21. Lyre

22.5K 862 102
                                    

            Just as I hit the lower step of the house stairs, ready to run into bed, I hear her voice.

            “Oh Hazel dear,” Evelyn coos, leaning against the door. “How was the beach?”

            I blink rapidly, trying to dispel the moisture in them. “Great,” I say tersely, prepared to shoulder past her.

            Evelyn giggles, taking a sip from her mug of tea. “It looked like you were having a great time. He’s great by the way.”

            Great.

            What was her definition of great?

            I just nod, reaching for the handle of the bedroom door, waiting for Evelyn to finish speaking.

            “Did you black mail him or something?” she asks lightly, as if talking to herself.

            I flinch, my grip tightening on the handle.

            “No wait,” she laughs, pouting her lips “let me guess, you pitied him into it”

            “Evelyn, leave me alone,” I say quietly, hearing the downstairs door open as people enter the house again.

            “You’re hiding something and I’m going to find out about it,” Evelyn reminds me, tapping a delicate finger against her chin.

            I sigh, closing my eyes for a brief second. “You can do whatever you want. I don’t care.”

            Opening the door a tiny inch, I slip into the quiet room and shut the door firmly behind me, locking it.

            I don’t hear the quiet click of her heels walk away until a few minutes later.

            Exhaling in relief, I slip off my swim suit and T-shirt, the sand sashaying down onto the wooden paneling.

            Every one of my bones ached, the exhaustion settling in thick.

            Grabbing Coda’s oversized T-shirt, the one I’ve been sleeping in for weeks, I quickly pull it on and slip into bed.

            Everything’s been pretty uneventful these past days, my mom and Gwen still in town finishing up some last minute wedding issues.

            Snuggling deeper into the covers, I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to ignore the clear absence on the spot of the bed beside me.

            I missed Gwen. A lot.

            She was always the one to anchor me down when things like this happened. She made me feel like even if I was overacting, it was reasonable because nothing that bothered her little sister was unimportant.

            Why couldn’t I just be like Gwen? Confident and able to speak her mind?

            Well, what was keeping me from that?

            Even I didn’t know the answer to that.

            Burying my face in my pillow, I drown out all my thoughts and listen to the quiet crash and lull of the ocean.

            ~*~

            Everything was dark and still.

            Glancing at my phone, the clock reads 2:07 in bright red.

My Hired Boyfriend (Completed)Where stories live. Discover now