Complicated - MLWTWB

1: How many are there?

The Welcome to Colorado sign mocks Lily as she steps off the plane, Jackie following not far behind with her mountain of bags. Lily rolls her eyes as Jackie calls Uncle Richard the second they're out of the gate.

"Girls! Hi!" Katherine's voice carries over the bustling airport.

Lily internally groans as she prepares herself to make pleasantries. She lingers behind Jackie and lets her do the talking—her specialty. Lily's tight-lipped smile is enough to warn Katherine and George off going in for a hug.

Lily's ears start to ache as she turns up the volume on her headphones again, trying to block out the voices of Jackie, Katherine, and George. The plane ride had been similar—drowning out Jackie's voice is something Lily finds herself doing a lot these days. Her eyes scan over the rolling mountains as they drive to the Walters' ranch. Her new home.

As the car comes to a stop, Lily reluctantly takes off her headphones and follows Jackie into the crisp country air. The house is huge. Jackie and Lily stay silent.

"You okay?" Katherine asks.

"Fine," Jackie replies with a smile, while Lily gives a small nod before scanning the house with her eyes.

"Let's get you inside. We'll introduce you to everyone," Katherine says, gesturing to the steps behind her. Katherine's phone rings as they step onto the veranda, and Lily already contemplates putting her headphones back on to avoid any more voices.

Jackie's backpack collides with Lily as she jumps back to avoid being hit by a skateboard—a rude "Move" being the only warning.

"Watch out," Lily snaps, pushing Jackie's backpack out of the way.

"Not my fault," Jackie mutters in response.

Lily rolls her eyes. Her gaze follows the skateboarder and lands on another teenage boy lying down, reading a book.

"They're everywhere," she thinks to herself, turning and walking to the other end of the porch.

She hears Jackie introduce herself to the lounging boy before gesturing toward her, prompting Lily to do the same. Lily just rolls her eyes and opens her phone, sending a quick text to the group chat:

I hate this country shit already.

"That's Lily," Jackie says. "She's anti-social," she adds, earning a laugh from the boy.

Lily glances at him before following Jackie and Katherine inside. A little boy whips past as his dad tells him to slow down. The front door opens into a hallway that leads to the kitchen. The wall ahead is lined with coats and hats—too many to count.

"How many fucking people live here?" Lily mumbles under her breath as they stop in front of a small loungeroom, where two more teen boys sit playing video games. George introduces them as Alex and Isaac. Lily isn't really paying attention, so she's not overly sure which one is which, but she's certain Jackie has retained every piece of information.

One of the boys stands and can't keep his eyes off them as George asks him to grab some of their bags from the car. Lily looks around, hoping she'll be shown her room soon so this can end, as the boy shakes Jackie's hand. He looks to Lily, but she backs away, walking down the hallway to have a further look at the house.
Whatever George is saying falls on deaf ears as Lily falls back into step behind Jackie. Katherine hands them each a glass of water. Lily takes a sip and places hers down on the kitchen bench. She grumbles about the "millions of children" that live here as she notices all the clutter—shoes, toys, and random belongings strewn everywhere.

"Hey, look at this," Jackie calls from in front of the staircase. "It's Mum."

Lily joins her sister, glances at the framed photo, and mutters, "Great," before her phone vibrates in her pocket. She walks away to check it.