By Chance | Complete |

Chapter Four

Lyra

That night I had gotten home after my sister and her husband went to bed. The next morning I wasn't so lucky.

I got up around seven, got a pair of leggings and hoodie to go for a walk. Since I hadn't heard anyone up yet, I came out of my bedroom, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Just as I reached the back door, my hand about to grasp the door handle, my name rang through the house. Lilian.

"Lyra, come to the kitchen please." She demanded.

A sigh fell from my lips and I dropped my hand.

Fuck.

I thought I had listened so carefully, I thought no one else was up. Sadly, I was wrong. Lilian was better at this game than I was.

When I found Lilian in the kitchen, she was sitting at the island with her coffee mug in her hand. "Why didn't I see you yesterday, Lyra?"

"I had to work early yesterday morning. I was opening so I had to be there a little earlier to make sure everything got done in time." I explained.

"And what about after work?"

There's no way I could tell her the truth, nor did I want to. I couldn't let her on to where I was or what I was doing.

"I went out with some friends. They invited me to a party."

Lilian raised one of her perfect fluffy brows before laughing. "Friends? You don't have friends Lyra. Come on, if you wanted to lie, you should have come up with a better lie."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I'm not lying, Lilian. I went to a party with my friends after I was done with work."

"And who exactly are these 'friends'?" A smirk spread across her lips.

"Theodore Cassie and his girlfriend Sasha Kane." I blurted without thinking.

Fuck, I couldn't bring them into my lie.

Lilian's face turned before she bursted out laughing. "Good fucking lie, Lyra. You are not friends with Senator Cassie's grandson or his girlfriend. You don't fit into that world, nor would you ever. Those people are going to end up hurting you. Because people like you belong with the outcast freaks."

"I don't know what you want me to say, they're my friends. And I can prove it to you. I'm going out with them next weekend." That was the wrong thing to say, I regretted it as soon as it left my mouth.

"I'll believe it when I see them pick you up whenever you're going out." She set her coffee cup down and leaned against her hand.

"There's something for you on the front table. From Alec and I."

I didn't say anything as I left the room, clenching my jaw.

Fuck you, Lilian.

I grabbed the envelope from the table by the front door and left. I tore the white paper open and took out the card. A key fell out of it and into my lap as I opened the card.

It read, Happy Seventeenth Birthday, we hope you had a good birthday. Here the key is for the basement that was just finished being renovated. It's for you if you want it.
-Lilian and Alec.

They were letting me move into their newly renovated basement. Which was rather nice, they had done a good job down there. I was surprised they wanted me to move down there. I suppose it would give them some of their space back.

It was kind of them, a really kind gesture that I felt bad about.

I sighed before grabbing my phone and texted Lilian saying thank you.