lily pov//

Today is our graduation day. Every student was wearing their graduation clothes. Everyone's family was there to congratulate them, even Chris's mom, aunt Christina was there for me and Chris, but not my own family.

My eyes were looking for them, my mind was saying that they will not come but my heart was saying that they will be late I think. My dad and Sophia will come here to congratulate me for sure.

Hours passed, I received my certificate, everyone was taking pictures with their family except me. I was standing alone by holding a certificate and flowers that Christina brought for me. She was so happy with my achievement. She is like a second mother to me. She loves me as much as she loves her son. Because of Chris, Valerie, and Christina, I never felt alone.

Suddenly Chris ran to me and hugged me tightly. He hugged me for some time without caring for everything, he knew I was sad. He knew I didn't want to cry, I don't like to cry but my tears always finds its way.

But before it came out, Chris hold me. He knew I needed his embrace. I was too little for his height, I was like 5" 1 and he was almost 6 feet. so I could mostly reach to his waist, but he always hugged me by carrying me.

He was right, I needed his embrace, his warmth, his touch. I hide in the crook of his neck while he was whispering sweetly in my ear "little flower I am here for you, I am here to celebrate with you and see mom is there too. we are enough for you. ok?" "hmmm" "good girl, now let's take our photo." He put me down and I notice that Christina was watching us adorably. She took our photo and then we were on our way home.

I came to my home because Nathan I mean Chris's dad was throwing a party for him. Chris was like you will not go anywhere, you will come to my home and we will celebrate in my home.

I tried to convince him that it's your party and your dad was throwing that only for you and there will be many people and I don't like to be in the center of anything. but he was not listening to any of my words. He was like, I will be there for you, I will keep you to myself, beside me, like always. His words touched my heart but I knew why I was refusing him.

I then gave him the excuse that you go, I have to change for the party. But still, he was so persistent that he was suggesting to change in his house and he will bring a dress for me. Then we will enter together at the party.

But, I had to plead Christina and she seems to understand my situation. So she convinced Chris and at last, he had to leave me.

Anyone must be thinking, why am I behaving like this..after all, it's his graduation party and I would be not there to celebrate that with him? There might be some reason for that...

The main reason for not going to his party is his dad. He doesn't like me very much. Just because of my attire, my outer appearance, my simple nature.

He is a very well known businessman like my father. But, unlike my dad, he was always there for his son. He thinks that Chris should roam around a girl like a sophisticated, knows manner, who has social status, who can easily involve herself in their class, like Sophia, and frankly speaking, he likes Sophia very much.

Every Time, whenever she goes to dad's business party, people always preferred her. She is like a perfect woman in their eyes, for them, rich women should behave like her not like me.

Even Nathan tried to link up Chris and Sophia but Chris never cared about her and his dad. for him I am the most perfect woman, he likes messy, chubby, sweet, bubbly girl like me, who loves pop like him. with whom he can share everything, talk everything without hesitation. he just only Chris, not Christopher Wilson, who has so many followers, who have a model body, handsome, the son of a famous businessman. It was not my saying, it was his.

When I came to my home no one was there to welcome me. When I asked the maid if dad or Sophie came back or asked for me, she said that they never came back. In fact, dad told her that he will be late today.

I didn't say anything because I was used to it. When I went to my room to check if dad called me then I saw that there was not a single call from them.

I got my a notification from Instagram, and when I saw that my eyes got blurry from tears. My dad was there, with my sister to attend some charity functions. Dad was hugging Sophia, posing for the picture as if she was his only child.

It's happening for 7 years, one year after my mom's death. Mom's death affects us very hard. dad loves mom so much that he couldn't let her body buried.

My mom died in an accident. The situation of our house was not always like that. We used to be a happy family, dad used to give us the same love, same time to all of us.

But after mom's death, he busied himself into work, slowly he became more like a businessman and my sister also started to change. We used to be so close but what happened to us?

When my dad used to ask me to accompany him to his business party but I do not like those kinds of parties, girls of my age used to make fun of me.

So I suggest him to take Sophia instead of me. From then she begins to change. In other opinions, popularity became her favorite thing. nowadays she feels ashamed to call me her sister. Dad does not ask me to accompany him anywhere. I started to feel alone, isolated from everyone.

But it was Chris, who was beside me while I feel devastated when mom died. He was there with me while everyone used to make fun of me, he was there for me when dad used to be late to come home, he was there whenever I feel sad, he was there whenever I feel happy, he even sneaks into my room through the window just to see I have slept properly or not. his shoulder is always there to rely on my head. His embrace was always there to comfort me, he was the one who always makes me smile. I was big for everyone but for him, I am little his little flower.

I was sighing for my messy life then I saw my phone was ringing, it was grandma." Hey nonna, how are you?"

"My sweet lily, I am fine dear, ooh and congratulation for your graduation" nonna was leaving far from us, she is my mom's mom.

Though we do not talk regularly she still remembered my graduation while dad..."thank you nonna, you remember?!" "why will I forget your special day? Clair would be so proud of you but she is not here with us anymore but she is looking at you from upstairs."

A sob escaped from my mouth, oh god I was missing mom so much. I need her to embrace, to tell me you are beautiful the way you are, you are the most precious thing in the world, you are the most beautiful flower, you deserve all the love from the world, never forget to love yourself...I still remember her words that's why I do not cry, do not get hurt whatever people say to me, I am beautiful the way I am..but sometimes things got to slip away from my grip and tears finds its way to form and it was now that time...

"oh my god dear, what happened?' "nothing nonna, I am fine...just that I am missing mom" "oh poor baby, I know that's not the matter, I know your father has done something, he again went to his business party, right? dear how many times I have told you to come here and stay with me but you never agree.

Dear, I cannot see you like this, listen to your nonna, and leave them who don't care about you." "nonna don't say like that, I am.. "

Suddenly I heard the sound of someone open my bedroom door very hard which made me flinch. When I turn around, I saw Chris was in front of my door, fuming by anger. He was in his party cloth, looking so dashing, hot, and so on, but wait a minute why was he looking at me like this. Then I realize I was supposed to go to his party and here I was crying on my bed.

Chris pov//

Dad arranged a very lavish party for my graduation, I mean it feels like I have come to another business-related party.

Many well-known people were there to congratulate me. many were asking me what's my next plan, will I take over my father's position or I have another passion. many people were having fun except me. My eyes were looking for her, she told me she will come for sure. I should have forced her to come with me. Why didn't she come yet?

I was tired and getting angry at her. Why didn't she come here, why did she lie to me?

I was pissed off, by seeing so many people who were here just to be in the next morning paper. That they have attended Wilson's lavish party.

I was standing in the balcony then mom came to me and put her hand on my shoulder." why are you not at the party?" "mom do you know why she didn't come?"

"Chris we both know why she didn't come. You are her best friend so you may know very well, that people who were attending your party, how they look at her, how they judge her because of her outer appearance and your dad. I don't know why your father doesn't like her, she is such a beautiful girl."

"I know mom but she should have come only for me or should have called me to went to her house. It's not only my achievement but also hers. How can she think that I will celebrate without her? it never happened before and never will. I was there for her every special day and so was she, so how could she wants to break our routine?"

I was about to go then mom suddenly asked me something strange "Chris I wanted to ask you something for so long" "what mom?" "do you love lily?" "Huh, what kind of question is that, yes I love her. She is my best friend and you know that"

"I am not talking about being best friends type of love, do you love her as a man loves a woman?" Again this question. Why everyone was asking me the same question even my mom.

"Mom, I don't see her like that, I mean she is my friend, how can I see her like this, it would become so weird!"

"Listen, Chris, friends can become lovers too. Just think about It, you feel carefree whenever you are with her, you can read her so easily and so is she, you were there in her every stage of life for 14 years and so was she.

And most importantly you feel yourself whenever you are with her and its enough reason to be in love with her."

"Mom please, just because we were there for each other that doesn't mean we have to be spent the rest of our life as a lover. I mean we hold special places just like any other best friend. I mean yes, what we have is very special, but mom we have our whole life to search the right person to love. we both always spent time with each other and it might happen that when we will meet new people our perspective can be changed. Our way of seeing the world will change, it may be possible for us to find another person attractive or compatible with us. then what will happen?

Not only she will get hurt, our relationship will be a ruin but also our friendship will ruin too and I don't want any bitterness in our friendship. She is too fragile, too innocent and I don't want to hurt my little flower by getting into a relationship."

"Then what you will do, when someone else will take your place? will you be happy for her, that someone else will give her the same affection, the embrace that you give her how will you feel when someone else's embrace will be there to soothe her, what will you do when someone else will there in her every special moment in her life, did you ever think like that way?"

The questions mom threw at me made my heart ache a little bit, I never thought that in this way. I never saw her with any other man besides her dad and me, so I don't know what to feel

"mom no one can take our place from us. and I am talking like this because I want her to meet another person and the same goes for me. We should give ourselves a chance to be with another person and if we didn't feel anything towards another person then I will give us a chance for sure, and we have only passed high school, we have so many times ahead of us to think. So right now I have to meet her and teach her some lesson for lying to me. Ok bye, mom."

By hearing his words his mom was worried about one thing that will her son making the right choices? She does not want him to regret being late to approach her and she doesn't want lily to suffer for Chris. They belong to each other but will he ever understand that?

I hope he realizes his life for her before it's too late. I hope you like the chapter, follow, vote, and share my book. Thanks, bye 🥰😍