The summer wind drifts lazily across the school campus, carrying with it the sweet scent of caramelized apples—a signature aroma of the Metrowest School grounds in the 90s. The golden afternoon sun casts long shadows on the brick pathways, warming the air just enough to make the breeze feel like a gentle caress against the skin. Beneath the rustling oak trees, the world seems to slow down, blending the scent of fresh-cut grass with something more delicate: the faint, lingering notes of Lily's perfume—Elizabeth Arden's "Sunflowers," a floral and citrusy fragrance that clings softly to the warmth of her skin.

Lily kneels in front of you, her hand resting lightly on your cheek. She's smiling, her face tinged with the rosy glow of laughter. She just finds it funny—you fell asleep mid-conversation, drifting off while you were talking about nothing in particular. But she doesn't mind. She knows how exhausting life has been for you lately.

"Wake up, fool," she teases, her voice filled with warmth. "Why do you have that face? You look like you've seen me after decades... but you were literally only asleep for seven minutes while I was talking."

With a playful glint in her eyes, she reaches out and gently pinches your nose, giggling at your sleepy expression.

"So, what was that you were going to tell me? You seemed a little sad. Tell me, is something wrong? Did something happen to you? You know you can tell me anything."

Her touch softens as she cups your cheeks, her thumbs brushing lightly over your skin in a silent gesture of reassurance.

"I know you're nervous. I am too. Being in the A.O.H. is no small thing. Just a little while ago, our biggest concern was getting cats out of trees, and now... the fate of the world rests on our shoulders. It's a lot. It's normal to be afraid, to feel nervous about it, okay?"

She smiles, her eyes full of understanding, and without hesitation, she wraps her arms around you, holding you close, as if pouring all the love in the world into that single embrace.