RESIST

Lily syncs with the darkness in her extravagantly large balcony. She stands beside the baluster, looking over the restless ocean. Even though she can’t see them, she knows that her Pa’s bodyguards are melded in the darkness too, poising at strategic angles. They never leave, ever. More men in black keeps pouring in and out of the island by the day. She’s always wondered what their purpose was since basically, they lived in an island. Completely cut off from civilization.

The men never do as much as glance at her. As if that simple act is forbidden or she has finally thinned to a ghost. She normally spends an unhealthy amount of time peering wistfully at them from several situated windows, well, admiring the stoic, handsome ones while biting her lip.

Signing, she shakes the thought out of her head and focused on what mattered.

The cloud overhead is dark, not even a single star or moon gracing it. The wind is brutally swaying the palm trees, her brunet waist-length locks dancing to the tunes of it. She nestles against the warm blanket barely shielding her from the wicked, biting cold air. Thunder rumbles from a distance and Lily jerk, a little startled but she welcomes the intrusion…this is she’s been enduring the cold for.

The rain.

It’s unusual for rain to come this early in Italy. But in equal measure, Lily’s excitement and fear knows no bounds, seeing how fitting the surprise of the rain fits this tempting phase of her life.

No one knows this but she’s escaping tomorrow.

Finally, she’s going to be free as the untamed wind she has always envies.

All her life, Lily has lived an intensely constrained her in her father’s island. She was born in the island. She grow up here. Homeschooled here. She’s often wondered what life was like out there…beyond the horizons of the ocean. Times without number, she will stand by her balcony and wave at lonely big ships pass by or airplanes and birds fly away…sometimes she even watch dolphins swim away or her parents venture in and out of the Island for business with longing in her eyes.

Twenty one years later, freedom is so close she can almost taste it… with or without her parent’s approval. She’s going to leave a trail of heartbreak behind her but she hopes to make it up to her parents one day while living her best life.

She wants to whirl free…howling like the wind. Wild. Less restricted.

Lily smiles when the first drip of rain falls from the sky. As the rain begins to gain momentum, she unwraps the comforter from her shoulder and let the clothing slip to the floor as she stands on the balls of her feet and reaches her hand forward to catch some raindrops. She doesn’t mind the cold, she welcomes it. Her eyes closes as the rain drips onto her hands. Thunder cracks overhead and Lily’s smile widens, she feels the hums of the thunder in her chest. The wind whooshes around her, her locks free with it. The smell of fresh rain wafts.

The moment could not be more perfect.

Her eyes slowly opens.

…Is that light she sees far away in the dark ocean?

She narrow her eyes and reaches for her binoculars. Not that she will see much in the dark. She looks through the night vision telescope and indeed her eyes are not deceiving her.

Distance away is a ship. She can tell from the approaching light.

The ship is approaching fast, wrestling unyieldingly with the restless tide of the ocean. The courage of some crazy sailors – Davy Jones style – never seized to amaze her.

The downpour becomes heavier. The sheets of rain more untamed led by an equally wayward wind. Raindrops washes into the balcony where she stands and she heaves a sign, reluctantly sauntering to her bedroom for cover…not that she minds the rain.

Dinner should be ready anytime now and she has to get ready. It will be rude to keep her parent’s waiting.

Not to mention that this is the last dinner she will share with her parents before she runs away. That thought settles a heavy, dark cloud over her chest but she waves it off. It took her five years to come up with this insane plan of hers and she’s not going to bail out now like some spineless chicken.

Lily quickly showers. On her way out of the bathroom, someone knocks on her door.

“Lily, honey?” Ma’s quiet voice calls. “Are you sleeping?” Not waiting for an answer, the door opens. Ma’s head peaks in.

“Hey mum.” Lily greets, holding onto the white towel wrapped around her chest.

Her mother’s large blue eyes a mirror of Lily’s takes her in. She speaks quietly. “I checked in on you earlier but you were fast asleep. Your father’s back from his trip.”

Giddy, Lily smiles widely. “Really? We weren’t expecting him until tomorrow.” Her brows knit closely. “Why didn’t you wake me? I have missed Pa so much.”

Ma’s petite frame walks into her daughter’s space designed to satiate the taste of a princess…no pink though. The walls are painted and designed gray. Ma is impeccably dressed in a beige dinner gown that reaches below her knee. Her hair is tied up in a tight bun, not a strain out place, her makeup on flick. “He insisted you rest. The bad weather forecast had him coming home early. He wants to rest out the storm with us.” She playfully rolls her eyes. “And apparently keep his girls safe.”

Lily strolls into her walk-in closet, the size of a workroom. One side of the closet is overflowing with neatly arranged designer bags, dresses, shoes from various luxury brands. On the other side are boxes of makeup. On the center of the room is upholstered stool. Her mother follows her and seats on the stool. Under the stool houses Lily’s packed duffel back. The one she’s escaping with. “As if we girls can’t take care of ourselves. All day, he’s been holed up in his office but he’s coming downstairs for dinner.”

Lily laughs. It’s soft, melodious sound. That’s why she loves her Pa so much. He’s so overprotective. Yeah.

So protective he forbids you from leaving the island.

Lily’s lips curves downward. She’s overcome with guilt of her impending escape. She’s going to miss her parent’s so much, the thought of leaving them behind has tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. But she must do what she must.

She wants to party as her peers. Drink beer and hookup with a random stranger. Lose her virginity at the back of a strangers car. Travel all round the world. Go on road trips with friends that are not dolphins or her mother. Find her soulmate and be loved. She got all those crazy ideas from staying up late at night, binging Netflix. They might look like petty cliché things to do…but to Lily, it means so much her soul starves. She hides her soured expression by facing her closet, leisurely searching for a dress.

Wanting to talk about something much lighter, she tells her mother. “I was watching the rain. There’s something eerie about it. I can’t tag it.” She adds over her shoulder in a whisper. “It’s the most beautiful one yet.”

“I agree. How was the job interview?” Ma asks.

Ma means Lily’s online interview. Lily just finished her online four years University program. She majored criminal justice.

Lily unhooks a floor length black gown which still has its thousand dollar price tag on it from the hanger. Now that she has schooled her expression, she faces her mother. “Mr. Liam is the loveliest man ever.” When Ma eyes her intently, Lily blushes and winks. “Besides Pa, of course.” She smiles shyly and continues. “He handled the interview with such precision I admire. And he asked the most tricky question. But as always, I’m a step ahead. You and Pa taught me better.”

“Good.”

Ma occupies herself with ordering updated kitchen appliances from an online store on Lily’s spare iPad while Lily stand by the floor to ceiling mirror, quietly dressed, finding her mother’s presence comforting. Not intruding or weird.

Ma looks up to Lily struggling to zip up her dress. She smiles softly and shakes her head at Lily’s pathetic attempts. “Let me help you.”

Lily nods, a little embarrassed. She’s never been able to zip up her dress no matter how much she tries, she usually end up jumping around like a monkey with a banana at the back of its head. As Ma stands beside Lily, her cologne envelopes Lily. Ma smells like home and pancakes, with her classy glint to it. Her mother walks to a drawer, her heels softly clicking on the marbled floor. Lily’s eyes follows Ma as she fetches a sapphire necklace. The one her father got her on her twentieth birthday.

“It matches the black dress perfectly. And brings out the beauty of your blue eyes.” Ma says with a dreamy smile. Lily watches her mother in the mirror as she drapes the necklace, delicately on her neck. “It will make your father happy.” She adds.

Guilt and angst hits Lily in the chest like an avalanche. She sniffs and blinks away the tears clogging in her throat. She’s betraying her family.

“You’re alright, sweetie?” Ma asks, concerned.

Not trusting her words, she only nods.

Not convinced, Ma doles a light makeup on Lily’s face and steps back to admire her daughter. “Beautiful. Absolutely stunning.”