By Chance | Complete |

Chapter Thirty Six

River

When I woke up, I extended my hand out, expecting to feel Lyra there but the bed was cold. And empty.

I lifted my head and found that she wasn't there. But the clothes of mine she slept in were folded neatly and placed on the side table.

I sat up and sighed, running my hand through my messy hair.

Last night I gave Lyra two more orgasms before we both passed out. We didn't say much to each other after. We both weren't sure what to say to each other. But the silence wasn't tense, it wasn't awkward...the break from the fighting was kind of nice.

I should have expected Lyra to leave, she always disappeared after we did anything. I didn't blame her, we would end up fighting soon enough anyway.

Her car was gone from the driveway and all her stuff was gone too.

When I met Teddy and Sasha at school, they both looked like they were running off of just coffee or energy drinks and sugary snacks.

"Hey." Teddy said, rubbing the back of his neck. "You ready?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Have you guys seen Lyra?"

Teddy shook his head. "I think she came in early for bio. She had a last minute appointment and they let her write early."

She was fucking avoiding me. So much so that she somehow took her exam early.

"I'm surprised you two didn't kill each other last night." Teddy joked. He handed me a bottle of water as we walked into the classroom.

"Good luck!" Sasha told us before she left for her exam.

I sat down and scanned the room, and Lyra wasn't here.

She never showed up. She actually did her exam early.

Once I was done with my exam, I checked to see if her car was in the parking lot.

I wanted to call her, maybe just to fight with her. But I never ended up calling her. Instead I hid in the library and studied for my history exam.

This way I could avoid Emily and I could focus. But eventually I grew tired of studying and I left. I went by Lyra's house and saw her car in the driveway.

I don't know why I cared so much. I shouldn't. I shouldn't care that she was avoiding me. And I didn't- I just....fuck, I don't know.

I sighed, and knocked on the door. After a couple minutes, Lyra opened it and her eyes were puffy and slightly red.

Her eyes widened slightly.

"Lyra-"

She quickly came outside and closed the door. She crossed her arms under her chest. "What are you doing here?"

"You moved your exam."

"Yeah." She tucked her hair behind her ears and looked off to the side before snuffling. "Is that really all you came here for?"

"I'd like to know why you're avoiding me."

"Because we don't like each other. And we keep-"

The door slowly creeped open and her older sister stood there, her eyes darted to me before Lyra turned around.

"It's time to come into the house. You have to study, Lyra."

"I know." Her voice was low, almost like she didn't want me to hear. "Just give me a second."

"Two minutes." She gritted out and went back into the house.

"I think I dislike her more than you." I gave her a small smile.