Chapter 1
The Invitation
Chapter One
“Lyra!”
I turned around at the sound of my name.
There was only one person I knew who could make my name sound like an emergency when absolutely nothing was wrong.
Celine.
She came rushing toward me, and honestly, she was the most pink I had ever seen in one place.
A pink ribbon sat neatly in her hair. She wore a pink top with DRAMA QUEEN written boldly across the front, a pink skirt, pink shoes, and, of course, a pink bag.
At this point, I was convinced Celine had a personal agreement with the color pink.
“What happened?” I asked.
Celine stopped in front of me and let out a dramatic sigh.
“That teacher is wicked.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Which teacher?”
“Our teacher!” Celine exclaimed. “She made me stay behind after class to copy notes.”
I tried not to laugh.
“Why?”
Celine looked away.
“I may have said something.”
“What did you say?”
“It wasn't even that bad.”
I gave her a look.
Celine sighed again.
“Okay, maybe it was a little bad.”
Before I could say anything, Nyx appeared from behind us.
She had her usual black outfit on, her expression completely calm as she walked over.
“What did you do this time?” Nyx asked.
“Nothing,” Celine replied quickly.
Nyx looked at her for a second.
“You definitely did something.”
Celine placed a hand on her chest.
“Why does nobody believe me?”
“Because we know you,” Nyx said.
Celine stared at her.
“Will you ever support me?”
Nyx shrugged.
“I support you when you're right.”
Celine gasped.
“So you're saying I'm wrong?”
Nyx nodded.
“Right now? Yes.”
Celine shook her head dramatically.
“I hate you.”
“I hate you too,” Nyx replied casually.
I laughed.
“You two are ridiculous.”
Celine turned toward me.
“And you? Whose side are you on?”
I smiled.
“I'm staying out of this.”
“Traitor,” Celine said.
Nyx smirked.
“She's smart.”
Celine rolled her eyes.
“I hate both of you.”
“Whatever,” Nyx said.
“Whatever,” I repeated.
Celine crossed her arms.
“Fine. Whatever.”
We all started laughing.
That was how we were.
We teased each other constantly. We could pretend to be offended, dramatically declare that we hated one another, and then be laughing together two minutes later.
None of it was serious.
We had been best friends for years—since we were little. Our families were close too, so it was almost impossible to remember a time when the three of us hadn't been together.
Celine was the dramatic one.
Nyx was the quiet, unbothered one.
And I was usually somewhere in the middle, trying to keep them from turning every little thing into a performance.
I wouldn't have changed it for anything.
We walked toward the school gate together, talking about random things, until Celine suddenly remembered something.
“Oh! Guys!”
I looked at her.
“What?”
She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone.
“Did you two remember the invitation?”
Nyx frowned.
“What invitation?”
“The forest trip!”
“Oh,” Nyx said. “That.”
“Yes, that!”
I looked at the invitation on Celine's phone.
It was for Friday.
A forest adventure.
A hike, food, music, games, pictures, and a small party afterward.
It sounded like a harmless school outing.
Still, something about it made me hesitate.
“I don't know if I want to go,” I said.
Celine looked at me.
“Why?”
“I just don't know.”
“You're coming,” she said confidently.
I laughed.
“I haven't agreed.”
“You will.”
Nyx glanced at the invitation.
“She's probably going to come anyway.”
I looked at her.
“Whose side are you on?”
Nyx shrugged.
“Not yours.”
I rolled my eyes.
Celine laughed.
“See? She understands me.”
“You two are impossible.”
We continued toward the gate.
Then I saw him.
Tyrus.
He walked through the school gate, looking completely unbothered.
Then his eyes met mine.
And that familiar smirk appeared on his face.
I immediately looked away.
“I hate him.”
Celine followed my gaze.
She smiled.
“Oh, please. He's cute.”
“He's annoying.”
“Cute and annoying,” she corrected.
Nyx looked at me, then at Tyrus.
“She has a crush.”
I nearly choked.
“I do not!”
Celine burst out laughing.
“Oh, Lyra.”
“I don't like him.”
“You definitely like him,” Celine teased.
“I definitely don't.”
Nyx gave me a knowing look.
“Whatever.”
I groaned.
“Can you both stop?”
They laughed as we continued walking.
Tyrus passed by without saying anything, but I could still feel that stupid smirk.
I hated competing with him.
Actually, that wasn't completely true.
I hated losing to him.
The first time I noticed Tyrus was in class, when our teacher praised my presentation.
I had been proud of myself.
Then Tyrus presented his.
And somehow, he did even better.
He got first place.
From that day on, I had a bullseye on his back.
Every test, every presentation, every competition—it became a challenge.
I had to beat him.
And somehow, he always seemed to enjoy it too.
Most people were intimidated by Tyrus.
I wasn't.
I challenged him.
I argued with him.
I competed with him.
And apparently, he liked that.
What I didn't know was that Tyrus had feelings for me.
He thought I hated him.
He had absolutely no idea that somewhere underneath all my annoyance, teasing, and endless competition, I secretly liked him too.
And I intended to keep it that way.
For now.
That evening, I looked at the forest-trip invitation again.
Friday.
I stared at it for a few seconds.
Then I sighed and typed:
Fine. I'm coming.
I had no idea that one little decision would change everything.
By the end of the week, I would wish I had never accepted.
