Well, well, well we meet again, TUTs. I know I use the song before in the prologue but I really feel Summer Kennedy's song is the perfect song to capture the vibe of LILITH.
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Adam's love bruises, Avery's habits and the damn car is too small for Phoenix.
When Aiden and Mira arrived at the party, it seemed to be reaching the climax.
They jumped out of her car and made their way upstairs to Aiden's room where he waited outside the room while she changed. Once she was ready and had applied her lipstick, she undid her plaits, allowing her curls to bounce free. She left the room shutting the door behind her and Aiden stared at her.
She raised her eyebrows at him. "What?"
"Where are you hiding the old Mira? Is her body hidden where I won't be accused of murder?"
She smacked his arm and made her way downstairs trying to dodge the clusters of people; Aiden ambled behind her, keeping his head low as if hiding from everyone.
Avery was always the more popular of the Eden siblings. Although, Mira had to admit Aiden was quite handsome, especially as they got older. She figured that most girls avoided him because he was always with her.
When they got to the ground floor, Aiden led the way whilst Mira looked around. She made eye contact with Avery, who had her arms around Evelyn. Avery seemed panicked when she met with Mira's eyes and she wondered if she should go try to help her but Aiden caught her hand leading her to the basement.
Mira forcefully dragged her gaze away from Avery and Evelyn. Suddenly in the mood to dance the night away, she started making her way down the basement stairs, when Aiden stopped her. "Wait, I'm going to go get the popcorn for your mom."
Mira froze; he always had a fear of the basement.
"Are you still scared of the basement after all this time?"
He gave her a thin smile. "You know it. I hate basements. They're so creepy."
He shot her a pair of finger guns at Mira, whilst clicking his tongue and disappeared.
Mira couldn't help but feel as if he abandoned her, though that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
She grinned.
When they were nine, Aiden and she snuck downstairs and watched a horror movie that Ray and Claudia had strictly forbidden and, naturally, Giya had provided. Before they even started the movie, Aiden had a panic attack because of the 'monsters'. Claudia had come downstairs hearing him scream. It was the first and last time Mira had ever seen Claudia angry.
That night, Giya told Mira that he had been locked in a storage cabinet in the basement of his previous house and had gotten hurt so he probably had a subconscious fear that remained. Hence, he and Mira weren't allowed in the basement. Even if it's full of people, he stays clear of it and it's probably the reason he never attended Avery's parties.
She made her way down the stairs until she reached the basement and immediately soaked up the energy oozing off the crowd, which was a mass orgy of dry-humpers. She let out a small laugh, making her way to the opposite end of the basement to a nearby window, where the drinks were.
She wondered how everyone survived here without passing out from the lack of oxygen as she grabbed a can of Pepsi from the cooler box. She wiped the top, making sure the can was sealed properly before she opened it. She turned around and saw Avery come downstairs, without Evelyn, which made her heart flutter in the excitement that Avery could be looking for her. She saw her scan the crowd and make her way to the DJ platform. Mira took a step towards her when out of nowhere, she was twirled around. The can in her hand was removed and handed to a random person passing by. Adam stepped into her view and she felt her heart drop a little but managed to put a smile on her face.
"Adam, you're here?"
He tapped his ear indicating he couldn't hear her. He leaned in closer and Mira smelt the slightest whiff of beer on his breath.
Now that she assessed him; he was ever so slightly tilting to the side and a goofy grin plastered on his dimpled face. She shook her head, bringing her back to reality.
She bit the inside of her cheek. The last thing she wanted to do is deal with a drunken Adam when all she wanted to do was talk to Avery. Adam dropped his head so he could whisper in her ear. "You look hot, babe." He placed a hand on her hip and drew her closer.
She frowned. "Adam, you broke up with me."
Suddenly, he pulled her flush against him and stopped, for a split second, to look behind her. He smirked causing her to frown because, for that moment, he was sober and leaned down for a kiss.
She quickly placed her hands on his mouth to stop him.
She pushed him back. "Whoa there, buddy. I'm pretty sure hooking up with your ex, ten hours after breaking up, is against some sort of unsaid rule on breakup etiquette."
Adam looked surprised at her rejection and then he scowled.
"Do you want a drink?"
She shook her head. "Adam, perhaps you should go get some air."
He thought about it and after some time, nodded, making his way through the crowd and left. Soon as he disappeared, Mira spun around to search for Avery, but she was already gone.
"Well, this just got lame," she said losing her motivation to dance. The night became a little too real for her. She made her way back upstairs to the ground floor, where she was hoping to meet up with Aiden again. She pulled out her phone and texted him. She checked the time too. 8:25 pm. Her phone pinged as he replied.
Sir Phoenix of the House of Eden
Phoenix? Where are you? 20:25
Delayed.
Stay away from Avery. 20:34
P.S. Harry loves Draco. I ship.
P.P.S. Car is too small. 20:35
Mira didn't even try to come up with a possible explanation as to what he was talking about. She decided to head up to Aiden's room to wait for him. When she got upstairs, she walked to his room, at the dead-end of the corridor and passed Avery's on the way.
Usually, the party people stayed away from this wing; Avery probably made some unwritten rule about that.
Her door was slightly ajar. Mira stopped in front of Aiden's door and thought for a couple of minutes. She made up her mind to ignore Aiden's request and spun on her heels, towards Avery's room.
'Maybe she's in there,' Mira thought. On her door was a Caution: Keep out! The sign made Mira giggle. "How fitting."
She knocked on the door and began to open it. When she stepped in, she saw Avery on the bed, holding Evelyn, who was straddling her, by the waist. They both looked up at Mira. She quickly slammed the door shut, breathing heavily, her hand still on the handle. She felt her cheeks heat up and she cowered away.
She scurried to Aiden's room and closed the door as she ran her hand through her hair and tugged hard. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."
She wasn't sure whether she was calling Avery or herself that. She slid to the floor, curled her knees up and hid her face. "Phoenix, where are you?"
There was a knock on the door and Mira crossed her fingers, hoping the person would go away. The knock came again after a minute only a bit harder.
"Mira, you in there?" Adam called out. She felt her chest sag in relief that it wasn't Avery. She got up and opened the door. She grabbed him and pulled him into the room before she could see Avery's. He glanced around, taking in the new scenery. "Is this Phoenix's room?"
She nodded. He placed his hands on either side of her arms. "Are you okay? Did Avery do something?"
Mira's head shot up. "What? No. I saw nothing."
Adam raised an eyebrow before breaking into a smile, revealing his dimples that only amplified his boyish charm. Mira made a mental note to stop eyeing his dimples. Through this, she also became painfully aware of how close they were standing and the fact that they were alone in a dark room. That never ended well for both of them. As if sharing her thoughts, Adam made his way to the bed, away from her and climbed onto it. He bounced on around, wrinkling up the covers and tossed a pillow aside. Mira knew he did this to irritate Aiden by giving him the wrong idea.
He kicked off his shoes, whilst laying back. She made her way to the bed and sat next to him. "Why did you break up with me?"
He opened one eye to peek at her and smirked. "Having second thoughts?" He got up so he was sitting next to her.
Their shoulders bumped against each other. He swayed slightly and Mira realized he was still tipsy. She gulped. "No, just wondering..."
She trailed off as he placed a hand on her thigh, his fingertips, inching higher.
Mira grabbed it. "Adam, this isn't the time." He chuckled lowly and flipped her over so he was on top of her. She stared up at him and tried to peer into his baby blue eyes, for any signs of her Adam but they were darkened, clouded with a raging storm.
Mira began to get uncomfortable; she tried to wriggle herself out from under him but he took her hands in his grasp. He moved it above her head, pushing it down into the bed as he kissed her. She shut her eyes; his tongue tasted bitter. He trailed it along her lower lip.
She couldn't breathe.
With his free hand, he trailed it under her dress. She struggled beneath him more violently but he was too strong for her. Her hands became numb and she bit on Adam's lip, hard, causing him to snap out of his dwaal.
He shot up, cradling his bleeding lip. Mira sat up and slapped him, trying to bring him to his senses. At first, he glared at her then he looked down and realized what he was doing.
He looked crestfallen as if he just realized what he was about to do. He scrambled off the bed. "I'm sorry. I –"
Avery opened the door. "Mira, are you in here?"
She froze looking between Adam and her. She was about to leave the room but she noticed Adam's bleeding lip. She reassessed the situation; Mira was dishevelled on Aiden's bed, looking terrified; more shocked but still scared. She put two and two together, stomping up to Adam and taking a swig at his face, knocking him to the ground. She tackled him and went to punch him again but Mira got off the bed and grabbed Avery's arm. "No, Avery stop! It's a misunderstanding. Just let him go."
Avery reluctantly got off him. Mira crouched down beside Adam but he flinched away from her. "I'm sorry," he repeated as he got up and left the room.
Mira collapsed to the ground and Avery made her way to her. She looked up at her. "I'm okay. Adam wasn't thinking straight."
Avery cradled Mira, her head on Avery's chest listening to her soothing heartbeat. "That doesn't excuse him." She wrapped her arms around Mira. "Why him?" she whispered.
Mira wrapped her arms around Avery too and buried her face into her shoulder.
Avery, subtly took a deep breath, inhaling Mira's sandalwood scent, as Mira's heartbeat got faster. "Why Evelyn?" Avery tensed up, causing Mira to giggle. "By the way," she spoke up. She detached herself from Avery, much to her disappointment. She smirked at her. "Adam and I broke up. He realized his mistake, he won't do it again."
She stood up and walked over to Aiden's en-suite leaving Avery behind to absorb what she just proclaimed. It clicked. Mira was free. Avery got up to follow after her but Aiden walked in, stopping her.
"Why are you in my room?!" He looked around; his eyes fell on his messed up bed and then back to his sister, still crouched on the floor clothes messed up and hair all wild. "We have rules; absolutely no hooking up with random strangers in your sibling's room." He pinched his fingers to his forehead, shaking it as if he had a headache coming on. "This is like siblings 101. What type of weird new kink is this?"
He cringed walking up to the sheets, and gingerly picked them up. "Now I have to put them in the wash."
Avery rolled her eyes and stood up. "We have no such rule. You're being dramatic."
He scoffed. "No, I'm not. Who could have been in here with you...? Where's Lilith?"
Avery had already started to slip out the door. He ran up to her and pulled her back by the collar. "What did you do to her?"
Avery threw her hands up defensively. "Why do you always assume the worst of me?"
"Because it's usually true."
Avery opened her mouth, ready to protest, but Mira walked in, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Aiden and Avery watched her make her way to the bed, oblivious to Aiden's presence. She was wearing an oversized T-shirt that Aiden had stolen from someone and forgotten that he did. He made a mental note to return it.
He then turned to glare at his sister.
"It's a mis–" Avery began but Mira interrupted thinking she was talking to her.
"Avery, when Aiden comes, tell him I'm too exhausted to go on. However, don't tell him what happened tonight; it's our secret." She flopped on the bed and dozed off. Avery threw her hands up in disbelief as her brother grabbed her by the lapel of her jacket. "I can't believe YOU!"
Mira bolted up on the bed. "Phoenix? When did –"
Her phone rang. She picked it up and answered it. "Hey, mom. Oh, the movie. Ye, it finished a bit early. We're just walking around. See you now." She cut the call starting between Avery, who had stolen the caramelized popcorn from where Aiden had left it, and back to Aiden. "Phoenix, let me explain."
Avery slipped out the door with the popcorn but not before glancing at Mira, one last time.
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~tsk, tsk, Adam. Why did you mess up like that?
Let's hope he can make up for it later. Also, does anyone here have a fear of basements like Phoenix?
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