"LILLIES IN THE DARK''
I take a step into the darkness, my heart pounding with curiosity, and hear Cade pull a lever or something like it. Suddenly, the world around me transforms.
Rows upon rows of chandeliers descend from the towering ceiling above, their crystal frames cracked and dusted by time, yet glowing softly with golden light. Some swing gently, casting shimmering reflections that dance across the walls. I glance down and freeze. I'm standing on a carpet of grass, damp and cool beneath my shoes, and it's not just grass,white lilies bloom in abundance, their delicate petals almost glowing under the chandeliers' glow. The entire space feels unreal, like something out of a dream or a forgotten fairy tale.
Cade walks to the right wall, brushing aside some vines, and pulls out a cluster of spray cans from an old wooden crate.
"Wanna give it a try?" he says, looking at me with a playful spark in his eyes.
He picks up a blue can and, with a quick shake, sprays the word Blue across the concrete. It drips a little, but it looks bold and alive. A smile tugs at my lips.
Cade turns to me and holds out a can. For a moment I forget to breathe. His face glows under the soft light of the chandeliers,harp jawline, dark lashes casting shadows over his cheeks, golden hair shining but there is a softness to his features that make him look so alive . He doesn't just look good. He looks... ethereal.
I take the yellow can from his hand, step forward, and spray a small crown over the B in Blue. It's messy,i sketch but spray paint does not seem like my thing.
We sit on the crates behind us, side by side, admiring the small piece of chaos we've made together. In the distance, I hear the soft murmur of water—steady, calming. Maybe a stream, maybe a river. The light from the chandeliers turns the air golden, glowing over the petals of the lilies, over our faces, our clothes. It's beautiful. Dreamlike. I want to freeze this moment and stay here, in this color and warmth and stillness, where I don't feel suffocated. Where life feels like something I want to live.
"Is there a river nearby?" I ask, turning to look at Cade's profile, the way the light clings to the edges of his face. I wonder if he has a girlfriend.
"Yeah," he says with a soft smile. "Not far. Wanna go?"
"Maybe next time," I say, hugging my knees.
"Oh, so you do wanna sneak out with me again," he says in his usual teasing voice.
My cheeks burn. Of course I do—but I can't say that out loud. Not to his face.
"Where do you live?" I ask instead, trying to sound casual.
"Um in Ormond home,its a foster house''
So Cade is an orphan ,like me.
"Oh,how is it there?i ask and then hesitantly i say"what happened to your parents?''
He hesitates. "No. I had a mother… but she died when i was a baby. Just a month old."
"I'm sorry..." I whisper.
He nods, and the silence that follows isn't awkward—it's heavy. A shared understanding. Grief. Loss. We both know what that feels like.
After a while, Cade speaks again. "I wish you didn't have all these restrictions. Maybe then we could've met... like normal people do."
"Yeah," I sigh. "Right."
"You should talk to your uncle about it. Just try."
I nod, even though I know it won't change anything.but i have to try.
He walks me home. We stop just outside—the edge of the world I want to escape. The fence, the rules, the watchful eyes waiting inside. I don't want to go back. I linger.
I turn to Cade. He's standing close, the glow of the chandeliers long behind us, but I still feel the warmth of it.
Before I can stop myself I tiptoe slightly, grab the front of his jacket, and pull him toward me. I press my lips to his. For a moment, he freezes—but then he kisses me back, his hand slipping around my waist, holding me like he doesn't want to let go. And I feel it—that rush, that spark, like everything in me is awake all at once,his tongue delving in my mouth as his hand tangles in my hair and I don't wanna pull away because it feels like he will disappear.
When we finally pull away, breathless and unsure, I don't say anything. I just turn and slip into the house, the taste of him still on my lips and my heart hammering in my chest.