The Hollows In Our Freedom | 'Hollows' Book Ⅲ

Chapter Twenty-Four

"But it was all me, you did nothing wrong." I said, pushing back the covers so I could swing my legs out.

She shook her head. "I compared you to Jameson; I shouldn't have done that."  Before she said anything else, though, I leapt up at Guardian speed and pulled her in for a tight embrace.

She laughed, winding her arms around me. I held her so tight I think I crushed her tiny bones.

"Love you, Lexi." I smiled into her hair.

"I love you too."

It was times like these I realised just how vulnerable we both were from now on. We had to do everything and anything to protect each other. With a friendship this long-lasting, I think it's possible—but it would be difficult.

We soon pulled away from the hug, but not soon enough for Sky to squeal, "happy birthday!" Into my ear.

I winced, holding my palm over the now injured area. She grinned, pushing me onto the bed and grabbing the bag I had seen her holding earlier up from the floor.

"Well, this is a weird predicament." I retorted, watching as she joined me on the bed. She rolled her eyes, but I saw the corners of her lips turn up. She grabbed onto my arm, pulling me up into a sitting position.

She then pulled out a gift bag, and thrust it into my hands.

I stared at the bag, then stared at Sky for a brief moment. "How did you...when did you have time to get this?" I asked her, utterly amazed that my Guardian intuition was left stumped.

She tapped her nose, which I rolled my eyes at. I took the white and pink tissue paper off the top—I wouldn't say they're my favourite colours, but they are particularly cute. My favourite colour is actually lilac. Real scary, I know. It's just so calming; a fair pink continuum, in which purple is lightly intertwined, but never enough that you'd classify it as purple. I think my obsession with the colour can seem a little much, but it's all under control.

I dug around a little in the bag, before unearthing a small packet. A packet of carrots. I turned to raise my eyebrow at Sky, who was giggling to herself.

"I hope this doesn't mean the return of Alexi Rabbot." I warned, shaking my head at the first present she had given me for my eighteenth birthday.

She held up her hands in surrender. "You said it, not me." I should explain. The story is nothing more than me enjoying a good portion of carrots during the day, and when I'm at school I'll obviously still eat them.

So yes, Alexi Rabbot was my name for a time. Until I decided to kick arse, that is.

"Please tell me you at least got me hummus too." I said, putting the carrots on the bed beside me. Sky laughed aloud, placing a pot of hummus next to the bag of carrots. I decided that the present wasn't that bad.

I fished around in the bag a little more, pulling out what felt almost like silk. It ran through my fingers like water as I tried to pull the item out. It was heavy, considering the material's thin properties. Once I had pulled it out of the bag, I realised it wasn't silk, but satin.

I stared at it.

It was a glorious silver satin dress. It had blush pink trimmings, all in lace, and would hang in a way that would reveal some cleavage. It wasn't a tight fit; it's thin strips holding it loosely to a figure.