I stared at the French toast in the pan on the stove. It smelled so good, and I was so hungry. However, I refrained from stuffing my face, at least until it was done cooking. Halfway into breakfast my mother walked into the kitchen. "Oh! French toast. Did you leave enough for me?"
I nodded then pointed at the plate next to the stove. "Help yourself. I know it's your favorite." She eagerly plated for pieces then drowned them in syrup. I giggled then continued eating my breakfast as she sat down.
My mom and I ate in comfortable silence until her phone began ringing. I looked at the clock on the stove. Who would be calling at this hour? My mom picked up her phone and looked at the number then proceed to answer. "Good morning, Shelby. What can I do for you?"
Shelley was my best friend Lyra's mother. She was usually out of town for business so Lyra normally stayed at my house. She'd stayed her so often that she'd kinda claimed the guest bedroom as hers.
My mom frowned then nodded and said, "Yeah she's right here. Hold on." She held the phone out to me, a confused expression on her face. "She wants to talk to you."
I furrowed my brows at the phone. Why? She never wanted to talk to me. I shrugged then took the phone and put it to my ear. "Good morning, Mrs. Allister. How may I help you?" I chirped. I instantly heard the sound of someone sobbing on the other end of the line. "Mrs. Allister? What happened?"
"I'm at the hospital," she responded after she'd calmed down some. "It's Lyra. Frank went home early last night and found her. She--," sob, "she killed herself last night."
I stared blankly into space. I could not have heard her correctly. Could I? "Lyra killed herself last night," I repeated. "At your house."
My mom stared in surprise at me. What? she mouthed.
"I can't believe it either," Shelby sobbed.
"Are you sure?" I questioned frowning.
Silence. "I know this is difficult," she croaked. "I'm in denial too, but we need to get through this." More sobs. "The funeral is next Saturday."
"Thank you for telling me that. I'll be there," I said. I hung up the phone and stared frowning in confusion at the screen.
"What is going on?" my mother hissed in horror.
"I got to go check something," was my response as I abandoned the table and my gapping mother her phone still in my hand.
I walked to the spare bedroom and stepped through the doorway. The room was exactly as I remember it. The covers were still rumpled. Lyra's clothes and shoes were still lined neatly in the closet with her make up, jewelry, and hair products still on the faded pink vanity. It was empty. No one except me in the room claimed by my best friend in the entire world. "Something about this isn't right," I mumbled.
"What isn't right?" A voice behind me inquired.
I turned around to look into the crystal blue eyes of my best friend as she combed her damp hair. "Didn't you drive with me from school yesterday?" I questioned.
She stopped combing her hair and looked at me like I was crazy then started laughing. "Of course I did. My parents are out of town and I came to stay over at your house like I normally do."
"And you've been here all night?"
"Yes," she answered slowly, frowning in confusion. "We were up almost all night watching Teen Wolf."
She tilled her head and looked into my confused eyes. "Are you felling okay?" she inquired in concern.
I looked from her to the phone in my hand and back to her. "So your mother called."
