Chapter One: Mirrored thoughts

Lyra lay awake in her bed early one morning in spring. Pantalimon was still curled up on the comforter next to her. It was only 6:30 but she woke up thinking of Will again and couldn't sleep. She held the golden compass in her hands. Even though she couldn't work it anymore. She liked the feel of the cold metal against her pale skin. She sighed and plopped the metal instrument on her bed at her feet.

She heard a noise in the other bed across the room. She wondered if her roommate Nelie was awake yet.

"Hey, you awake?" Lyra whispered. She heard a moan and Nelie rolled over in bed. Her rabbit demon watchful next to her.

"Ya, I couldn't sleep." She yawned. "I keep thinking about Kyle, I'm thinking if he doesn't ask me out today then I'll do it myself."

"That's good, I guess." She was still thinking about Will.

"Are you thinking about Will again? It's no use he's all the way in Nebraska."

Lyra had told Nelie about Will, sorta. She told her they had met while Will was on vacation and visited Jordan college. Then she said they spent a lot of time together and had fallen in love over the summer. Will lived in the U.S. and had to go back at the end of August. She tried to stick to the general story as much as possible. Very few people knew about the other worlds.

"I know, but I might see him again if he comes back on vacation or if I go over..." She was cut off by Nelie.

"Oh come on, you told me yourself that Will's family doesn't have the money to come out here again, and you can't leave till you've finished school. By that time he will have forgotten about you." She wasn't being mean, she just didn't want Lyra fantasizing about something that couldn't be. She had nagged on Lyra to go out with Jason. Lyra insisted that they were just friends, but they both knew that he liked her. She said even if he asked Lyra out she would say no. She would never be unfaithful to Will. Lyra didn't think she could ever love anyone other than Will anyway.

"I wonder if he's awake right now?" She pondered.

Nelie rolled her eyes. Was this girl ever going to move on? It had been two years since he left.

"Get up Will, or you'll miss your ride!" Ugh! That was his mom. She was much better ever since he got back. When he first got back he wasn't sure how much he could tell her about dad without upsetting her. In the end he decided not to tell her that his dad wasn't dead, just that he was unable to come home, and that he missed her and wanted to come home. Also that he learned to accept where he was and be happy. Since she knew he was safe and happy she could finally be happy too.

"Will! Mary will be here in half an hour! Get down here and eat!" His mom roared up the stairs. She was defiantly back to old mom again. He didn't see Kirjarva around, she was probably still out on her midnight prowl.

"I'm coming mom!" He yanked open his dresser draws and pulled out a collared shirt, and navy blue shorts, he hated uniform. A fresh pair of boxers and his last pair of knee high socks. At the bottom of his drawer was his knife.

All the memories flooded back into his conscious mind. It wasn't as if he hadn't thought of them in two years, but it had been awhile. He felt ashamed, his cheeks flushed and he turned away from the knife. How long had it been since he thought of her? Two weeks? Three? He wondered if Lyra was thinking of him right now. Knowing her she probably moved on and left him as a memory. How long had it been since he'd seen her, he thought two years, roughly estimating. He still loved her even though they could never be together. Sometimes he wondered if he would ever love again.

"Will! Do I have to keep yelling like this!"

"Five minutes Mum!" Lyra was so very pretty and smart, surly someone had asked her out by now.