Disclaimer: I own Alec, Allie and their dæmons. The rest are Phillip
Pullman's characters. I do not own Lyra or Will.
A/N: First, I would like to take a minute to thank everyone who has reviewed so far, I really appreciate it. I especially want to thank Kirjavalyra, who gave me some good suggestions. Also, more than half of my reviews are from her. Thanks!
A/N: I know I called chapter 6 the must-see chapter, but I have to say that this one is a must-read too. Enjoy!
Chapter 8:
~*~ Complications ~*~
It had been one year since she'd gone. Alec was thinking about Lyra, of course. He often did. He missed her. Alec was walking through the Botanic Garden. When he reached the old oak tree, he sighed and sat down.
"Cheer up, Alec." Said Kiallie, his dæmon. He hugged her close. "I'm trying." He said, looking down at his feet.
~*~
Lyra let out a cry of joy, and ran to kiss Will. Will was standing by the bench in the garden…in Lyra's Oxford.
"I did it!" He said, grinning. "I really did it!"
"I knew you could." Lyra said. "And I know Dr. Malone can too. She'll be able to do it any day now, I bet. Then she'll be able to go and see her friends, the mulefa.
"Yeah." He answered. "I'd like to go back there myself, someday." Lyra nodded. "You know," continued Will, "today is Midsummer's day."
"Of course, I could never forget. It's our first Midsummer together, really together." She said. "Now, there's someone I'd like you to meet. I hope we can find him. He usually hangs out by the big oak tree, down there…lets go."
"Alright. What's his name again? Alec, was it?" Asked Will.
"Yeah…there he is!" She said, looking ahead. "Alec!" She called. "Over here!"
"Hi Lyra!" Said Alec. "It's been so long, a year at least."
"I'm so glad to see you." Said Lyra. "There's someone I want you to meet." And she introduced Will and Alec. Will held out his hand for Alec to shake, smiled, and greeted Alec politely. Alec, however, did not take his hand. He narrowed his eyes at Will. This was the guy who took Lyra away from him, the guy who had her heart.
Will looked a little discouraged. He lowered his hand to his side. Lyra frowned, confused. Why didn't Alec like Will? Then all of those thoughts and worries from last year came flooding back. The way Alec had always flinched at any mention of Will, the way Alec was being so rude to him…there was something going on with Alec. Something weird. She looked down at Pan, by her feet. He was worried too.
~*~
*
He knew he had to do something. Something big, to get him in the game. To get Lyra to notice him…
*
Alec suggested they spend the day together, all three of them. They agreed. They walked all around Oxford, and Lyra showed Will her school, and Jordan College, of course.
That evening, the three of them went to a cafe for dinner. Alec couldn't take much more of their lovey-dovey attitude, always kissing…he knew he had to act soon.
"Lyra," Began Alec, "can I see you for a moment, alone?"
"Sure, alright." Said Lyra, looking a bit puzzled. "I'll be right back Will." Alec took her hand and led her outside, in front of the cafe.
"I need to talk to you, Lyra."
"About what?" She asked.
"Well, this is difficult…"
"Come on Alec. You know you can tell me anything."
"I…um, Lyra…I love you." Alec stuttered.
"What-" Began Lyra, but she was cut off by Alec, who had begun to kiss her.
Will was sitting at their table, watching them through the window, but he couldn't hear them. When he saw what Alec was doing he stood up so fast that his chair fell over. He ran outside to them, just as Lyra pushed Alec away and slapped him in the face. She saw Will coming, and ran to him. Will's eyes had a ferocious glare in them, and he was focused on Alec.
"What in the worlds do you think you're doing?!" Shouted Will.
Alec didn't know what to say. He'd lost it. "Lyra, I'm so sorry," started Alec, walking a few steps towards her. But one glance at Will, and he stopped at once. Will looked ready to rip Alec's head off. He took a few steps back. He looked over at Lyra, who was behind Will. She looked betrayed. He knew he'd gone too far.
"How could you?" Asked Lyra. "I thought we were friends! What were you thinking!?"
"I'm so sorry Lyra. But I see you as more than a friend. I love you."
"Stop saying that! Alec…I…we…I'm with Will." She said.
"I know, but I can't help it. I'm in love with you, Lyra."
Will had stepped aside. He let them talk, and tried to calm down. After they had finished talking, Lyra thought she'd made it clear to Alec that it could never happen. Alec walked away with his head down. "This isn't over yet…" He muttered. Lyra and Will went back to the garden, still trying to figure out what had just happened.
~*~
A/N: Please Read and Review! Chapter 9 coming.
: )
A/N: First, I would like to take a minute to thank everyone who has reviewed so far, I really appreciate it. I especially want to thank Kirjavalyra, who gave me some good suggestions. Also, more than half of my reviews are from her. Thanks!
A/N: I know I called chapter 6 the must-see chapter, but I have to say that this one is a must-read too. Enjoy!
Chapter 8:
~*~ Complications ~*~
It had been one year since she'd gone. Alec was thinking about Lyra, of course. He often did. He missed her. Alec was walking through the Botanic Garden. When he reached the old oak tree, he sighed and sat down.
"Cheer up, Alec." Said Kiallie, his dæmon. He hugged her close. "I'm trying." He said, looking down at his feet.
~*~
Lyra let out a cry of joy, and ran to kiss Will. Will was standing by the bench in the garden…in Lyra's Oxford.
"I did it!" He said, grinning. "I really did it!"
"I knew you could." Lyra said. "And I know Dr. Malone can too. She'll be able to do it any day now, I bet. Then she'll be able to go and see her friends, the mulefa.
"Yeah." He answered. "I'd like to go back there myself, someday." Lyra nodded. "You know," continued Will, "today is Midsummer's day."
"Of course, I could never forget. It's our first Midsummer together, really together." She said. "Now, there's someone I'd like you to meet. I hope we can find him. He usually hangs out by the big oak tree, down there…lets go."
"Alright. What's his name again? Alec, was it?" Asked Will.
"Yeah…there he is!" She said, looking ahead. "Alec!" She called. "Over here!"
"Hi Lyra!" Said Alec. "It's been so long, a year at least."
"I'm so glad to see you." Said Lyra. "There's someone I want you to meet." And she introduced Will and Alec. Will held out his hand for Alec to shake, smiled, and greeted Alec politely. Alec, however, did not take his hand. He narrowed his eyes at Will. This was the guy who took Lyra away from him, the guy who had her heart.
Will looked a little discouraged. He lowered his hand to his side. Lyra frowned, confused. Why didn't Alec like Will? Then all of those thoughts and worries from last year came flooding back. The way Alec had always flinched at any mention of Will, the way Alec was being so rude to him…there was something going on with Alec. Something weird. She looked down at Pan, by her feet. He was worried too.
~*~
*
He knew he had to do something. Something big, to get him in the game. To get Lyra to notice him…
*
Alec suggested they spend the day together, all three of them. They agreed. They walked all around Oxford, and Lyra showed Will her school, and Jordan College, of course.
That evening, the three of them went to a cafe for dinner. Alec couldn't take much more of their lovey-dovey attitude, always kissing…he knew he had to act soon.
"Lyra," Began Alec, "can I see you for a moment, alone?"
"Sure, alright." Said Lyra, looking a bit puzzled. "I'll be right back Will." Alec took her hand and led her outside, in front of the cafe.
"I need to talk to you, Lyra."
"About what?" She asked.
"Well, this is difficult…"
"Come on Alec. You know you can tell me anything."
"I…um, Lyra…I love you." Alec stuttered.
"What-" Began Lyra, but she was cut off by Alec, who had begun to kiss her.
Will was sitting at their table, watching them through the window, but he couldn't hear them. When he saw what Alec was doing he stood up so fast that his chair fell over. He ran outside to them, just as Lyra pushed Alec away and slapped him in the face. She saw Will coming, and ran to him. Will's eyes had a ferocious glare in them, and he was focused on Alec.
"What in the worlds do you think you're doing?!" Shouted Will.
Alec didn't know what to say. He'd lost it. "Lyra, I'm so sorry," started Alec, walking a few steps towards her. But one glance at Will, and he stopped at once. Will looked ready to rip Alec's head off. He took a few steps back. He looked over at Lyra, who was behind Will. She looked betrayed. He knew he'd gone too far.
"How could you?" Asked Lyra. "I thought we were friends! What were you thinking!?"
"I'm so sorry Lyra. But I see you as more than a friend. I love you."
"Stop saying that! Alec…I…we…I'm with Will." She said.
"I know, but I can't help it. I'm in love with you, Lyra."
Will had stepped aside. He let them talk, and tried to calm down. After they had finished talking, Lyra thought she'd made it clear to Alec that it could never happen. Alec walked away with his head down. "This isn't over yet…" He muttered. Lyra and Will went back to the garden, still trying to figure out what had just happened.
~*~
A/N: Please Read and Review! Chapter 9 coming.
: )