5 Chapter 5 : Lilith's Debutante

10 Years Later...

Every once in a year, people in this town gather to celebrate an annual festival. People of different status can go and watch, even commoners. Well, not that everyone is looking forward for it, but there is this one person who's really excited for the festival, it's Lilith.

The annual celebration is held at the town's square and originally, Marianne didn't want to go. But Lilith, who will be turning 18 on that day, cannot accept the fact that her only wish won't come true.

James, on the other hand cannot that he couldn't grant her daughter's only wish for her birthday. So, he worked overtime and sold their old car to rent for a luxurious carriage they could ride to the town square. When he told the family about, Lucas became very furious of her father's stupidness.

"Father! How can you do such a thing? Obviously, the car is more important that the carriage!"

He blurted out as his face distorted. However his father just smiled as if he didn't do anything that can make anyone go mad.

"Don't worry son, it's old enough already." he said half laughing as he patted his son's shoulder. "And besides, it's the car that had hit Maliya before. How dare us kept it until now knowing that it's something that caused her harm, right? I'm gonna work it out so we can buy a new one."

Lucas, listening to his reason shrugged and sit heavily on the rocking chair, maybe letting out his fury. There was no heated argument after the conversation. Instead, everyone became excited to go to the festival.

Soon, Marianne became very busy picking outfits that would suit the 22 year old and her very own daughter who will turn 18 on the day after. There were only a few choices of clothes but she had found something that would suit the two girls perfectly.

Lucas on the other hand, didn't prepare that much. Never in his life, did he go out into the society. He didn't even meet other people except his family and... Maliya.

However, Lucas didn't know that he was quite popular. When he go with her father to work sometimes, girls in the neighborhood were quite dreamy about him. Even though he's just a commoner he's tall, fit and handsome stature are enough for the girls to be attracted to him. Also, his mysterious aura gave him the atmosphere of a lone wolf.

Among these girls, there is this young lady who like Lucas the most. She's Judith, a daughter of one of the high ranking official in the town. She is the same age as Maliya and Lucas and ever since in her childhood, all she ever wanted was to talk to Lucas.

Yes, she never get the chance to. Since she is a daughter of the town official, the gap between the became really wide that even if she wanted to narrow it, she just couldn't.

So, instead of sulking, she made a fanclub for Lucas where young ladies in the town could get to know Lucas and how she liked him. She had almost given up on Lucas but as she heard that they will be going to the town festival, her hopes came up again. Maybe this time, they would get to know each other.

...

The town bell rings, a sign that the town festival could get started at anytime now. Lucas, who didn't prepare much, was the first one to come out from the house and look at the magnificent carriage waiting in front of their old, creaky house. It was glowing. Flowers with diamond decors were everywhere in the carriage as it was beautifully colored with gold, too luxurious for them, he thought.

However, the coachman's smile had reached his ears as though joyful and ecstatic about the events. Lucas, not wanting to ruin his father's happiness, stood quietly and waited as three women came out.

His mother, wearing a purple, ankle length dress was smiling all ears as she tried to neatly put the flower crown in Lilith's head.

Lilith staggers as she lift the hem of her rose pink dress with length that reached her ankle.

Right behind her, Lucas saw a very beautiful lady, with long jet-black hair and crystal eyes, It was Maliya. She was wearing a long crimson dress which perfectly suit her as it covered her neck.

Maliya, though uncomfortable cannot decline to Marianne's rant on her wearing the crimson dress. It was to flashy for her that she didn't even dare look in the mirror to see what she looked like. She though it won't be good for her. However everyone except her thought that she looked especially stunning.

As Marianne past beside the dumbfounded Lucas, she whispered softly to his son.

"She's beautiful right?" she asked as she giggled at her son's reaction. " Won't you escort the pretty lady?"

Lucas looked at her with curious eyes as his smiling mother winked naughtily.

"Grab the chance!" her whispered cheer for her son.

Lucas laughed in disbelief. It's not that he had felt something for Maliya but he just felt a relief in her mother's cheer. What could it possibly be?

On the other hand, Maliya was put in a difficult situation as she tried to ride in the carriage. The dress was fit and long that it became really hard for her to take a step upwards when she felt a warm hand gently wrapping in her waist as a hand was in front of her.

"Here." Lucas said. "Let me help you."

Maliya couldn't believe how Lucas acted just now. But putting aside anything, she accepted the floating hand and ride the carriage.

" T-thank you." she said in a low voice as the awkward situation with Lucas in front of her began.

Marianne cleared her throat to break the silence as the corners of her lips curled upwards.

Maliya, who felt the sudden heating of her face gently averted her gaze from Lucas' red ears and looked outside instead.

It will be a very long night, they all thought.