes I was wearing, my phone, and my wallet."

I look at this girl, and see the exhaustion in her eyes. "Come on," I say. "You can borrow some of my clothes."

Lucy stands up and follows me down the hall to my own bedroom. I shut the door behind us as Lucy just stands in the middle of the room, not really knowing what to do.  As I cross to the dresser and start to pick out clothes for her, she says, "Are we going to start our independent study tomorrow?"

I hand Lucy a pair of sweatpants, a t-shirt, and a pair of underwear. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable by offering that last part, but I also didn't want her to have to go without. I answer her question with, "I think we can skip class for tomorrow. What do you think? We can get you some new clothes, and I can get to know you a little better." She nods, but just sort of stands there awkwardly, holding the clothes. "Lucy... do you want to put those on?"

"Oh, yeah... sorry," she says, retreating into the corner of the room to get dressed. I focus my attention somewhere else so as not to be intrusive, but when I hear her towel drop to the floor I have to resist my urge to turn around. What is wrong with me?

As I hear her start to move towards me, I assume it's safe to turn around. Thankfully, she is fully clothed and looking a little less depressed. I take a seat on the bed, and I can tell that she doesn't know whether or not to join me there. "It's okay. You can sit," I say, and she does. I wrap my arm around her waist, and to my great surprise, she leans her head against my shoulder.

"I'm so tired, Cordelia," she says.

"Then go to bed, love," I reply.

"No, I mean I'm tired of life. What's the point of existing if it's just one misfortune after another?"

My heart breaks for this girl. I lean my head onto hers as I say, "Because, dear, one day you just might wake up to the face of someone who could change your life for the better."

She picks her head up to look at me. "You?"

"If you'll let me," I reply, smiling at her. "Sweet girl, I will do everything I can to ease your suffering. If I could take all that pain away from you, I would."

Now she's crying. "Cordelia-"

I put a finger to her lips. "Don't. Just promise me that whatever happens, you'll let me take care of you."

She nods, and I wipe the tears off her face. Lucy stands up. "Thank you for the clothes."

I rise to meet her, and cross to open the door for her. She's almost out the door when I stop her, giving her one last embrace before she leaves. When she pulls away slightly, I hold her face in my hands. Without hesitation, I kiss her forehead. She smiles.

"Goodnight, Lucy."

"Goodnight, Cordelia."