By Chance | Complete |

Chapter Nineteen

"Lyra! You don't get to act this way just because you pulled a suicide stunt."

Her words caused heat to run up my face as I dropped my head in embarrassment. She didn't have to yell that. Not now, not ever. Especially not with River here, who clearly heard her.

The familiar feeling of my throat aching started to slowly creep up as I held my tears back the best I could.

Don't cry. Not in front of him.

When I sunk into my seat, I refused to look at him. I was so grateful he decided to be a decent human being today when he asked if I wanted to get coffee instead of saying something about the fight he heard.

"He got your car fixed for you?" Sasha asked as she stood behind me, brushing out my hair and putting it into two braids.

"Yeah. He picked me up while Lil and I were fighting."

She leaned down and rested her chin on my shoulder. "You know you could move in with me, Ly. My parents love you, and they wouldn't mind at all."

My heart felt so warm from her offer. "I appreciate you so much, Sash. But I don't think she would ever allow me to do that."

"The offer is always on the table."

"What happened between Teddy and River? Teddy ignored him all day."

She stood up straight and tied the ends of my braids with pink elastic bands. "They got into a fight last night when they were playing basketball. He didn't go into details about it but he wasn't happy."

"Are we still going to the game tomorrow?"

"Of course. Teddy would never miss his game. No matter how mad he is." Sasha finished with my hair and sprayed something out of a clear bottle onto my hair. "They just need to take a break from each other and cool off. Teddy will talk to him before the game. You and I are setting up for the party at Rivers right before the game."

I looked into the mirror and smiled at my hair. "Thanks, Sash."

"The waves will look cute tomorrow." She sat down and took a sip of her juice. "I'm sorry again about us not answering our phones last night."

"No, don't be sorry at all. Was the party fun?"

"So much fun, I wish you were able to go."

I gave her a smile. "Well we get to party together tomorrow."

"I know. Come on. The s'mores dip is probably done."

Sasha's dad made us his famous s'mores dip for the movie night herand I were having. There wasn't any school tomorrow due to the championship game. The school focused very heavily on sports, athletes had a strong say in almost anything to do with the school.

Markus slid the pan over to us before going around the counter and kissing Sasha's cheek. "Goodnight, Baby."

"Goodnight, Daddy."

"Goodnight, Lyra." He gave me a kind, warm smile. So similar to Sasha's.

"Goodnight, Markus." I gave him a small smile back as he squeezed his daughter gently before exiting the kitchen that every mom dreams of. Subway tile backsplash. White cabinets and marble countertops. Double stove and fridge. 

I loved baking in Sasha's kitchen, we always had the absolute best time together here. It always ended up with flour and egg thrown everywhere, but it resulted in some of my favorite memories this year.

Sasha had been so kind to me the past two months almost, she had really become my best friend. My favorite person. I finally had someone to trust, to share things with. It felt incredible to finally have a friendship I've always dreamed of.

"Nightmare on Elm Street?" Sasha asked as we both flopped on the middle couch in the movie theatre that was in her basement.

"Which one are we on?"

"The third one." She flipped through her streaming services until she finally found the movie.

The lights dimmed as the screen showed the title of the movie.

"You're one of my favourite people, Ly." Sasha squeezed my hand about half way through the movie and whispered.

"You're one of my favourite people too, Sash."

My heart melted. Sasha meant the world to me. For once, I didn't feel judged. I felt accepted.

"Even though I hardly know much about you, I know you're going to be in my life for a long time. Aunt to mine and Teddy's future kids long time."

"You're already planning so far ahead?" I teased her.

Her soft, glowing smile reached her tired, slightly red, chocolate eyes. "I never knew I wanted kids until I started dating Teddy. The thought of having a small mini Teddy made my heart swell. And suddenly the thought of having children, his children, wasn't so bad and slowly became something I wanted eventually obviously not at that moment but eventually it was something I could see for myself."

"When do I get to be an aunt?" I put my hand on her flat stomach jokingly.

"By the time we're thirty."

Kids weren't really  something I ever thought about, or wanted. But not planning to be around very long never helped with planning my future. Future plans was something I was unfamiliar with.

I never had to worry about my future until now.