Where The Lines Overlap [CTH]

[38] Parallel Lines

Alexia

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"Whoa. You're soooo brown." Lily comments, as I began to unpack my things in front of her.

My Dad and I had just got home from him picking me up at Heathrow airport. My Mum had also just returned from work. I knew Lily was only hovering around because I promised her I would buy her long awaited and last minute Christmas gift while I was on the flight back home, but I didn't mind.

"Yeah, we were out in the sun a lot!" I replied, before tossing over a small box containing the designer perfume she had been begging me to buy for weeks. She even messaged me the link to it while I was still in Brighton.

"OMG! Thanks, Alex!" She shrieks aloud, before rushing over to me and giving me a big hug. "You're the best!"

"I know, I know." I grinned, before she releases me from her grip.

I don't remember when our relationship as sisters became a bit distant. Perhaps it was the age gap or that we have always had differences in interests, but we still liked to spend time with one another, though neither of us admitted it. This was Lily's final year in secondary school and she was almost finished with her A-levels.

For a while, we talked about her plans afterwards and whether she was going to go to university. She said she wanted to try for Warwick University and apply to others as well, but Warwick would be her first choice.

"I wanna do Accounting." She beams, as she rolled over my bed. "Not because Dad wants me to, but because I actually enjoy doing Maths."

"You might be part of the very small percentage of human society that does."

"Ha-ha." She said in a mocking voice, before throwing a pillow at me.

"I'm joking, Lil'." I add quickly. "Only teasing."

"I'm nervous to go to to university." She says now, in a more serious tone and I could tell she really was worried.

"You'll do fine. I am absolutely certain you will make it to Warwick." I reassure her. She's always had brilliant grades and neither Mum nor Dad ever had to worry about her failing. She HAD been going out with her mates a bit more than usual, that was their only complaint though.

"I'm not worried about that." She carries on and it makes me laugh and smile at how secure she was with herself. Typical Lily Watson.

"Then what is it?" I asked.

"It's just that, I've lived here my whole life."

"So have I." I joke.

"Alexia." Lily groans, before her face fell. "Well...w-what if I don't make any friends while I'm out there? What if they won't like me?"

"Don't be silly. You will make friends." I said, before sitting next to her. "And what's not to like?"

She grins at me and then asks about my trip to Australia: what it was like being in Calum's home, meeting his family and what not and it felt like I spoke for hours on end. Luckily, Lily was very keen on listening, down to details, like what Luke was wearing when we were out and what he drank. It was nice catching up with her.

"Mum and Dad missed you a lot while you were away, y'know." She adds, as she laid on my bed, or rather what is now hers, seeing as she did move into my room ever since I left university. "They're making your favourite for dinner."

"I missed them too! I missed all of you."

Lily gives me a softer smile and then I hand her a small paper bag from my suitcase.