The ashes before Strife

Episode 18 : Hate of lies ; 1

Damian, Lumine, and I were sitting together on the train as we were heading to Tyres to relax after finishing my first full semester at Goldwheat academy.

It was a new experience as my last life there were schools but I never went since I ran away from home before I was even old enough to attend. It was nice associating with people my age and acting like a child for once.

I feel like Dendra would be proud of me for simply living an ordinary life, yet I feel like becoming the youngest alchemy teacher in history kinda ruins that hope she had for me.

If Dendra were still around shed be chasing me with a stick while yelling.

"What's making you so happy?" Lumine held Lupra in her lap stroking her gently as Lupra slept. "You're not thinking of high-jacking the train are you?" Lumine had her usual tired tone as she spoke. My antics have been rather tiring for her after all.

"Don't worry. I'm just remembering when a little girl who was terrified of lightning asked me to sleep in the same room as her." Lumine felt shot by my words as she remembered what I meant "you used to be so adorable, what happened?"

"Unlike you, I grew up!"

A bead of sweat ran down my face as I laughed at her pouting face feeling Damian's jealous gaze on me. I should be careful when talking with Lumine when he's around.

"We will be arriving in Tyres within 5 minutes." Hearing the train attendant shouting Damian's gaze fell off me and started checking his belongings.

"I'm so jealous of you Cayde. Not only are you childhood friends with a beautiful girl but you even bringing her over to meet your parents!? Very bold I must say." Damian did a little applaud for me while his gaze held hidden anger.

"It's nothing of the sort. She invited herself after her mother told her to come to Tyres as well. I'm just offering a place to stay until her mother arrives later today."

"Yeah, at my parent's home!"

Damian's angry face was just a hair's breadth away from me as I smelt his foul breath.

I did technically invite her without his permission "let's not sweat the minor details. Besides I'm still bound by the promise we made so don't worry."

the train halted to a stop and I saw the swaths of people outside the window waiting to get on "were already here anyway. So I guess it's pointless for me to be mad when ill get to see your mother's reaction."

Damian's devious gaze irked me as I remembered what kind of person my mother was "uh!"

"Whose this Cayde? Is it my future daughter-in-law?"

I pushed past Damian and hurriedly left the train with a scared and nervous expression. My mother will not let me have any rest for the next three weeks.

***
"Ding dong!"

As my finger lifted off the doorbell I was still questioning how my mother would react but I realize now it is my sisters who I have to be a little warier of.

"Hello?" The door opened to reveal Victoria, Damian's little sister greeting us. She looked up at us for a moment before running out to punch Damian's stomach "jerk! You left again!"

Damian sighed as Victoria repeatedly punched his stomach. Lumine admired the relationship they had as Damian picked his sister up carrying her under his arm as she demanded to be let go. "We're back! Cayde brought a friend over."

Lumine and I walked in after him and trying not to be awkward she said "You two seem close."

"Hah! Wait till you see Cayde's sisters. They're completely obsessed with him."