Now it was Stefan's turn to laugh. "Your brother?" He continued to laugh and then stopped when he saw the anger look I had. He shook his head, "No. Why would you think that?" He wondered.
"I remember looking back through a drawer of pictures, she had a picture of her and my dad with a young boy who actually looked like you." I explained.
"We were close. Your parents and I. I ended up working in that organization at a younger age, learning to become a hunter. Joining the forces, training day after day. Your parents were basically the first friends I ever had as weird that may sound."
"I don't think that's weird. I think that is great actually. I'm glad my parents could be there for you." I gave him a genuine smile.
"So what are you going to do?" Stefan asked. He gave me a worried look as if I was going to jump through a window and screaming with my arms waving in the air.
"What do you mean?" Maybe I should just jump out of the window and yell like a crazy woman. I already feel crazy just by learning all of this.
"You could spend the night here if you want since it's already late." He smiled. "There's no one else here but me in this home and I got the room for you to stay."
As I looked at the time, I saw it was almost 2:30 in the morning. "Okay, sure. I just got to give Kyle a call." Shit. I did not realize how much time has passed since I last saw Kyle. I'm sure he is freaking out right about now of why I have not called him yet. He probably thinks I'm dead now.
When I called Kyle, he picked up on the first ring and basically yelled, "Lilith! Thank god you're alive! I thought something awful happened to you since you never called me back!"
"Sorry Kyle, I've been talking to Stefan..." I started out saying before getting interrupted.
"I swear if that asshole did anything..." I stopped him from continuing.
"Would you relax already. No. He did not do anything to me. Long story short he was actually close to my parents and before you ask, yes that is true. He even has pictures with them even when he was younger." I explained
"Well...that is good." Kyle calmed down a bit. "Do you want me to pick you up?" He asked.
"I'm actually going to stay the night here. He has a big house and it is only him who lives here. He has a room for me and everything so I will be okay. I will call you later though, alright?" I told him.
"Sure." He sounded hurt. "Promise?" He asked.
"Promise." I responded.
"Okay, talk to you later." We hung up and I faced Stefan again.
"Everything good?" He wondered. "He didn't think I killed you did he?"
"Oh yeah, he thought you may have done something to me. He was basically freaking out. After I explained to him how you knew my family, he calmed down more. I'll stay here but I don't have any more clothes. You know, with the fire and all." I said.
"I got you covered. The room you were in before, I left more clothes there." He replied.
"How do you even know my size?" That was something of what I wondered. He was able to find my size in this outfit, though I am not sure if it was just pure out of luck.
"When I was first at your house, I tried to scavenge some stuff such as clothes and they were all ruined. I was able to see the sizes just barely so when you took your shower, I went out to get you some clothes." He explained.
"How did you know I was going to stay though?"
"I didn't, but either way, you would of had clothes." He answered.
Even though it was a bit weird, buying clothes for a stranger, I still thought it was sweet of him. Maybe I could trust him after all. Though, I still need to figure out what I am going to do with school. I definitely will not be going in the morning, but could I even return? I mean, I'm not even human anymore. Well not that I ever was; but, I still didn't know that until recently. Than I got work. There is no way I can return to work or even think about working. Than what else am I going to do about money. What I need right now is sleep.
"We should head off to bed. Anything that needs to be talked about, we can discuss that later." Stefan said.
"Sounds good to me. And Stefan?" I looked at him. "Thank you."
When I woke up, somehow, I was still able to get some good sleep. I looked at the time and the clock read 12:05pm. I looked through the clothes that Stefan bought me and picked out a cute red tank top and a pair of black jeans and headed to the showers. I stripped out of the pajamas that I hardly remembered even changing into before crashing instantly on the king size bed that I was pretty sure it was made of foam. After about twenty minutes of having a nice hot shower, I hopped out and got ready to face the new day.
"Morning." I told Stefan as I walked into the kitchen. "Any coffee by any chance?" I noticed is hot cup of coffee on the counter.
"Don't you mean afternoon?" He looked at the kitchen's clock that read 12:45pm. "I brew up some hot coffee not too long ago when I heard the shower go on." He told me.
Ignoring his literal time of day statement, I grabbed an empty coffee cup from the counter and filled mine up and took a small sip.
"You drink it black?" He looked at me with a disgusted face. "I got creamer and milk in the fridge." He mentioned.
"And take away the bean bitter taste and replace it with sugary cream? No thanks." I smiled.
"You seem to be in a better mood today." He smiled.
"Honestly, after everything that happened yesterday and everything I knew about my life that was a lie, I can't escape it. I still feel broken. I miss my family." I could feel the water works about to go off but managed to stop before I started leaking.
Stefan walked over to me and put a finger under my chin. "Lilith, no matter what, even though we just met. I will not leave you. I will stand by your side. You have Kyle and now me. Alright?" He stated.
I nodded and set my cup down. I wrapped my arms around his sides and gave him a hug. "Thank you Stefan. I'm sure it wasn't easy for you for having to go through all that, but I really do appreciate it." I told him. "I do have concerns that I need to talk to you about though." I told him.
As we sat down at his kitchen table, I tried to process in my head of what I was going to talk about. I had more questions about who I am but that will need to be put on pause. I need to figure out what I am going to do with school and work.
"What am I going to do about school?" I asked him. I couldn't go back, not after all of this. I don't think I could even be seen in public with everyone knowing about the fire now.
"Don't worry about that. I called the organization and they sent someone to your school to persuade them that you completed everything you needed to. I actually got off the phone with them a few minutes before you walked down and told me that you are now graduated, so, congratulations! Now that you are a high school graduate, what are you going to do now?" He joked.
I rolled my eyes with him using a phrase that has always been asked when a team won the Superbowl, "I'm going to Disneyland!" I joked back and laughed. Did you seriously continued that cheesy line with another? My subconscious mind said. Yes I did. I responded. Seriously, why does my subconscious mind got to ruin all the fun.
"Fine, but we have to meet all the Disney characters before we leave!" Stefan jokingly demanded.
"Maybe." I responded and laughed when he gave me a pouty face. "Really, a pouty face? What are you five?" I joked.
"Twenty-one actually." He said.
"Shit you're old." I joked. Wait. I'm seventeen and he is twenty-one. I'm staying with an older guy, isn't that supposed to be wrong though? I mean, it is not like I'm dating the guy nor sleeping with him so it's legal. Plus I will be eighteen in a couple of days.
"Not by much. That doesn't weird you out, right?" He asked me.
"Yup, totally does. I mean sure, I'm a supernatural creature and that is just sweet and dandy, but staying at someone's house that is a few years older. Nope. That is just way to weird for me." I said sarcastically.
"Wow, little one got a sarcastic tone, doesn't she." Stefan smirked. "So now that school is taken care of. What else is there?" Changing the subject.
"My job. I can't work right now with everything that has happened, but I still need to work for money." I told him. Though I will figure it out.
Stefan sighed, which made me look at him, "I don't know how to say this without sounding snobby but it is good news with the bad news clipped on. With your parents death happening, you will be getting their inheritance and a profit from the organization. The organization always sends out money to kids whose parents have died. It is a great chunk by the way. Knowing your parents, I can easily say that you will not have to worry about money.
I know what he is saying is a good thing but where and how it comes makes me have an awful feeling. I know it will help me and my future, if I am able to have one that is. I get Stefan is saying it in a good place, so I'm not upset with what he told me. I just wish none of this happened so I can go back to my family and live a normal life. I do appreciate my parents for hiding all of this so I can live a normal life, I just wish I had a say in it. It doesn't matter what I wish for though, what is done is done and now I just got to face everyday with one step at a time.
"Well, could I at least quit my job in person? I know it is a shitty job but my boss was always a great one. He always respected me and always encouraged me. I would rather say goodbye in person than over the phone."
"Of course we can. We could go now if you like."
"Okay, sure. Let's go." I said. I stood up, feeling anxious about the conversation I was about to have. A conversation that I don't even know what to say. Hey boss, gotta quit. The supernatural killed my parents and are after me because I am some freak. Yeah, no. That won't work.
It took about forty-five minutes until we arrived. I came up with different scenarios of how I was going to say goodbye to my first job I had. Despite being a short one, it felt longer than it was. When we pulled up, I saw Charlie walking inside the food place so at least he is there. Despite coming up with different scenarios, I still didn't fully understand what I was going to say, but hey, nothing like the present.
"Ready Lilith?" Stefan asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be." Nope. I gave a small smile. Saying goodbye to probably my last normal thing of my old life isn't easy but nor is accepting my new life.
"Lilith!" Charlie said when he saw me walking in. "I heard what happened, I am so so sorry for what happened." Charlie said. He walked over to me to embrace a hug which I gladly accepted.
"Thanks." I gave a small smile. I wasn't really sure what to say when incidents like this occur. Then again, I never had something like this happen before.
"I need to talk to you Charlie. Alone please." I said. I still had no idea what I was going to say.
"Of course, let's head on over to my office and we can talk in private." Charlie said.
As we got into his office, we sat down and let quietness come by for a few moments. "Charlie, I have to quit my job." I started. "With everything that happened, I will not be able to work anymore and I don't know when I will be able to work again." I choked on my sob and just now noticing tears coming down my face.
Charlie handed me a tissue which I accepted graciously and said, "I fully understand Lilith. You have to take care of yourself first. Don't do anything you do not feel comfortable doing. Take this time and however long it takes to take care of yourself." He put his two hands on my shoulders and told me, "Look up to me Lilith." I looked up to him and he continued, "You have always and will always be a bright, wonderful, young woman. No matter what future that beholds you, you will be able to face it. You're strong, brave, tough, hard headed, young woman that I always appreciated out of you. You have always been a hard worker and you always will. It may seem dark, lonely, and frightening, you may be confused on what to do and where to go. But you will know and it will not always be dark and you will never be alone. You still have Kyle and that guy out there who seems to care about you. Whatever you do, whatever your future holds, promise me that you will never lose yourself. That no matter what, you will stay true to you. Take everyday, day by day and never ever let a moment pass that you regret. As hard it may seem, everything happens for a reason, even if you do not see what that reason is. Never lose sight of yourself. Understand?" Charlie said.
I nodded but could not produce words. Instead of small tears, I am now bawling my eyes out to the one person who has always been like another father to me. Had nothing but the best interest and has always believed in me. He rubbed my back as if I was a daughter to him and gave me a long hug. He kept on saying that it will be okay while I continued to cry my eyes out. I was never one to cry in person, I rarely ever would. He always knew what to tell me. Ever since my first day he has told me that he sees potential in me. That no matter what my future holds, dark or day, that as long as I keep my head up, I can always face my battles. Than again it was mainly during school or frustrating moments dealing with people. One of the few people I could always trust and rely on, Charlie was one of them. We sat here in quiet for a few more minutes until I was able to put myself back together.
"Thank you Charlie, for everything." I said. I was shocked and stunned with his words of wisdom. I knew he cared about me but I didn't think it was this much.
"And thank you for watering down my shirt." He joked.
"And moment is ruined." I rolled my eyes and laughed.
"But I made you laugh, so that is a win for me." He replied back.
"I'm going to miss you Charlie." I told him wholeheartedly.
"Going to miss you to kiddo." He said.
Before I made it back to Stefan, Quin came up to me and said, "I'm really sorry for what happened Lilith. I know we butted heads, had our ups and downs, but you are a great kid and I can see you doing great things." He said with an honest tone.
"Thanks Quin." I gave a small smile.
As I met up with Stefan, we walked back outside. As I turned around, I finally said goodbye to my last normal part of my life. As I gave a final small wave goodbye, I knew whatever happens next, will be a new beginning.