The music was playing from the live band that was no doubt hired by Clara's mom.

It was nice, however. The gentle music was flowing into the room. My eyes found Roman and his date once we were on the dance floor. They were pulled tightly together, his hand resting on her back. I shook my thoughts of him away, focusing on Khalil instead.

He placed his hands around my waist, and I placed mine on his shoulders. As our feet started to move to the beat, he smiled at me.

"So, really how are you? What's new?" He asked, his fingers moving just barely across the fabric of my dark green dress.

"What's new? Well, everything I guess," I answered honestly. Everything was new. I had new friends, I had a new life.

Khalil chuckled, shaking his head like he should have predicted mg answer. "That makes sense. And, uh, are you happy there?"

My smile faltered at his words, just for a second. I wasn't expecting that question, I suppose. I didn't quite have an answer for it. Was I happy?

"Sure," I said quickly, "what's not to be happy about?"

"We all miss you around here," Khalil didn't seem to notice my hesitancy. "Any chance of you coming back?"

"I don't think so," I told him. "It's just... well, it reminds me of everything that happened."

"I can't blame you for that," Khalil nodded, "have you heard from him?"

My stomach lurched as the shock of who he was referring to ran through me, Clara had done well in never mentioning him at all. I didn't ask about him, in fact, I had no idea what happened to him. The last time I heard about him was after he was charged. He pleaded guilty to simple assault, receiving only community service as punishment.

"No," I said with a sigh. "I hope I never hear from him again."

"I hope you don't either," Khalil said, then he paused. "Are you dating anyone?"

I looked up at Khalil's face, he was staring sheepishly down at me. I felt flattered, in a way, that he was still shy around me. Though, I think he knew as well as I did. There wasn't a storyline for Khalil and I in this twisted plot line, it wasn't written in the stars.

"I'm not dating anyone," I smiled at him, but as I said it, my eyes drifted back to Roman. Almost as if I didn't have control over them. He didn't seem to be thinking about me, he was still fixated on his date. He was twirling her around, a smile on his face. She looked like she couldn't imagine being anywhere but exactly where she was. I wondered if he made her feel the same way he had once made me feel, safe. Protected. Cherished.

"It's still him, isn't it?" Khalil said, seemingly knowing exactly what I was thinking.

"I don't know," I told him, pulling my eyes away from Roman. Khalil didn't seem offended that I wasn't on the same page as him. I had the feeling that Khalil wasn't that kind of guy. I had the feeling he simply wanted me to be happy.

I pulled away from him when the song struck its final cords, and he dropped his hands effortlessly from my waist.

"Thanks for the dance, Lilly," he said as he fixed his suit. "I'll be here all night, you know, if you decide it's not still him after all."

I laughed as he walked away, finding myself alone on the dance floor. I lowered my eyes to the ground, staring at my black high heels. I took a breath before I walked back into the crowded entrance room, heading to the bar instead. As I leaned against the counter, I observed the many people in Clara's house.

It feels like years ago that I had belonged here. But, then again, maybe I never did. This had never really been my world. This was just the world I was connected to, linked to by Clara, and by Jesse. By Brett, by Khalil. It's never been my world, I think I always knew that. I had always been an outsider here, a misfit. Maybe it was just time that I finally accepted that.

My eyes found Clara, she was standing away from the crowd with Samuel. Their hands were linked, they were in the middle of the conversation. Both of their mouths were lighted in bright smiles, and even from here, I could feel the love between them. They looked at each other like they were the only two people in the world. I wasn't Clara's person anymore, I wasn't her other half. Samuel was.

And as if that thought alone convinced me, I walked away from the bar without a second glance. I didn't make eye contact with the people that were staring at me curiously, no doubt from the everlasting rumours that had cycled since the incident last year. I simply walked out the door, without another glance back. This wasn't my place anymore.

Once the valet brought my car back, I climbed inside. I wasn't sure where I was headed as I drove away from Clara's house. I was supposed to be spending the weekend here, I had a hotel room in the city. But, did I really want to stay the weekend? If it wasn't for Clara, I'd leave right now. I'd go back to my new life, and pretend this life of my mine had never existed.

But, of course I couldn't do that to Clara. So, I drove instead. My body knew where it was going it seems, as I found myself in my old neighbourhood. I took a breath as I stopped outside of my old house, looking out of my window at it. It looked the same, but it looked better. It looked more loved, the front lawn scattered with children's toys. I didn't linger, my foot pressing against the gas pedal as if it didn't want to be reminded of the times here any longer.

I wasn't surprised when I found myself where I did. It was logical, wasn't it? I had thought about this place many times, I saw it in my dreams sometimes. Though I had spent so many of my bad days here, I still loved it. I don't think I would ever not love it.

The air had a chill as I stepped out of the car. My heels making a satisfying click as I walked on the concrete sidewalk. There was no one around this time, only me. Me and this mural.

I didn't pay any mind to my dress as I sat down on the sidewalk. It was cold, and I could feel it through the thin fabric. I didn't mind it though, it was nice. I didn't realize what was different, as I should have. It took me longer than it should to realize it was changed, yet again.

The girl wasn't faceless anymore. She had features, and they were happy features. She had a smile, a soft one. She had green eyes, and they were bright against her skin. She had blush on her cheeks, strands of hair blowing across her face.

The lilac in her hands was there still, but so were many other flowers. All of them different. A beautiful bouquet of wild flowers, every colour you could think of. Red, blue, orange, yellow... but no purple.

"I hoped you would come here," his voice greeted my ears, causing a chill to rise against my spine.

I didn't turn to look, a sense of déjà-vu racking my brain as he walked towards me, lowering his body so he sat beside me. It was the same, wasn't it? It was the same, but it was infinitely different. I was different, he was different. But, maybe... we were still the same.

"I missed you, Lilac Green."