Chapter 15— Tournament Week
Lyra's POV
The morning light fell soft across my bedroom, brushing against my curtains and glinting on my star necklace. Even after the chaos of Halloween and the festival, Lumera felt like it had pressed the pause button overnight, letting me breathe in the quiet.
I could still smell the faint hint of caramel apples from last night's party, and for a moment, I just lay there, tangled in blankets, smiling at the memory of Evan spinning me in the courtyard, laughing as the wind tugged at my hair.
A buzz on my phone made me sit up. A message from him:
Evan 💛: "Morning, Sol. Big game week. Don't miss me too much 😏"
I grinned, tapping back a reply:
Lyra 🌟: "Impossible. You'll be gone a week. Survive the hotel snacks and keep your uniform clean."
Downstairs, Mom was already at the counter, sketching some plans for a new building. The smell of fresh coffee and toasted bread curled around the kitchen.
"You're up early," she said, glancing over her glasses. "Big plans?"
"Evan's leaving for a football tournament today," I said, grabbing a cinnamon roll. "I'm helping him pack."
Mom smiled, warm and quiet. "It's good. You two… you make each other happy."
I blushed and mumbled something in reply, though I already knew it. I didn't need words to feel it — the way Evan smiled at me, teased me, lingered near me even when he had to focus on the game, made everything golden.
By the time Evan arrived at my house, his duffel bag was halfway open, socks spilling out, and his hoodie slouched on the chair like it owned the place.
"Hey," I said, sliding into the kitchen beside him.
"Hey, Sol," he said, ruffling my hair lightly. "Morning."
"You look exhausted already."
"Packing counts as a workout," he teased, grabbing a stray pair of cleats and dropping them in the bag.
I laughed, reaching for the star pendant. "Promise you'll text me?"
"Every day," he said, brushing a leaf off my shoulder. "Even if it's just a sticker emoji."
I rolled my eyes but smiled. "You better."
Breakfast was chaotic in the most perfect way. We joked over scrambled eggs and orange juice, arguing about whether he packed enough underwear and socks. He tried to sneak a piece of my cinnamon roll, and I retaliated by flicking powdered sugar at his nose. He laughed, dodged, and retaliated in kind.
Then came the hugs — the kind that linger just a second too long. He pressed his forehead to mine for a moment, and I felt the warmth of him seep into my chest.
"Go win, Evan," I whispered.
"I will. And I'll be back before you finish your next list item," he said, eyes shining. "Maybe I'll even have a trophy to show off."
"You'd better," I teased, grinning.
With one last squeeze of my hand, he slung the duffel over his shoulder and headed for the car. I waved until he was gone, the autumn air suddenly feeling a little emptier.
By mid-morning, I met the rest of the group at Clover's Café.
"Where's Evan?" Soraya asked, raising an eyebrow over her pumpkin spice latte.
"Off to conquer the city," I said with a smile. "He's got a tournament."
Saphira smirked. "You look like you're going to miss him terribly."
"I…maybe a little," I admitted, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
We spent the morning tackling small, fun items from the senior list — painting tiny pumpkins leftover from Halloween, having a mini sketching session in the park across the street, and laughing through a ridiculous scavenger hunt Soraya had concocted on the fly.
"I swear," Saphira said, balancing a stack of leaves on her head like a hat, "this list makes absolutely no sense sometimes. But it's kind of perfect."
"I agree," I said, brushing orange paint off my sweater. "It's chaotic, but…fun."
After lunch, we wandered into the little bookshop near the café. The smell of paper and vanilla made me feel instantly cozy. Among the stacks, one caught my eye: The Last Page.
A second-chance romance — Nora and Calen, love lost and found again. I cradled the book like it was treasure.
"Another one?" Soraya asked, smirking.
"Exactly. I need to know how this ends," I said.
Saphira rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless."
I grinned. "Maybe. But cute hopeless."
The afternoon passed in a blur of laughter and warm golden sunlight. We tried mini challenges on the list: spinning on the park carousel until we were dizzy, skipping stones across the pond, and even attempting a very questionable tandem bike ride that ended with Cassian face-first in a bush.
By evening, the sky had turned the color of soft copper and amber, and I felt that quiet, full feeling in my chest — the one that comes when everything is just right.
I pulled my star necklace between my fingers and thought of Evan across the city, probably checking in with his teammates, maybe laughing at someone tripping over a bag. I missed him already.
But right now, with my friends laughing and the warm autumn air around me, it felt okay. Golden. Perfect.
We ended the day at a little ice cream stand Soraya had discovered, the cold sweetness hitting just right against the fading sun. I watched everyone joke, smile, and tease, and I realized — these were the moments I'd carry forever.
Even if Evan was gone for a week, even if life tried to throw chaos at us, for now… everything was happy. Everything was light. Everything was ours.
And I couldn't wait for tomorrow.