By Chance | Complete |

Chpater Twenty Seven

Lyra

Three years ago

"Happy birthday!!!" Bridgette squealed as she came into my room. She was in a pair of high waisted jeans, and one of her classic pastel coloured shirts that tie in the front. At Bridgette's house I had my own room that she helped me decorate.

Fourteen.

It was a medium sized room, with pastel purple walls and white borders. I had a huge bed with a black comforter, I had my own closet here, filled with clothes, a large bookshelf right beside a large window with a bench under it. She made sure I had everything, she even had a room for Lil. But she has never once stayed over.

She was carrying a plate of vanilla cupcakes with baby pink frosting from our favourite bakery, a couple candles and a lighter in her hand.

She sat on the edge of my bed with a huge smile.

"Happy Birthday." I smiled, sitting up in my bed.

Bridgette and I shared a birthday, September Thirteenth. But we were thirteen years apart. She took a huge interest in me considering how close she was to my father. She would babysit me since she was at the age. As I got older, she was my favourite person. My best friend.

Since Lil was born earlier, she had a harder time developing a relationship with her. She was only a child when she was born, while she had just turned thirteen the day I was born.

She gave me a cupcake and we ate them together.

"What do you want to do today?"

"Whatever you want to do."

She gave me a look. "Come on. Your parents and Lil are on vacation. We can do anything you want."

"Anything?" I asked softly.

Anything I wanted, anything at all.

"Yes." Her smile was so warm, and bright, and so kind.

"Can we go see a movie? And go take pictures?" I hesitated.

"Of course we can. We'll get ready after our cupcakes."

We went to see some horror movies that day. She took me to a massive theatre in New York that was exclusively playing horror movies the whole weekend. We ended up seeing Final Destination, the original black and white House on Haunted Hill, and Trick R Treat. We had the best time at the theatre before we went to take pictures around town. 

I took my favorite picture that day. The sun was setting when we went to our favorite park, not too far from her house, and we took so many pictures there. The last bit of sunlight bounced off of her glowing skin, her beautiful blonde hair shimmering, she held a white rose. And it became my favorite picture I had ever taken. It became my most valued possession.

It meant the most to me, and I knew it always would.

Bridgette always made our birthday the best. I was lucky to have her in my life, even though there was a thirteen year difference, it was like we were always meant to be with each other. It always felt like that.

That year she got me a new camera for my birthday. And I got her some new photography equipment.

After the theatre and some pictures, we went out for dinner and baked chocolate chip cookies at her house.

"Can I move in with you?" I asked Bridgette softly as we watched the movie.

"You can't move in with me, Honey. As much as I'd love that, you have parents."

"I wish you were my mom."

She smiled and gave me another cookie. "I wish I could be with you all the time too."

"Sit out here," Bridgette told me, squeezing my hand gently. "I won't be long."

I sat outside the doctor's office, patiently waiting for Bridgette.

My parents were supposed to be home in a couple days. That means I wouldn't be able to stay with Bridgette anymore. And Lilian also would be back.

Bridgette came out after a bit and she gave me a smile. "Wanna get ice cream?"

I nodded excitedly.

After Ice cream, Bridgette took me to an amusement park. We went to the haunted house they had and rode every ride we could. And just when we left, we stopped at the candy store in the park.

On our way home we stopped for pizza and some popcorn before going home and watching a movie.

"Lyra." Lilian muttered as she shoved her shoulder into mine as I tried to grab some water.

My parents and Lil had only been back a week and it didn't take her long to start bothering me again. She went beyond out of her way to bug me, pushing into me when I wasn't in her way, or getting me in trouble on purpose. She had also spilled her god damn juice all over the new shirt Bridge had gotten me, and she happily destroyed it.

"I'm getting a drink. Not even talking to you."

She rolled her eyes. "How are you taking that stuff with Bridgette?"

I raised a brow at her. "What stuff?"

The look on her face curled into one that sent chills down my spine. "You don't know?" She scoffed.

"What?"

"Bridgette has stage four breast cancer."

My heart dropped as the beating slowed. What did she just say?

And when she repeated herself, I nearly lost it.

"H-How do you know?"

"Heard her tell mom and dad last week." She took my water from my hand. "She's starting treatment soon."

My heart shattered into a million pieces that day.

My fourteenth birthday would be the last birthday that would ever be normal, that would be happy.

That Friday was Bridgette's weekend with me, she and her boyfriend were supposed to pick me up after my last class. 

"Freak." I heard a voice hiss as I walked into the bathroom and went met with a very cold hitting my face and then another.

Before I could see who it was, someone push me hard against the wall. My shoulder smashed against the hard tiled wall and pain shot down my arm.

Heels clicked against the tile floor as the door swung open again before closing just before the final bell rang.
I sat back carefully, wiping my eyes.

My shoulder throbbed as I tried not to let my tears fall.

I knew that was Emily and her friends. They started fucking with me my first day here. Most of our high school grew up together. While I went to a school in the city until my parents allowed me to go to the school here.

We are just outside New York City, in a very wealthy, old money town. But our town was quite big. 

I missed my last class that day, and my day only got worse when I saw Henry, Bridgette's boyfriend, was in the school parking lot. He was waiting in the car without her.

"Hey, Ly." He gave me a tired smile.

"Hey." I put my bag on the floor by my feet and buckled my seatbelt. "Where's Bridgette?"

"She had a doctor's appointment today, you're still coming over, don't worry." His smile widened a little bit.

I nodded. Turning to him I asked, "It's true isn't it?"