The Missing Lyric (Nemi)

Chapter 24

Demi

I was excited for Kris & Zac, but I felt a little bad for Lyric. She seemed somewhat sad when she found out Kris was pregnant. Maybe it was my imagination, but I was definitely going to keep pressing Lyric to see how she was feeling, about the whole pregnancy situation. We'd be spending a lot of time together planning my wedding anyway, so I'd have opportunities.

Nick was going to be busy with tour promotions & meetings plus he was getting more acting jobs. I was going to be planning our wedding without him it seemed. It was fine, really, since it wasn't a real wedding. As soon as the wedding was over, I'd have to get ready for my tour in Australia & China.

Our family & friends took our wedding announcement as we expected. They were in shock, but they were excited for us. No one was suspicious either. Everyone was convinced we were really together. Even Marissa was convinced, which was shocking because she was my best friend & could see through me.

Over the next four weeks, I was planning our pretend wedding. Denise & my mom planned to help with some things as was my sister, Maddie. I still hadn't had Lyric meet anyone in our immediate family. Usually, I would go to Kris' house to work on wedding plans, but once in a while they would come to my place. Nick & I had to explain to our family who Lyric was because we had been photographed with her, but we just said she was a friend's foster child who was a big fan. Not a lie, just omitting some details.

One afternoon, about two weeks until our wedding, Kris & I were working on some photo collages that was Lyric's idea. She had seen them on the internet somewhere & we loved the idea. We got a whole bunch of pictures of me & Nick together to put into collage frames or albums to have sitting around the day of the wedding. It was hard finding pictures of Nick & I that showed us being affectionate with each other, unless we got photoshopped pictures offline. Nick & I took it upon ourselves one night to take a bunch of photos of us lying on each other or kissing & we had them printed out. We had a lot of photos of us together, but most of them were when we were just friends. It made sense, though, since we just "got together."

Lyric had gone with Zac to take Buddy for a walk, so Kris & I were alone. We had plans that evening to have dinner together & Nick was due to come over any minute. He had been bouncing between his place & mine & he wanted us to move into his house, but I was still hesitant. He insisted that we could make a bedroom for Lyric at his house, too, but I didn't want to give up my apartment just yet. I was softening a bit on the idea, though, because I did love Nick's house, even if he lived there with Olivia. I felt a pang of jealousy when I thought about it, but I ignored it.

"I need your help with something." Kris said to me, while we were putting photos into frames..

"Okay. With what?"

"Well, I was talking to Lyric the other day & she's not happy at school. There are a few girls that bully her & they stopped for a while, but now they've started again & now I guess it's because she's friends with you & she's getting kinda famous." Kris took a deep breath.

My heart sank as I realized my biggest fear. Lyric was being bullied & it was because of me. I could only imagine how it would be if kids at school knew she was my daughter. I swallowed & touched Kris' hand. "Oh my God. Has she told someone? A teacher? Principal?"

"Yea & they talk to the girls, then they start again after laying off for a few days. I want to pull her out of school but I can't quit my job."

I sighed. "Do it. We can hire a teacher to homeschool her & they can do her lessons at Nick's house or here, if you want. "

"Really? You would do that?"