Page 24

But I wouldn’t be doing it for her, would I? I would do it for me. I was hooked on her. She was the best kind of drug. I smile when I think of her soft lips on my cheeks. Her hugs were the warmest and most comforting.
Her hair smelt better than anything else.
She was my Lyra. My planet, my solar system, my moon, my star, and my whole f*****g universe.
The colour of my life.
And I was going crazy without her.
I don’t care if I sound crazy, but I loved her. I love her so much.
I remember how much pain was in her eyes when I said it was just an attraction. I was lying to myself when I said I didn’t love her. But I had to hurt her because it would be easier that way. I thought it would be easy if she hated me, but I was wrong.
I couldn’t get her sad eyes out of my head.
Be the kind of person she deserves.
That might be possible for me. I can give it a shot. I’ll give it a shot.
I walk down the stairs, but before I can get outside, a hand on my shoulder stops me.
“Do you want to scare her away? Have you seen yourself?”
Hayden was right again. I looked terrible. I didn’t have a second to waste. I hurry to my room, take a quick shower and put on the best shirt and trousers I have. I also put on my best cologne.
I go thirty miles over the speed limit and don’t get a ticket, thank goodness. I couldn’t afford to be late. I run to the lift and wait impatiently. The lift takes forever to get me to her floor.
I knock on her door impatiently. It won’t open. I knock again, and my heart beats a thousand times a second.
I take a deep breath when the door opens. But my bunny doesn’t open the door. Disappointment sets in.
Kira asks, “What do you want, shithead?”
“Where is Lyra?”
“Leave. She’s not here,” she says, putting her hand on her waist.
“Tell me where she is,” I say.
“Why? To hurt her again?”
“Okay, I love her,” I yell in anger. She looks at me with suspicion and her eyes widen in surprise. She lets out a sigh a moment later.
“She left. She doesn’t live here anymore.”
“What do you mean she doesn’t live here anymore?” We just talked about it yesterday. I broke her heart just yesterday, more like.
I can’t help but get angry when Kira flinches at my voice. Where did she go? Where did my bunny go?
Kira says, “Her uncle’s house.” She said something about a break.
My bunny had been through too much with everything that had happened with Zeke. This place had only caused her problems. I felt bad for her, but I was going to make it up to her.
“What time does her flight leave?”
Kira says, “She’s already on board.”
I don’t waste any time and call Hayden. My feet take me to the lift.
“Yeah?” he says after a moment.
“Hayden, I, um, need to borrow your private jet?”
I can hear Hayden mumbling in the background about how whipped I was and how he would kill me if anything happened to his jet. Like I’m the one who’s driving it.
But my mind was on something else. I had to get some pretty flowers and chocolate. Girls thought it was romantic, right? I also had to buy a helmet. In case my bunny had sharp claws, if you know what I mean.
And I didn’t have a lot of time.
I’m coming, bunny. I hope you still love me. I really can’t handle it any other way.
********
For the thirteenth time that hour, I rub my sweaty hands on my jeans-covered thighs.
I ask softly, “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“I mean, do you really want to?”
“Yes, bunny.”
“But—” I am cut off by a groan from my throat. I nervously turn my head to the side and look at Austin. For a moment, his eyes leave the road and stay on my face before going back to the road.
“I really don’t care what people think, okay? If anything, I want every f*****g human to see us together,” he says softly. I let out a sigh and look outside, wondering what people would think.
I find myself looking at him again. His brown hair is messy on the side, which makes him look great. His eyes stay on the road, and I can’t help but think about how good he looks with that serious look on his face.
“Hey, Austin?”
“Yes, baby?”
“Do you remember my first day of school?” I try to forget about it.
“Of course, bunny. You looked so cute and lost, like a bunny,” he says with a smile. I laugh softly, and that’s how the nickname came about.
“How did you know where I was? You saved me from those guys, but how did you find me?”
“I had a bad feeling when I saw you going the wrong way,” Austin says. When his ears turn a light pink, I laugh.
“And…” I drawl out, knowing there was more to say.
“I might have followed you,” he says in a low voice. I laugh loudly and lean over to kiss him on the ears, which are very pink. Who would have thought this guy could be so cute?
When Austin pulls the car into the school, my nerves come back. He tells me to stay there after he parks. He gets out and unlocks my door. When we walk into school hand in hand, I can feel the heat rise in my neck.
“Uh… Austin,” I mumble, “everyone is looking.”
Austin looks down at me and smiles like a boy. Then he leans down and kisses my lips. I gasp loudly, and he laughs softly.
He whispers in my ear, “I hope everyone saw that too, my bunny.” Then we start walking to the locker. People are staring at us now, and my face feels like it’s on fire. I see my friends Skye, Sam, and Jude looking at me with big smiles on their faces.
He waits patiently while I get my books ready for the first class. Literature in English. I smile at the memories of the class that brought Austin and me together.
I do, however, see some movement out of the corner of my eye. I turn my head to the side and see Eric looking at me. It looks more like he’s glaring at Austin and me. He runs away when I look at him. In a literal sense.
I turn around and look at Austin.
“What was that?”
Austin shrugs and says nothing, which reminds me that Eric never showed up for the date and Austin had something to do with it.
“What did you do, Austin?” I turn all the way around and put one hand on my waist.
“What?” He asks again, sounding innocent. Too innocent. I glare at him, turn around, and slam the locker door loudly.
I hear Austin call me “Bunny,” but I ignore him and go the same way Eric did. I needed to know what had happened.
Austin calls out again, “Lyra!” I let him go.
After looking around, I see Eric sitting on one of the benches outside. I sit next to him, and his eyes get big. He stands up to leave.