Lyra

When I couldn't stall any longer without someone thinking I was sick, I took a deep breath and walked back out into the hallway where I was met with the image of Brandon and Claire kissing heavily.

I quickly turned and walked towards the exit. My heart was pounding and I felt like I couldn't breathe. Why did I feel like that? This wasn't supposed to happen.

I kept walking until I heard my name be called. It was Claire.

"What do you want Claire?" I asked.

"For you to stay away from my man."

"I'm just Macie's babysitter," I said, finally feeling the truth in that.

"Then remember your place."

Claire stalked away and I fled, taking a taxi back to my apartment. I held everything in so well until I shut the door and then it all came flooding out in a rush of tears and sobs.

I ripped the earrings out of my ears and pulled the bracelet off my arm, suddenly feeling like they were burning me. It all felt like it was burning me.

In a crying mess, I stumbled to get the dress off. And the damn stilettos. And the makeup. Then I ripped every pin out of my hair until i looked like myself again. Plain, old, boring Lyra.

____________________________________

Brandon

"Where's Lyra?" I asked. Dinner was about to start and she wasn't at the table. In fact, I hadn't seen her at all tonight after I took Macie.

"Oh, she went home," Claire said. "She wasn't feeling well so I told her it'd be fine, that we could handle Macie."

"Oh. Thank you Claire," I said, shocked. I was starting to get a peek at the Claire from two years ago. The kind, thoughtful Claire.

Hailey, however, looked skeptical. "I'm gonna go call her and make sure she's ok."

I nodded and Hailey went off to find a quieter place to take a phone call. When she came back, she had a look of fury on her face.

"You are a jerk," she said, pointing at me. "And you, I don't even know what to call you," she directed at Claire. And then she stormed out of the ballroom.

What the hell just happened? I looked over to Claire and she just shrugged her shoulders, taking a sip of her wine.

____________________________________

Lyra

The tears kept coming, I couldn't seem to get them to stop. Even the ice cream wasn't working this time.

My phone rang, but I ignored it. And I ignored it the next time too, but the third, I had to pick up.

"Hello?" I hadn't checked the caller ID so I didn't know who was calling.

"Lyra?" It was Hailey. "Are you ok? Claire said you were sick."

"I'm fine," I said, trying and failing to hold in a sob.

"Oh Lyra," Hailey said. "What happened?"

So I told her a brief recap of the night. Including my new realization. "I didn't mean to," I whispered.

"Didn't mean to what?" Hailey asked.

"Fall for him."

"Oh Lyra."

Hailey hung up with a promise to see me soon and I collapsed back onto my couch, sobbing once more. How could I have been so stupid? There's a reason I don't let people in, and I just ignored it so now here I am once again crying because I'm all alone.

And crying because now I've lost the two people I considered family. Because as long as Claire's in the picture, I can't go back there. I can't be involved with them.

There was a sharp knock on the door. "Lyra it's me, open up."

I ran to the door and opened it to see Hailey standing there with two pints of ice cream. I collapsed into her arms a crying mess, but she just patted my back and told me it was going to be ok. I didn't see how that could be possible.

Hailey eventually got me back into the couch and we dug into the ice cream. "How did you know I eat ice cream when I'm sad?" I asked her.

"Doesn't everyone?"

I chuckled a little and went back to eating ice cream and talking with Hailey. She helped get my mind off of Brandon and for a few hours I felt a little better.

"When are you going back to Georgia?" I asked.

I was laying with my head on Hailey's lap and she was running her fingers through my hair. "I think I'll stay a few weeks. My boss won't be thrilled, but I don't particularly care."

"Thank you Hailey," I whispered.

"Hey," she said. "That's what best friends are for."

And then I was crying all over again, but this time the tears were happy.

"I've never had a best friend before. I've never really had any friends before."

"Well get used to it, because you aren't getting rid of me."

I leaned up and hugged Hailey. I was so lucky to have her as a friend. I don't know what I would've done without her tonight.

I yawned, the evening catching up with me and we decided to go to bed. Apparently the new couch was a pullout and was actually comfortable so Hailey decided to stay the night.

I climbed into bed, but before I went to sleep, I grabbed my phone.

I can't babysit Macie anymore. It's too much with the bakery and it finally caught up with me. I'm sorry. -Lyra

I sent the text and choked back the sobs that desperately wanted to escape me. That was that.

The end of my relationship with the Coles.