Episode 6: The Boy Under The Birch Tree

Lily felt sick. She didn’t even touch her dinner. Mother and Daisy tried to ask out her reasons, but she just didn’t feel like talking. She only wanted to stay under her warm blanket and mourn over her unlucky fate. Alex’s words that day kept ringing in her ears like an annoying alarm bell.

“As a payment for my ruined Jaguar, I want you to become my girlfriend for a month.”

The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to vomit. What kind of game was this guy trying to play? First he hit her bicycle and didn’t even apologize; now he’s asking her to become his girlfriend for a month. What a ridiculous joke! If only she had all the money in the world, she would have rather just paid the eighty thousand dollars than having to have anything to do with that selfish moron. And it wasn’t even her fault!

Of course, she didn’t accept the offer anyway. She didn’t care if he’d send all his men to hit her or throw her into a river, as long as she doesn’t have to stick to that guy. Not even for a week!

“Lily, are you awake?”

Daisy’s voice interrupted her inner-dilemma. Lily pushed the blanket off her face and looked towards Daisy who was standing at the doorway. Daisy gave her a warm smile and slowly entered the room. “Hey.” she said, closing the door behind her. After the click was heard, she came and sat next to Lily’s bed. Lily sat up wearily, ignoring her messy hair and crumpled pyjamas.

“You’re so not you tonight, sis. Is something the matter?” Daisy started, sounding very concerned. She looked straight into Lily’s eyes but her sister shifted her glance towards the bed sheets. As a matter of fact, she didn’t really know what to tell Daisy. It would sound very childish and Daisy would end up bugging her to accept the offer once she mentioned Alex’s name.

“It’s really nothing. I’m just tired.” She lied. But Daisy knew her too well to believe such obvious faux. “No you’re not. Come on, spill it out.” She replied.

“No, it’s really nothing. I have nothing to tell you. I just wanna sleep.” Lily quickly pulled the blanket over her head, trying hard to avoid Daisy’s intimidating gaze. Daisy had never before failed to persuade her to tell anything. That is why they always shared each other’s secrets.

“Oh come on, Lily! The last time you’re like this it was because of Danial. Is this a guy problem? Why haven’t you told me about this yet?” Daisy tried pulling off the blankets but Lily resisted.

“It’s not a guy problem! I told you I’m just tired. If there’s really anything, I’ll tell you tomorrow. Let me sleep will you?” Lily denied. Her voice sounded muffled from under the thick blue blanket. Daisy finally gave up but gave Lily several sharp jabs on her belly before she finally left her sister, giggling tremendously on her way out. Lily let out a heavy sigh. Danial; the name echoed in her head like a chime.

Danial was a history that ended four years ago, even though it never even started.

*

Because of her very good grades, Lily was accepted into a private school meant for only the best students and the wealthiest in the country. However, it was hard being surrounded by people who were financially better off than you. The other kids rejected her because she did not come from a rich and well-known family. They treated her like she was rubbish.

Nevertheless, Lily wasn’t the type to break down and cry. She never gave in to all the tension brought down upon her. All she wanted was to finish school and become a better person in order to help her family. During recess Lily would isolate herself from the other students and had lunch all by herself. Being alone wasn’t a big deal to her. It was being around the others that was the problem.

That was when she met Danial Miles, the other loner who loved to sit under a birch tree reading a book. There was something about this boy, she had thought. His calm expression, his messy hair, the peaceful aura surrounding him - he looked as if he was asleep.

One day, a student purposely walked by her and knocked over her lunch box. All the food scattered onto the earth and the student ran away with his friends, laughing with pleasure. Because Lily didn’t have enough money to buy food at the school, that was her only lunch. Her mother woke up early in the morning to prepare it for her. Thinking of that, Lily actually nearly burst into tears as she knelt down to gather the remainders of the food in the lunch box on the ground, when someone came and handed out a slice of egg sandwich to her. It was the boy sitting under the birch tree. It was Danial Miles.

To Be Continued...