Chapter Fourteen: Clothes, Chaos, and Chatter
(Lyra's POV)
It was one of those weirdly quiet weekday afternoons where school was technically over, but no one wanted to go home yet. Soraya and Saphira practically dragged me home to my living room again.
"Lyra, we need to talk about something serious," Soraya said, flopping dramatically onto the couch.
"And it's not about homework," Saphira added immediately, because obviously homework was boring.
I raised an eyebrow, balancing my notebook. "Alright… serious. Spill it."
Saphira leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "E&A Fashion. Elara Paris Harper."
I blinked. "…Excuse me?"
"Don't act like you don't know," Soraya said, rolling her eyes. "That insanely famous brand? Owned by Elara? She… apparently went here. Saint Valley High."
I flopped onto the floor beside them, pretending to be scandalized. "She went here?? Are you telling me our school produced Elara freakin' Harper?"
"Yes. And she's basically a teen genius with a brand now. Billion-dollar deals, runway shows — the works. And she was here. Walking these halls."
I laughed. "I feel… officially inadequate."
"Oh, you're fine," Saphira said, patting my head. "But imagine seeing her strut down these hallways, knowing she'd own half the fashion world someday."
We spent the next hour spiraling into random teenage topics:
Who would survive a week in a haunted house.
Who could eat the most sugar without regret (I claimed victory).
Who in the school would actually win a secret talent contest.
Somewhere in the middle, Cassian leaned against the doorframe with a textbook in hand, looking annoyed and adorable at the same time.
"You're all ridiculous," he said, voice flat. But he didn't leave.
Evan appeared next, smirking as usual. "And yet, you all love it."
I rolled my eyes. "You don't count, Vale. You live for this chaos."
He leaned closer. "True. But it's more fun when you're here."
My cheeks warmed, and I hoped no one noticed.
Then came the drama — small, messy, but deliciously tense.
"Wait a second," Soraya said suddenly, pointing at Aveline. "Are you two… serious?"
Cassian's jaw tightened. "Excuse me?"
"You and Aveline," Saphira clarified, eyebrows high. "Summer. You know. The thing."
My heart skipped. I'd kind of known something was off between them, but hearing it out loud made it… real.
Evan whistled softly. "Finally, the world knows. Took you long enough."
Aveline crossed her arms, cheeks a faint pink. "It wasn't your business."
"Sure," Soraya said sweetly. "But somehow it is our entertainment."
The tension broke into muffled laughter, teasing, and eye-rolls. I felt like the group's private observer, sketching the dynamics in my mind — sugar, chaos, and complicated sparks all wrapped into one room.
Later, we wandered into a mini fashion debate. Saphira had found pictures of Elara's latest collection online.
"Look at this jacket," Saphira said, holding her phone up. "It's literally Saint Valley-approved. Lyra, you could totally pull this off."
I squinted. "Do you think the school would allow it?"
Cassian snorted. "You'd break half the dress code without even trying."
Evan laughed softly, elbowing me. "I'd still notice you in it."
I tried not to melt.
The day ended with us sprawled on my floor, leftover snacks scattered like confetti. We talked about everything — favorite teachers, awkward classes, the upcoming Halloween party, who'd probably win the costume contest, and if anyone had a chance of surviving next week's science lab disaster.
It was normal. Chaotic. Messy.
And in the middle of it all, I realized: for the first time since moving here, I felt like I wasn't just surviving Saint Valley High. I was living it — in sugar, laughter, teasing, secrets, and sparks.