Care For Me ✔️

6

Elliot smiled at me and waved his hand. "Hey, kid. I'm Elliot."

Would Jack be upset if I introduced myself to his friends?

It would be rude if I ignored him...

Taking a deep, much needed breath, I push a strand of hair behind my ear moved and peak up at Elliot with a nervous smile, one I'm sure looks more like a grimace than anything else.

You can do this, it's just talking, it's not that hard.

"H-hi Elliot, I'm Lily." I whisper timidly, unable to hide my nerves as I stammer the words. Frustration burns in my gut. It's bad enough that it feels like the whole world has been against me my entire life, now I have to deal with my the betrayal of my own voice?

My voice. Mine. Something I should be able to have, keep, use. Something that shouldn't be stolen from me with broken words, riddled in a lifetime of fear I'm afraid I'll never be rid of.

Elliot studies me for a moment, as does Enzo and the identical pair of the brothers, the twins whose names I can't find.

"Holy shit," Elliot whispers out, voice coated in laughter. "You look soooo much like Leo. It's insane."

That seemed to gather everyone's attention, all eyes turning to me.

I look like who? Isn't that the youngest Lombardi?

I look towards my new found friends, each of them staring at me just as intensely as the the boys before me. Even the four Lombardi brothers, the same ones who haven't been paying much notice from the start, are now staring.

The silence seems to stretch on for forever. It's awkward and I hate it. My chest hurts, and I'm scared that I'll suffocate beneath their stares if this lasts much longer. Can't breathe. Can't breathe. Can't breathe. I lower my head and focus my eyes to the table, fingers trembling anxiously against Emilio's, in his hand that holds mine like a vice.

"She looks like who?" Jack asks, eyes sliding towards Ace or Alex. I'm unsure which is which. Part of me wanted to jump up from the table and hug my brother, thank him for easing the unbearable tension.

But I don't. That's a death wish in itself.

"Leo. Our youngest brother." One of the boys, Alex (I think?) says. Blue eyes moving from my face to Jack's, almost as if he's comparing us.

"Oh." Jack murmurs, like he's heard the name before.

"I freaking knew you had a familiar face!" Atlas screams, loud and proud. The stares increase, just like the pressure in my chest. "I said it this morning. Remember, Lily? I literally said it! Leo is your doppelgänger. Holy freaking shit. That explains why you clicked with us so quick. You're like Leo's little clone!"

Please stop talking, Atlas. Please, I can't breathe.

"Who's similar to me?"

My palms grow slicker as my nerves reach tenfold at the sound of the voice behind me. I don't know how Milo hasn't let go of my hand, how our palms haven't slipped away from each other. He's been brushing his thumb over the edge of mine this entire time, maybe he can sense I'm freaked out, maybe he thinks it'll ease my panic. At least, that's what I think he's trying to do. Maybe he doesn't know I'm panicking at all. Maybe this is just how Emilio is; kind, comforting, caring.