It was training day for Katie and Caitlin and they were currently driving to training with Lillie...
" you feeling okay bubba?" Katie asked Lillie as they were driving to training, Lillie hadn't talked the whole time they were in the car nor when she woke up. Both Caitlin and Katie could tell she was nervous and upset.
"Yep I'm all good!" Lillie replied with a faint smile, and then continued to stare out the window. they could see right through her but continued to drive.
Once the three arrived at the training centre, Lillie took a deep breath before getting out of the car. She grabbed her bag and waited for her mums.
Once everyone was out of the car and had their stuff, Katie and Caitlin took one of Lillie's hands each and walked in with her. She was so nervous because today was the day that Marlee, Lillie, Alessia, Katie and Caitlin were going to go and talk to their coach about Jamie. Lillie knew she had to but something inside her said you shouldn't have told anyone.
Once they got to the chill room, Lillie let go of her mums hands and walked over to Marlee who had clearly been crying and all Lillie could do was hug her. She sat down next to her on the lounge and Marlee looked at her and tears just welled in her eyes.
"Hey mars, everything's gonna be alright, your nerves are eating at you, I know, mine are too, but listen to me, nothing's gonna happen to us, she can't do anything about it, she brought it upon herself!" Lillie said as she pulled Marlee into her chest and Marlee wrapped her arms around her, she didn't want to make Marlee any more nervous than she already was but at the same time she just wanted to hide and never come out.
"We shouldn't have told them, non of this would've happened, I'm scared lills, like really scared!" Marlee replied with a shake in her voice.
"You were the one that wanted to tell them silly, but it's out of our control now mars, it was for the greater good!" Lillie replied wiping Marlee's tears.
"I regret it now, we're cooked for tomorrow!" Marlee replied, it was true, the little ones all had training tomorrow, if this meeting didn't go well they were actually cooked.
All of a sudden Katie bent down in front in the girls and took one of their hands each.
"Alright girls, it's time to head in for our meeting, now I know you are both nervous but this is going to stop all this drama and stalking because it's not safe to be around someone like her, but you guys aren't alone here, we've got you, we're here for you both, we'll be in the room right by your sides, all we want is to protect you guys, and this is for the safety of our friends and family as well because who knows who else she's stalking, but I promise you, if you want me or mum or lessi to hold your hands, hug you, hold you, just in anyway comfort you, trust me we will do it, your never alone, I promise!"
Katie said. This calmed the girls down a bit as they had nodded, but they had been brought to tears again. They didn't want to do this at all, but at least they weren't alone.
Caitlin and less both walked over and held out their hands for each girl to take, they both wiped their eyes and Lillie grabbed Caitlin and Marlee's hands, Katie grabbed Caitlin's and Marlee had less' and Lillie's. The walk to the meeting room was quiet, Lillie and Marlee had a secret code so
1 squeeze meant it's alright we're fine
2 squeezes meant I don't want to do this
3 squeezes meant I'm about to cry again
Lillie did 2 squeezes and Marlee squeezed 3 times, but there was no turning back now. Once they got to the door they all stood there, Lillie turned to Caitlin and tugged on her arm to get her attention, tears were welling in her eyes but she tried to fight them.
"Hey, bubba, listen to me, everything's gonna be alright, we're all here, we're not gonna leave you, I promise!" Caitlin said as she bent down and cupped Lillie's cheeks.
"No, mummy I can't do it, please I can't!" Lillie cried shaking her head.
"It's okay, you're okay, I promise it will all be over soon love, come on, it's okay girls!" Lillie and Marlee were both shaking their heads, but it was too late, Katie had opened the door and they were met with the director of the academy, Lillie and Marlee's coach, Jonas, and a few of the wellbeing managers.
"Hi guys, thanks for meeting with us on such short notice!" Caitlin started off, Lillie trailing close behind still holding Marlee's hand and Alessia behind the pair.
"No problem girls, now we've been hearing of some dramas and issues with Marlee and Lillie and another girl on their team, if you don't mind my asking, what has happened?" The director asked all of them. Lillie didn't want to talk about anything, neither did Marlee.
"Mama I want you!" Lillie whispered to Katie who nodded and picked Lillie up and placed her on her lap so she was still facing everyone.
"Lessi!" Marlee tugged on Alessia's jumper and instantly, Lessi picked Marlee up and hugged her arms around the young girl.
"Well do you want them to explain it or do you want us too?" Caitlin asked as she grabbed Lillie hand and rubbed her knuckles.
"only if they want to, if you girls don't want to talk about it, that's totally okay!" The director smiled at both the girls which gave them some comfort.
"It's okay, I'll talk!" Lillie replied, looking at Marlee with a hopeful smile which she received a faint smile.
"So Jamie is known to be quite strange and has some quirks per say, but recently it has gone to another level, she figured out the day I was coming back from Australia, got her mum to drive her an hour up to London Heathrow airport just to see all of us who were at the airport, like I speak on behalf of all of us when I say it's crazy!" Lillie explained the situation that had occurred a week ago, everyone in the room was left shocked.
"That's absolutely unacceptable, we are also hearing of her hurting you Lillie is that correct?" The director asked. This made my Lillie's heart skip a beat and her confidence in herself plummeted. But she pushed that feeling aside and said,
"Yes sir that's correct, she grabbed my wrist and told me that if I told anyone what happened at the airport or anything else that she'd done, she would come for me, then she proceeded to go over to Marlee and told her to watch her back too, I'm really scared sir, I can't play well on the same team as someone like that and I don't think anybody can, we're not safe!"
Lillie had showed the now black and purple bruise that remained on her wrist, everyone had gasped. Lillie had began to cry, Caitlin squeezed Lillie's hand and Katie had wrapped her arms around her little girl tighter. Lillie had covered her face with her hands as she was embarrassed by other people seeing her cry, Caitlin decided to rub her daughters back to comfort her.
"You two girls are both very brave for coming to us, that's not an easy thing to do, and trust me when I say this, it will all stop, her actions are unacceptable and will not continue at this club, you won't be seeing Jamie again, I can promise you that, thank you all so much for coming and seeing us ladies, you may leave if you wish!"
The director thanked them all which made Lillie and Marlee smile as their tears had turned to happy ones but they knew they would go back to sad crying in a few minutes. Katie placed Lillie down to shake hands with everyone as did everyone else but as soon as they left the meeting room both Lillie and Marlee burst into sobs which brought the attention of the three older girls. Katie decided to pick Marlee up and Alessia picked Lillie up.
"Shhh, shhh, Lills what's wrong?, we just sorted it, everything's okay!" Less asked as she was rubbing Lillie's back. The young girl couldn't manage to speak, she just continued to cry, she knew that even if Jamie was kicked out of the academy, that couldn't stop her from coming after them any other way, she knows everything about them, all of them.
"She'll still come for us even if she gets kicked out of the academy, we've just made it worse, she knows everything!" Lillie sobbed but was quickly soothed by Alessia.
"Bubba, what do you mean she knows everything?" Caitlin asked concerned as she was walking and rubbing Lillie's back. This just made Lillie cry more so they avoided the question for now. Once they got back to the chill room, since it was the little one's day off they would just sit in there and watch tv with the rest of their team who came with their sisters.
Lillie and Marlee clung to Alessia and Katie as they placed them on the lounge, not wanting to let go of them, it took a bit of convincing and bribery but they finally agreed to stay in the chill room as Lillie was now hugging olive and Marlee was being held by addy.
Occasionally you would get a sniffle or someone would wipe their eyes. Nothing could distract the girls from the fact that they were absolutely cooked.
The rest of the girls tried to cheer them up and get them to laugh and smile but nothing worked, both just sitting in their own tears.
"Lills, do you wanna play a game?, do you wanna watch tv?, do you wanna do anything?" Olive asked as she rubbed Lillie's arm, she simply just shook her head and went back to staring into space. The same thing went for Marlee, she didn't answer anything and tears just ran down her cheeks.
After a few hours, training was over, and thank goodness for that. Katie and Caitlin were the first to walk in and find their still quite upset daughter. This made Katie and Caitlin look at Lillie with so much remorse and empathy. They slowly walked over to the 4 girls on the big lounge, bent down in front of Lillie and waited for her to look at them.
" hey baby doll, training is over, you ready to go home?" Caitlin asked. Lillie simply nodded and thanked olive for comforting her and said goodbye to everyone else, she saved Marlee for last as they shared a long hug and cried together.
Once the girls were finished, Lillie wiped her eyes and grabbed Katie and caitlin's hands and walked to the car together.
The car ride was yet again quiet as Lillie cried even more than before. Fear had over ridden her body and she just felt dull and broken. There was no light left behind her eyes anymore, this killed her mums, she hadn't cracked a smile in what felt like days, her spark was gone, for who knows how long, the fear, terror, and shame had crushed her, almost completely...
Chapter 9 done
This is getting deep, poor Lillie, she's going through too much at 12. Any suggestions are welcome.
Word count : 1955