Lyra POV
"I swear it couldn't have gone better." I told Tyler
We had been going on about the project we'd been working on. It was the basis of an analysis of the human mind in the college environment.
"Well we have the rest of the semester to prove that." He said
"Right." I exaggerated as I leaned back on his bed.
He just chuckled.
"You know this could end badly." I added
"Yeah and that's the fun of it. It's funny to watch people act stupid and possibly hurt themselves." he said
I just shook my head. Then throwing my pen at him someone knocked at the door. Reid popped his head in.
"Well that's my cue to go." I said as I stopped laughing
"I'll see ya later." Tyler said throwing my pen back at me
Squeezing out the door past Reid he slapped my ass. Turning I hit him in the throat choking him out.
"Think next time before you touch me." I said as I watched him try to breathe
Tyler POV
"You are just getting the beating of a life time lately."
"It's not like you're any help." Reid breathed
"Oh no I'm just here for the show." I chuckled
"Is Baby Boy crushing on Caleb's newly found sister?" Reid asked all sarcastic like
"No, I listen you on the other hand do." I lied not looking at him but at my computer instead
"Care to elaborate?"
"Weren't you told to stay away?"
"Your point?"
"Well you're not doing a very good job if you're smacking her ass every moment you can only to get hit." I said
"Caleb will get over it. It's not like I have an interest in her let alone a death wish. I like to see her squirm."
"Whatever helps you sleep."
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked as he sat up
"It means that when you're told you can't have something you try even harder to get it." I said "And that's that."
Getting up I walked out annoyed. After awhile it got tiring trying to help him out of situations similar to this. This time he was on his own. Especially since he wasn't the only one taking a liking to her. Granted he didn't know it now but I'd be damned he got her first. She gave a chance that I wouldn't have to hide who I am for once. I'd make sure it was me.
Lyra POV
Finally arriving at Absinth which was the local bar around campus I saw Levina talking it up with Oliver.
"Hey." I greeted as I made my way over
"Hey." Oliver said as he wrapped his arms around my waist
Rolling my eyes I shrugged out them.
"Not tonight Oliver."
"Oh come on." he whined
"I'm not in the mood." I said shoving him away once again
Leaning back against the bar I saw Reid and Pogue over at the pool tables. They seemed to be going on about some bet.
"Why don't you find another girl to jump Oliver." Levi said
"I don't want another girl. I like playing with this one." He said
He grabbed my arm and started pulling towards the exit.
"Let go Oliver." I warned "For your own sake let go."
He let go as we got outside. The cold air my skin like needles. Then he grabbed me and pushed me up against the brick wall.
"You should really loosen up." he said as he tried to kiss my neck
"Just stop." I said as I tried to push him away
"Oh you want this. You always do."
"Not tonight."
"Why's that?"
"Because I don't want to." I said
He pinned my hands to my side making it nearly impossible for me to move.
"This certainly is a first. The uptight bitch doesn't want to be loosened up."
"I'm an uptight bitch because of pricks like you forcing me to loosen up." I hissed
With that I kneed him in the crotch. As he bent forward I took the opportunity to knee him in the face breaking his nose.
"Son of a bitch." I muttered
Looking back at the doorway I was half tempted to go back inside but I just turned and started heading back to the dorms instead.
"Slut." I heard Olive mumble as he laid there on the ground
"Yeah well it's better than what you are." I muttered
Halfway across the main yard of campus I stopped and sat down on the grass. It was quiet and for the first time I couldn't remember when I had had a moment of silence let alone a moment alone. Looking up at the stars I remembered. It was because the quiet got me to think about memories. Memories that tortured me. I just wanted a break for once. Was it to much to ask?
Closing my eyes I could still taste the water as my mom tried drowning me. The words echoed in my ears. Her telling me that ii couldn't be like him. I couldn't be like my father.
"Comfortable?"
Opening my eyes I looked up to see Reid standing over me. I guess it was too much to ask, I thought to myself.
"Sure." I mumbled
He sat down next to me.
"Not a word alright? I'm just not in the mood for one of your bicker bitch fests." I said
"I had no intention of saying anything." He said
He said it and I actually believed him. I looked back up at the stars.
"I have a question though."
"Of course you do." I said sighing
"Were you serious when you said it sucked that they didn't finish you off?"
"I was. I don't like being this way. It's a burden I would've loved to have grown up without. But then again if I had I wouldn't have met Levina and Leah."
"You talk about them like they're your family." He said
"They are. They took care of me and helped me."
"And act like demon bitches from hell." He added
I just smirked.
"Well they act like that towards people they don't like. So in a way it's just protection I guess."
"You seem to be able to handle yourself though so I don't see why you need them."
"I wasn't always able to handle myself though. A few years ago thing got bad. Really bad. That's when…" I didn't finish
I didn't want to finish. It was my worst memory. I had turned against both of them for a guy I thought was for me only because he was like me. he had power like I did and he understood thing the way I had. Everything was perfect or at least I had thought so.
"Your ex?"
"Yeah…Chase was everything I could've hoped for at first. But then everything changed and it seemed like he had become more powerful and more obsessive. He just…"
"Wait Chase? As in Chase Collins?" he asked giving me a surprised look
"And this conversation is over." I said realizing he knew him
I wasn't going to talk anymore. I didn't want to talk anymore. If anything it would've been better if he had gone away because I didn't like the fact that he was fishing my own history from me. Especially since it was my darker history that I had been dying to forget.
He didn't talk anymore either. He just sat there. It was weird to be honest.
"So what? No rude snarky comment?" I asked after a while
"I figured I could give all the rude obnoxious hooker comments tomorrow." He replied
"Ah right and I can tell you how much of a man whore you are and ask how many STDs you have." I said
"Exactly." He chuckled
He wasn't so bad all the time. But I still had good reason to be in avoidance. I knew how men like him worked. Hell I broke the nose of one of his kind.
Hours later he walked me back to my dorm room. It completely awkward to say the least and I just nodded before going inside.
"Hey Lyra." He said before I closed the door
I turned.
"You sure you don't need someone to help keep your bed warm?"
"If I did I would call Tyler. After all he is the nice one." I said
"Ouch." He said holding his hand to his heart
Smiling to myself I closed the door on him.
Reid POV
I couldn't tell whether she was serious about Tyler. Hell, I couldn't tell whether I was serious when I talked to her anymore. Things had grown lighter between us. I was trying hard to keep bitchy between us but was having trouble with that as the weeks passed. Caleb wanted me to stay away and I could tell she had a thing for Tyler even if it were small. But I couldn't stay away. Tyler had been right she was like me in a way and maybe that's why I wanted her.
"Where have you been man?" Tyler said catching up to me
"Just walked Lyra back to her dorm she was having a guy problem I guess. You know the things I don't really care about."
"Of course." Tyler chuckled "She alright?"
"Go and see for yourself?"
Why in the hell did I just say that? I just basically gave him an invitation. Damn it.
"I think I will actually." He said
Grimacing I just nodded and headed back to my room.
"I don't think I've felt like a bigger moron." I muttered to myself
Lyra POV
Getting changed into my PJs I took out my hair and let it fall to my shoulders. I crawled under the covers and closed my eyes ready to fall asleep and forget today. Going to turn over I felt something grasp at my throat. Reaching out to pull it away but nothing was there. It gripped even tighter ripping my breath from me. I could feel it as if there were hands around my neck strangling me. Trying to call out I only managed a squeak. It was squeezing so tight that I was nearly seeing black. Then all of the sudden it let go and I fell out of bed gasping for air. Looking up I saw a huge shadow like figure on the ceiling and crawled backwards as I saw it move across it. Turning I scrambled up and out the door nearly falling over as I ran into Tyler.
"Whoa careful." He said
I looked back to see the shadowy silhouette move out my door and down the hall.
"Lyra what's wrong?" he asked
"N-not sure but I nearly got strangled in my sleep." I stuttered
"Let's get you out of here." he said
He took off his jacket and put it on my shoulders being my PJs consisted of a tank top and shorts.
He sat me down in the common room of his dorm area.
"Caleb said he's on his way."
I just nodded and looked down at the floor.
"It'll be okay." He said
"No it won't. I know it won't." I said
Then getting up I headed for the door no longer feeling tired as Caleb walked in and stopped me. he lifted my chin up so I was looking at him.
"You okay?"
"Everyone keeps asking and for the fifth time no. I was nearly strangled." I said with emphasis
He lifted my head up even higher to look at my neck. I felt as he rubbed his fingers over my neck and cursed to himself.
"I'll walk you back to your dorm." He said
"I know how to walk so I think I can do it myself." I said
Then started what felt like a never ending argument.
"I have a right to-"
"No you don't. You be my brother for a year then we'll talk family right till then shut up." I hissed
"I'll walk her back." Pogue stated
I sighed.
"Whatever." I muttered
Walking out I looked back at Tyler and noticed Reid hanging out of his dorm room looking confused as a girl wrapped her arms around his waist and tried to pull him back in. any thought I had that good about him started to vanish. I attempted a smile at Tyler and mouthed thank you.
He nodded. Turning I followed Pogue out of the room and started back to my dorm.
"You are going to cause a riot you know that?" he said
"Wouldn't be the first time." I said
"You have Tyler nearly on his knees and Reid is soon to follow. And if that happens Caleb is bound to lose it."
I laughed a little even though it hurt to. When we got back to my room I said thank you and then went inside my room. Before getting into bed I walked over to the mirror to look at myself and saw large bruises on my throat of where a set of hands had been. Hands that I couldn't see.
"No sleeping tonight." I muttered to myself and walked over to my computer to work on my creative writing assignment