006 - I am ready

The next morning, Lyra woke up with a sense of dread gnawing at her chest. She wasn’t ready to face the world, especially after everything that happened the night before. But skipping school wasn’t an option, not if she wanted to avoid her mother’s worried questions or the triplets’ infuriating presence.

So she pulled herself together, dressed in her usual simple clothes, and made her way to school.

The day started quietly enough. She avoided most people, keeping her head down and slipping into her classes without making much noise. But during lunch, as she made her way to her locker to grab her books, she heard a voice that made her stomach drop.

“Well, well, well. Look who we have here. The little tramp.”

Lyra froze. She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Maria, her ex-best friend, and Aiden, her ex, were standing just a few feet away, their sneers sharp enough to cut through her resolve.

She swallowed, keeping her back to them as she rummaged through her locker, hoping