Lila is Mine

"Lila-Rose Meyer was a 19-year-old girl who lived in the hot, tropical, beautiful, and busy city of Skyline. But beneath the city's glamor and glitz, there was a secret world filled with magical creatures.

She was a member of a secret organization vested with the power to control these creatures to prevent them from acting excessively or hurting innocent humans. This organization is known as the Quove and they follow the rules of the Quovent which is like their government.

"Lila finds herself in a mix. No matter what Lila did or how hard she tried to prove herself, she was known as the "traitor's daughter," a label that she struggled to escape. The stigma followed her everywhere, and it was difficult for her to make a name for herself but Lila was determined to prove that she was more than just her father's daughter."

Her father, Frank Meyer actually broke out of the organization called the Quove to create his own alongside people who had the same idea as him. The reason was because they didn't like the methods used by the quove and the quovent(the central body they obeyed like a government) to control these creatures.

"No one knows the whereabouts of Franklin Meyer but the impact of his group has been deeply felt.

"On a busy street in Skyline city, people are bustling around, going about their daily lives. In the midst of the crowd, Lila-Rose is walking alone, her head down, her eyes fixed on the pavement in front of her. Trying hard to avoid eye contacts with anyone. But then, something catches her eye

"Lila, Lila" Jeremy calls out to her while waving his hands. Lila freezes in place as she hears her name called out. She slowly lifts her head to see Jeremy, her brother from the family she grew up with, waving to her from across the street. He's smiling, clearly happy to see her. Her stomach drops, and she heaves a sigh of relief. She was away for a while, on a trip to see her grandmother who is the only surviving person she knows from her real family.

"She had been waiting for Jeremy to pick her up in his car. She was standing under the hot sun, which was unfriendly today. The sun was not smiling down on her.

She approaches Jeremy and he gives her a big hug. "How was the trip" he asks

"It was just the usual Jer, nothing more, nothing less….my grandma is actually fun to be with and it was great being there". Before I forget, I waited two hours for you to come pick me up. Why did you take so long?" she asked in an angry tone

Flustered by the question, he tries to change the topic and mumbled something about traffic and other obligations.

"Well, it's nothing much. Leon borrowed my car for a while, I had to wait for him to return it"

"Are you kidding me Jer. You should have told me on the phone" she continues

"I couldn't because I knew how pissed off you'd be" Jeremy replied

"At least I would have taken a taxi". "Well", Lila says with a smile "no need to cry over rotten egg, let's go.

"I'm sure it was spoiled milk or was it spilled milk," Jeremy said jokingly, and they both laughed.

"I'll go with rotten egg, Jer," she concluded.

Getting home, she met her family' Everyone was happy to see her.

The Andersons had raised Lila as their own after her father left. She was seven years old when her father, Franklin Meyer, left to be the founder of the opposition organization.

"Welcome back, Lila," Mrs. Anderson said with a warm smile. "We've missed you while you were away."

Lila gave her foster mother a big hug. "I missed you guys too," she said. Everyone seemed welcoming….how she had missed home.

Lila could hear footsteps coming from the hallway, and a moment later, her foster brother Matt came into the room.

"Lila! You're back!" he said excitedly. "How was your trip?"

Lila smiled. "It was good, but I'm happy to be home."

"I'm glad you're back too," Matt said. "It's been kinda boring around here without you."

The cozy familiarity of her foster home was like a warm hug, and Lila felt herself relax into it. The stress of her work and the long journey melted away as she enjoyed the company of her foster family.

"How was your trip?" Mr. Anderson asked. "Did you have a good time?"

Lila nodded. "I did, but it's always good to be home."

"Well, we're glad to have you back," Mrs. Anderson said. "Now, are you hungry?

"Of course ma, how could I not be hungry. Not just hungry, I'm so exhausted and sun-bleached after Jeremy left me waiting for him for hours and the sun was so hot" she said hitting Jeremy playfully on his chest.

"Hey, it's not my fault! The traffic was terrible plus you know what happened ," he protested, grinning. "Besides, you know I'd never keep you waiting on purpose."

He gave her a friendly nudge in return. "You're not still mad at me, are you?" he asked, with a teasing smile.

"Of course I'm not" she replied smiling "because you'd make up for it by treating me to chocolates."

"Aww, you know just the way to my heart!" Jeremy said, laughing. "You drive a hard bargain, but I'll happily treat you to chocolates for your forgiveness." He gave her a wink. "I guess it's a good thing I'm such a great brother, huh?" he said, with a playful grin.

"The best," she replied, giving him a hug. "And don't you forget it!"

"When you two are done playing sibling love, come down here for dinner" Mrs Anderson said from the kitchen.

Lila could already perceive the aroma of the meal cooking. It made her mouth water.

"How much I've missed this" she muttered with a smile knowing she loves food.

Matt who had been sitting quietly, rushed to the table with Lila and Jeremy.

Once they're all seated, Mrs. Anderson brings over the food, placing a cheeseburger in front of each of them. There's also a big bowl of fries and a pitcher of cold soda on the table.

"So…what's going on with Isabel…I've missed her so much"Lila says.

"Of course you do, you'll get to meet at the institute when you resume" Matt replies.

"She's one of the strongest people I know in the quove and I'm not playing. You should have seen the way she was trained when I was still a junior.

I'm glad all she learned paid off" Lila concludes.

"Of course, the mysterious creatures in our world keep increasing and becoming more powerful…we have to increase efforts and enforce hard training on our juniors hence they become powerful beyond control" Matt said with a serious tone.

"The powers bestowed on the quove and it's members are like magic powers but to be used for good. To control the bad and promote the good" he continues.

"You know Lila, as members of the quove, we are not just here for nothing, we were born for this. That's why children are trained so early" He goes further.

The conversation got so deep that they forgot dinner was in front of them.

"Oh my goodness, the food is getting cold." They turned to see Jeremy with an almost empty plate.

"Glutton" Lila said with a giggle

"We both know who loves food more here "Jeremy replied almost choking.

"You see, you almost choked on your food"…Matt added.

Jeremy takes the teasing in stride - he knows his siblings are just messing with him. He's such a good sport!

With the jokes out of the way, they can finally get to eating dinner. But Lila has a question for Jeremy before they dig in.

"So, how's the Quove doing lately?" she asks. "Any new developments?"

"Yes we….

"That reminds me," Matt says cutting Jeremy half way…."Jer bear has got himself a girlfriend and you're still single as hell."

"Seriously Matt….this tactic won't work on me…" Lila answered. Congratulations Jer. Tell me everything.

Jeremy seems a little flustered by the sudden attention, but he manages to collect himself and starts telling Lila all about his new girlfriend.

"Well, her name is Lily and she's really great," he says, his face glowing with happiness. "She's smart, funny, and just so easy to talk to. We've been dating for a couple of months now, and it's just been amazing."

As he continues to gush about Lily, Lila and Matt just smile and listen, happy to see their brother so smitten.

"In addition to that….my dear sis

When are you going to introduce the lucky man to us" Matt insists.

"Seriously" Lila said in disbelief. "There's no gentleman…" she concluded with a smile.

"I guess Lila's not ready to be with someone for now since Troy"….Jeremy said.

Those words felt like her heart had been pricked by a sharp needle. All the memories came flushing back into her brain….she remembered Troy who use to be her heart throb and how everything ended…how much they loved each other and now he was with someone else.

"Well, I've gotten over him now so no need to feel bad" she muttered to herself as a little consolation.

Jeremy realized how sad she had become and apologized for what he said

There was no problem actually because she wasn't just sad about Troy, she was also sad about how everyone sees her in the quove.

They only know her as the traitor's daughter and it's pretty difficult living with such shame. Troy was the one who made her feel wanted apart from her family and friends.

I'm so sorry Lila, these people don't actually see that you are more than just your father's daughter…Jeremy says in a bid to console her.

"Thanks a lot Jer.

She felt happy having Jeremy and Matt to comfort her.

"You shouldn't care about what these people say…you should stay strong always. Don't let their words get to you" Matt added.

With the support of her brothers, Lila's spirits begin to lift. She starts to feel more optimistic and hopeful. The dark cloud of sadness and self-doubt begins to lift, replaced by a sense of strength and resilience.

With a deep breath, she looks at Jeremy and Matt and says, "Thanks guys. I'm feeling much better now."

She gives them both a big hug, and they hug her back.

The moment of togetherness is comforting and reassuring, and it feels like a weight has been lifted from Lila's shoulders.

Their mother comes in….."eat up quickly so you can all rest" she says.

"You know Lila will be going to the institute tomorrow".

The presence of their mother, Mrs. Anderson, adds to the sense of comfort and security. Her voice is warm and soothing, and her words remind them that they all need to get some rest.

And then, the mention of Lila going to the institute tomorrow brings the reality of the situation back into focus. Even though Lila is feeling better, she's still facing a difficult task ahead.

"It's okay ma…" Lila says

Lila's response is calm and reassuring. She doesn't want her mother to worry, and she wants to show that she's ready to face whatever comes her way. Even though she's nervous about tomorrow, she's determined to put on a brave face.

As they all sit down to eat, the conversation turns to lighter topics, like funny stories from the past and silly jokes. For a little while, the worries of the world seem to fade away.

The simple act of eating dinner together seems to bring the family closer than ever. The laughter and conversation create a sense of belonging and togetherness that feels like a warm blanket on a cold night.

As the meal comes to an end, they all look around the table at each other, feeling grateful for this moment of connection and love. "Well, I think that's the best meal we've had in a while," Mrs. Anderson says with a smile.

There's a chorus of agreement from around the table. "That was definitely a meal to remember," Jeremy says. Matt nods enthusiastically, and Lila smiles and says, "I couldn't agree more."

Then, Mr. Anderson clears his throat and says, "It's getting late, and I think it's time for everyone to get to bed. It's going to be a big day tomorrow."

As the family starts to clear the table and say their goodnights, Lila feels a wave of tiredness wash over her. All the events of the day, from the long journey home to the emotional conversation with her family, have taken their toll.

She says her goodnights and heads to her room, sinking into her bed and closing her eyes. The comfortable mattress and soft sheets feel like a haven of comfort, and she begins to drift off to sleep.

In Lila's dream, she's transported back to her childhood, playing in the backyard with her father and mother. They're laughing and having a wonderful time together, playing tag and jumping on the trampoline. It's a warm, happy memory that makes Lila feel at peace.

Then, as the dream progresses, the scene changes and she sees her father leaving.

The dream takes a dark turn as Lila watches her father disappear into the darkness, leaving her alone and afraid. Her screams echo in the night, but he doesn't come back. The scene is so vivid and disturbing, it takes her a moment to realize she's woken up.

She's sitting up in her bed, her face wet with tears, her heart pounding in her chest. It takes a few moments to calm herself down and get her breathing under control.

After few minutes, she's calm…her eyes wander round the room and catches the clock hanging on the wall. She keeps her eyes fixed on it as it goes tik tok all the way.

The steady ticking of the clock is a soothing sound, and Lila's eyes slowly start to feel heavy again. The dream has faded away, and she's left with the comforting sound of the clock ticking in the night.

As she relaxes back into the bed, she begins to doze off again. But this time, instead of the dark and disturbing dream, she dreams of something much more peaceful.

The dream is a warm and fuzzy memory from her childhood, of sitting by the fire on a cold winter's night, sipping hot cocoa and reading a book.

In her dream, Lila starts to hear the beeping of an alarm clock, signaling the start of the morning. The sound slowly grows louder and louder, until it wakes her from her slumber.

She opens her eyes and realizes that it's not a dream - it's her actual alarm clock, telling her that it's time to get up. With a groggy stretch and a yawn, she rises from her bed and gets ready for the day.

She remembers she's supposed to be at the institute today…she heaves.

She prepares to go out, she wears black long-sleeves, jean pants and black boots, brushes her long, silky black hair and pushes it to a corner.