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🪷 LYRA 🪷
Lyra sat alone in the library, her notebook open in front of her and pen resting lazily between her fingers. She hadn't written anything in minutes, her mind kept drifting back to the girl humming in the director's office.
She swallowed and exhaled slowly. It had to be her imagination. Stress, fear and embarrassment, that was all.
People didn't just… appear. Necks didn't bend like that. And most of all, ghosts weren't real.
She looked down at her notebook with a sigh. The words on the page suddenly shifted, she frowned.
She thought her eyes were playing another trick on her. Then the ink slid out, letters moved across the paper like they were alive. Her breath hitched as sentences collapsed inward, leaving behind two words.
~Basement. Melody.~
"What-" she whispered.
Lyra gasped and snapped her head up when a hand landed on the table. Xavier stood in front of her.
She looked down and the notebook was normal again.
Xavier was smiling, not a friendly smile rather an amused one. Like he'd walked in on something interesting.
She closed her notebook quickly and gathered her things.
"Leaving?"
"I don't want to be seen with you."
Xavier tilted his head. "Hmm. Why's that?"
"Because the last time I crossed paths with you, your fans almost had my head. I got janitor duty too. That reason enough?"
He chuckled under his breath. "Fair."
She stood, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Excuse me."
He shifted slightly, blocking her path. "Relax. I just wanted to talk."
"I don't."
"Clearly." His gaze flicked to her bag. "I don't know how the photo ended up on the academy feed. And honestly, I don't care. I just thought the flower would look good on you." His eyes met hers again. "And it did. By the way, where is it?"
"I threw it out."
"That's a shame." He leaned against the table. "On the bright side, you're famous. You wouldn't want to stay in Ravencrest as a nerd. There's no fun in that. At least now you've got a label."
Lyra crossed her arms. "Which is?"
"My girl." He smiled wider. "I missed Ravencrest. The drama, too. You being my girl would start another ruckus."
"And how does that help me, Mr. Perfect?"
"You get a name, darling."
She stared at him. He was annoying, not really all the praises Sienna had sang. Infuriatingly handsome, but annoying.
She moved to leave again but his hand caught her wrist.
"I'm joking," he said lightly. "Sort of. Look, I'm sorry about the picture. But I need those girls off my back, and the only way to do that is to get a girl."
"Then get one," Lyra said, pulling her hand free. "Just not me."
"Why not?" he asked. "You're totally my type."
She went quiet. Heat crept into her cheeks before she could stop it. She hated that.
"It'll get them off your back and onto mine. Sorry but, I'm not playing your game."
And she walked away.
---
It was already past school hours when Lyra finished her second round of punishment. The halls were emptier now, students had also retired to their dorms.
She turned a corner and froze. Three figures leaned against the lockers ahead. The same girls.
"There she is." One of them clapped slowly.
"You know we spent hours scrubbing floors today, right? All because of you."
"We looked like cleaners. Do you know how embarrassing that is?"
"You started it. You insulted me." She retorted.
"Oh, don't pretend you're innocent." The girl laughed. "You show up, get close to Xavier, and we're the ones being punished?"
"You think this ends here?"
"Listen, I don't want trouble. Just leave me alone."
"But we do." The one at the right brought out a bat, they were definitely going to hurt her. She couldn't fight back, she would be outnumbered. The only thing to do right now was to... run.
And she did just that.
"Hey!"
Her shoes slapped against the floor, breath tearing out of her chest as their footsteps followed.
Her foot slipped slightly as she rounded a corner. She didn't recognize where she was going anymore.
A hand grabbed her arm and she was yanked sideways, shoved through a narrow door.
"Wh-"
It shut quickly behind them, plunging her into dim light and the sharp smell of cleaning chemicals.
"Adrian?"
He had one hand braced against the door, the other still half-raised like he had just caught her by instinct.
"…Wow," he muttered. "You run fast."
Lyra stared at him. "What are you doing here?"
He paused, then shrugged. "Passing by."
"In the janitor's closet?"
"Hey, this place has great hiding spots if you know where to look."
She didn't buy it. Before she could say more, voices echoed outside.
"Check the corridor."
"She couldn't have gone far. I'm going to get my hands on that trash one way or another."
Lyra's stomach dropped. Adrian lifted a finger to his lips, then leaned closer to the door, listening. They stood there in silence, until the footsteps moved past and faded.
Adrian waited a few seconds longer before opening the door and peeking out.
"They're gone," he said.
Lyra exhaled shakily and stepped out after him, scanning the hall like she expected them to reappear.
"This is your first semester and you already have people on your back. Classic."
"I didn't...I'm sure you've seen the picture." He nodded. "I didn't even know that feed existed."
"That tracks," he said. "You're new afterall."
They started walking, side by side, their footsteps echoing softly.
"So, word of advice? Ravencrest runs on attention. Once you get it, people either want it or want to tear it away."
"I suddenly become known overnight. And people want to hurt me. So yes, that's really comforting, thank you."
He smirked at her sarcastic tone. "You'll survive. Probably."
She shot him a look. "Probably?"
He laughed under his breath. "Kidding. Mostly."
"Hey," she said suddenly.
"Yeah?"
"Does the academy have a basement?"
"None that I can think of. Why?"
She shook her head quickly. "Nothing."
"Well," he said, hands sliding into his pockets, "try not to wander alone after hours again."
"I didn't plan to. It was part of my punishment for getting-"
"Into a fight."
"Why am I not surprised you know all this?"
They walked in silence. After a moment, she realized where they were heading.
"You're going toward the dorms," she said.
"I know."
She glanced at him. "You're not going to your castle?"
"It's not a castle."
"Maybe not. But from what I've heard, it sounds like one. How do the high-class students even get that privilege? And why does everyone act like the place is untouchable?"
"Because places like that are built to keep secrets."
"What secrets?"
He didn't answer right away. They came to a stop in front of the dorm building.
"Looks like we're here."
"You didn't answer."
"Some things aren't dinner conversation."
"You're really good at avoiding questions."
"Yep, practice," he said simply.
She sighed, then glanced at the doors. The tension in her shoulders eased a little.
"Thanks," she said after a moment. "For earlier."
"Anytime."