𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑃ℎ𝑜𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑥 ✔︎ || 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑑

17

~ phoenix ~

When I returned to the house, Babs was waiting for me.

"I've got a surprise for you, Lyra," she said, with a warm smile. But her cheeks were still stained.

I stayed silent as she led me upstairs. I wondered what the surprise would be this time. A baby?

"I told them you got lost after missing your flight, so you found your way here," she informed me in a hushed voice.

My brows furrowed as she ushered me towards the parlour door. Them?

Cracking the door open, I glanced into the seemingly empty room until my gaze landed on them. Their heads shot up and their expressions mirrored mine. Stealing my breath, a sea of untold emotions shone in their eyes. The moment of shock and paralysing relief dissipated and before I knew it, Gia and Tabby were leaping into my embrace. The glacier around my heart began to melt away. In its wake was a tide of warmth and longing. How I missed them...

My throat clogged with all the words rushing to my mouth. I wanted to tell them how I feared I'd never see them again, how I thought I'd die if they left me now. But my voice faltered and I could only sob.

"Phee," Gia murmured into my hair, "it's okay. You only got lost."

If only she knew... but she didn't and if I wanted her alive, she would never. I thought back to first grade and more tears filled my eyes.

~

"Gia!" I screeched, ploughing to a halt in front of her sparkly pink bike.

I heard Tabby's heavy footsteps behind me. "Where- wherewisshe?" she gasped beside me.

"I dunno," I replied, looking around.

Her Mommy said she'd be in the back garden. So where was she?

I ran around the grass, looking into bushes and peeking around trees. Eventually, I spotted a bob of brown hair behind a big rock. "Found you!" I shouted, leaping beside her.

Tabby appeared around the other side. Gianna avoided us all day at school. She couldn't run now.

"Go away," she sulked. I saw tears on her cheeks.

Losing my grin, I wrapped an arm around her small body. "Not gonna happen."

"What's wrong, silly?" Tabby asked softly.

"You're not gonna be fwends with me anymaw!" Gia cried, hiding her face in her arms.

I frowned. Gia came from a place called Italy at the start of first grade. Even though it's been months and months since we met he, she still had a slight accent. We were gonna be friends forever.

"Of course we are!" I exclaimed, hugging her moe tightly. "But why?"

"I-I'm u-ugly now," she croaked through her tears.

"No you're not," Tabby argued, "You're so pwetty!"

"N-no I'm not. I don't have my front teeth anymore!" She bared her teeth to show us and then began to cry again.

My expression turned somber. Shaking her to get her attention, I lifted my top lip to show my missing tooth as well. I knew how bad it felt. "Look, I'm the same."

"Aw, Gia, you have to tell us if you're sad and then, we'll make it okay again. You didn't speak to us the whole day today. Miss Frankie said you were ill," Tabby said.

I hummed in agreement. "Besides, you know it'll grow back again and if anyone says anything, we can kick their teeth out, kay?"

"I'm sorry, guys," Gia muttered, looking down.

I lifted her chin. "You promise? No secrets?"

Wiping her cheeks, she met my gaze determinedly. "Yes, yes, I promise!"

"Me too!" Tabby cheered.

"Yes, and me!" I grinned. "We're best friends forever!"

Our secret handshake was interrupted when Mrs F called us.

"Girls, you want milkshakes?"

~

Thinking of the oath I'd taken over a decade ago, something cemented in my mind. This- this agreement would snatch everything from me. Nothing would be the same. No one would- could stay.

"I-I'm sorry," I stammered. For everything. For lying.

"Stop, don't feel guilty. You did the smart thing, idiot," Tabby smiled, pulling away to see my snotty face.

"Exactly," Gia added, "we found you anyway. And we're gonna stay, okay?"

I barely concealed another wave of sobs. I nodded frantically, wishing fruitlessly that the force of my agreement would change her reassurance into the truth.

A knock at the door startled us.

Babs appeared, with a tray of sundaes. Ice cream, perfect.

Before my grandmother left, she looked me in my eyes. "You should tell them the news, Lyra. Maybe they could stay for the wedding."

My eyes narrowed at her retreating frame. Well now, I couldn't avoid telling them.

Gia and Tabby took their sundaes whereas I chose to leave mine. Ice cream was good solace in times of sorrow and grief, helping to forget the problem. I didn't want it. I wanted to remember the pain he caused me so I could hate him forever.

They both snuggled into the couch, pulling me in between them.

"So," Tabby began, expectantly, "who's getting married?"

𝑥𝑜
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