Chapter 5 Five
Selene gasped, “What?”
Lyra nodded slowly, unable to meet her eyes, “I think it was Damon.”
For a second Selene said nothing, then her face lit with shock, “Damon?”
Lyra wrapped her arms around herself, “I’m not sure... I didn’t see clearly, but... I think it was him.”
Selene stared at her, then suddenly squealed, “Oh my God, Lyra!” Lyra flinched and Selene grabbed her shoulders. “This is amazing!”
“No, it’s not,” Lyra whispered.
“What do you mean it’s not? You’ve liked him forever!”
Lyra’s eyes filled with panic, “He left.”
Selene’s excitement paused, “He left?”
Lyra nodded, “There was no note. Nothing. He was just... gone.”
Selene’s expression softened, “Well... maybe he got nervous.”
Lyra looked away, maybe...she wanted to believe that but deep inside, fear was beginning to creep in. What if it wasn't Damon but someone else?
And because of that, Lyra did not go to school the next day. She could not and the moment she woke up in Selene’s room, the memory of the night before came crashing back so hard it left her breathless.
The party, the room, the warmth of someone's touch, and the aching tenderness in her body.
And the name she had whispered in the dark, Damon.
Just thinking about it made her face burn with humiliation.
She pulled the blanket over her head as if hiding under it could erase what happened.
“Lyra,” Selene said from across the room, already dressed for school. “You need to get up.”
“No.”
Selene sighed, “You can’t stay here forever.”
Lyra sat up slowly, clutching the blanket to herself, “Yes, I can.”
“No, you can’t,” Selene said, walking closer. “If you hide now, it’ll only make things worse.”
Lyra looked away, “How am I supposed to go to school after... after what happened?”
Selene’s expression softened, “You don’t even know what happened.”
“I know enough,” she said. She knew she had slept with someone. Someone she doesn't even know but kept telling herself that it was Damon. What if it turned out not to be him? There are visibly no visible reason why Damon would do that to her. They never had that kind of relationship so why would Damon do that?
And worst of all, she actually wanted to believe that it was Damon and she wanted it to have meant something.
That was the part that made her feel foolish.
Lyra swallowed “Or maybe it wasn’t him.”
Selene frowned, “You said you thought it was.”
“I did,” Lyra whispered. “But I don’t know. Everything was blurry.”
Selene placed a hand over hers, “Then don’t torture yourself before you know the truth.”
Lyra stared at the wall, her stomach twisting. “I can’t go,” she said again.
Selene let out an exasperated sigh, “You’re really doing this?”
Lyra nodded, not like anyone cared if she went to school or not anyway. Her family hasn't even bothered to call to check where she was even when she hasn't been home since yesterday.
She would rather just stay here than go to school. Selene stared at her for a moment before throwing up her hands dramatically.
“Fine. But tomorrow, you’re coming. No excuses.”
Lyra gave a weak nod.
Selene left for school, and Lyra stayed behind, drowning in her own thoughts. The entire day felt endless and every passing hour made the uncertainty worse.
She kept replaying fragments in her mind, trying to piece them together. A hand against her skin, a familiar scent, and a body over hers. This all explained Damon, but every time she tried to remember a face, the memory dissolved.
By the time evening came, she was even more miserable than when the day began. Selene returned later than usual, bursting into the room with far too much energy.
“You are definitely coming tomorrow,” she declared.
Lyra groaned into the pillow, “No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Selene yanked the pillow away. “Lyra, listen to me. Hiding is making this worse. Just ask him about it, did he end up at ...you know, ask him about it,"
Hearing that asked him about it felt doable but in the imagination. How could she walk up to him and actually ask that? Oh no, she was not even going to think about that.
"Then what do you want to do?" Selene asked crossing her arms over her chest, "Instead of sulking over this, asking him is better."
Lyra sat up reluctantly, “I can’t face Damon.”
Selene folded her arms. “Then face him scared
Lyra stared at her and Selene’s expression softened, “You deserve answers.”
That sentence stayed with Lyra all night. By morning, she still felt sick with nerves, but she forced herself to get dressed. She ate breakfast with Selene and her parents and then they left for school.
She would find a way to ask him and maybe he would explain. Maybe he would smile at her and tell her that he was the one.
What if he said no? Isn't that making herself stupid? And maybe she would even be laughed at by the entire class if Damon ever tried to make a joke at her.
Is Damon really like that? Maybe he is, there's no way she could predict what exactly happened with the popular boys. Would she survive that?
As soon as they entered the academy gates, Lyra noticed something strange. People were staring, not the usual glances, the usual mocking looks, this was different.
Heads turned as she walked, whispers followed her, students openly stared at like she had grown another head and her steps slowed.
“Selene...” she whispered.
Selene looked around, confused, “What?”
“Why is everyone staring?”
Selene frowned, “I don’t know.” She has been trying to figure that out too.
But Lyra knew this was not normal. The stares grew worse as they walked deeper into the academy.
Groups of students stopped talking when she passed. Others whispered behind raised hands.
Some looked shocked, others looked furious, Lyra's pulse quickened, “What’s happening?” she asked.
Selene looked just as unsettled, “I have no idea.”
They had barely stepped into the main corridor when Selene’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen....and froze, her eyes widened.
“Wait.”
“What?” Lyra asked, panic rising.
Selene stared at the message in disbelief. Then she looked up at Lyra, pale-faced.
“Do you know what just happened?”
Lyra’s heart pounded, “What?”
Selene grabbed her arm.
“Kael chose you as his girlfriend yesterday at his house!”
Lyra blinked.
