It was night fall. Ronnie and Lily had returned home. After the intense scolding that he got from Grandpa, he sat in his room trying to process everything that had happened. He had lots of unanswered questions occupying his thoughts.
He ran his fingers through the card in his hand. Mr. C had given it to him earlier.
"I know I said some things that left you with questions. I know you saw some things you can't explain. Lots of things actually. If you need answers to them, feel free to reach me with this card. I'd help you now if I could but— as you can see, we've all had a long day. You should go home." Ronnie recalled Mr. C's earlier words.
"Do you want to call him?" Lily asked. She had come out of the bathroom, dapping her hair with a towel. She has on a white shirt, one of Ronnie's as she usually wore.
Her voice snapped him back to reality.
"I— uh, I don't know. Not yet anyway" he said. Staring at the card.
"We have had a long day, you can think about all of this tomorrow. Right now, you should rest. You have a school tomorrow, do you not?" Lily asked.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll shower and go to bed. I need to get all of this off my mind for now." He replied, displaying a small smile before putting down the card on the side stool and getting up.
"Lily, can I ask something? I want you to answer honestly." Ronnie said, he stared directly at Lily.
"Could you— not stare so hard? you are making me nervous" Lily said, twirling her hair around her index finger. She stepped two feet away from Ronnie and looked away.
Ronnie looked at her, knowing that an awkward silence would follow, as it had been for the past few days.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable" he said.
"I'm not—uncomfortable" Lily muttered.
"What did you want to ask before?" Lily asked.
"What am I? do you think I'm human? I mean, I feel really anxious not knowing the truth about myself" He expressed, he had his face turned towards the ground.
"Quite frankly, I do not know. I'm as confused as you are, Ronald" she responded.
"Hm" Ronnie expressed.
"I don't know, but that doesn't mean it matters. You have your old man, you have Josh—" Lily paused, putting her hand on his face and raising it to meet her gaze.
"You have me too, Ronnie. I don't care what you are. Seeing as Joshua doesn't mind me being what I am, I doubt he would mind you being a bit different either" Lily said.
Silence followed her speech. This time the silence was more tense than awkward.
Ronnie stared passionately into Lily's eyes. Her eyes couldn't escape his either.
Ronnie grabbed her chin softly. They leaned in slowly, like they were unsure.
Their lips connected, Ronnie felt the softness of her lips. Lily closed her eyes, burying herself into the moment.
Lily suddenly distanced herself from him.
"This aura..." Lily thought.
"My lady, my lady are you here? Riya said to contact you like this" A voice said.
Lily rushed over to Ronnie's long mirror which she had turned on it's back earlier. She lifted it and faced it forward.
The whole time Ronnie was there, totally petrified and his face red as beet.
"We just... it felt way different from all the times she has kissed me to transfer aura. Just what is this feeling? My chest feels tight" Ronnie pondered. He was lost in thought.
"Raechel. Is that you?!" Lily asked.
"Yes, my lady. I have no way of stabilizing this communication channel for long, so I'll go straight to the point. We have won! We have won the war, my lady!" Raechel exclaimed.
"What do you mean?! Our forces defeated Samael?!" Lily asked eagerly.
"We did, my lady. It was surely a shameful defeat. He surrendered and accepted to be captured. His forces have scattered all over the realm" Raechel said.
"What— why? Why would he do that?" Lily asked. Her eyes widened.
"His forces were overwhelmed by ours. You remain Queen, queen of the demon realm" Raechel responded.
"Where is Riya?" Lily asked.
"She's out, addressing your people" Raechel said.
Lily had a warm smile on her face.
"Although I have my reservations, I'm glad I have the two of you to stand in my stead." Lily said.
"My Queen, it has been an hon—" Raechel was interrupted by the breakage of the communication.
Lily placed both hands on her chest. She sighed of relief.
"Finally. They did it. The people of the demon realm can finally be at peace. I can be at peace" Lily thought.
She turned back the mirror, placing it against the wall.
Meanwhile Ronnie had snapped out from his daydreaming.
"You look happy. That's not something I see everyday" he said.
Lily looked at him and gave a big smile.
"Yes, I'm really, really happy!" Lily said, a drop of tear rolled down the side of her face.
Ronnie smiled as well.
"I'm glad you feel this way. I really am" he responded.
"What is this feeling? I'm happy when she's happy, I'm I'm bitter when she's bitter. I wonder if it's one of the effects of our soul tie" Ronnie pondered, as he stared at Lily's smile.
After the celebrations and the shower, Ronnie got into bed, next to Lily who was already in it.
"So, what's next?" He asked.
"I don't want to think about that right now. I just want to exist in this moment." Lily replied.
"This moment?" Ronnie turned to face Lily.
They laid so close to each other, being able to feel each other's breath.
They stared at each other intently.
"I— uh. You should get some sleep, Ronald." She said, pulling away from him.
"Yeah, I guess it's pretty late. Goodnight, Lily." Ronnie said, turning to face the other side.
It had been over an hour of silence. Ronnie couldn't sleep over his thoughts.
"Lily" he called out.
"Are you asleep?" He asked.
There was no response from Lily, her breath sounded like she was deep in sleep. Ronnie didn't turn around to check.
"You're probably exhausted. I can't sleep, not while I'm thinking about you. Lily, you make me feel a certain type of way. I don't know what this feeling is, but— I don't hate it" He whispered.
Lily's eyes widened. She stayed still so Ronnie wouldn't know she was awake.