The Elementals: The Last Crimson (1st in the Elementals Series)

Chapter Fifteen: Impulse

November 2nd, 2015

"Lyria...Lyria!"

Lyria turns when she hears her name, half-whispered, half-shouted at her. She sees her old friends, Christian and Sophia. "Come on," Christian says and she looks around before getting up from her seat and following them past some bookcases.

"What is it?" Lyria asks them.

"You haven't spoken to us since you've come back to school...and now you're hanging with those-"

"With those...?" Lyria allows the question to hang in the air, both of her former friends looking sheepish.

"They're weird, Lyria," Sophia says and Lyria takes a deep breath before shaking her head, "and why are you coming to school with them? How aren't you...dead?"

Lyria bites her bottom lip before sighing softly. "It's hard to explain. They...knew my parents. So they took me in after their deaths. I had nowhere else to go, guys. And...I can't tell you anything else other than that, I'm sorry," she says as turns to walk away, but someone's hand grabs hers.

"Lyria, please wait. We're sorry. We're happy that you're okay but...how can you ignore us and not tell us what's going on?" Christian asks her and she searches both of their faces before sighing softly.

"I can't, I'm sorry," Lyria murmurs before she turns in the opposite direction and walks away from her former friends. The brunette heads out of the library, knowing she needs to avoid the two of them. She can't possibly tell them about her new life. Or how she can manipulate fire. That would be downright disastrous.

When she sees Shaye, she heads straight towards her. Shaye smiles at Lyria as she walks toward her. "Hey," Shaye says and Lyria takes a deep breath.

"Hey...could we leave early?" Shaye glances over Lyria's shoulder to see two people down the hallway a bit. Shaye nods before looking at Lyria.

"Yeah, let's go," the emerald-eyed girl says as they head down the hallway, towards the double doors leading outside. Shaye takes her phone out to send a quick text to Dartanian. "Okay, D knows we're leaving early. He'll meet up with us in a few minutes," she tells Lyria who nods, "have they been bothering you since you came back?"

Lyria nods. "Yeah. But it's nothing, really. I've been using the avoiding strategy," she says and Shaye nods before smiling at her friend.

"Eventually we'll move to keep you and our very big secret safe. I know it'll be an adjustment for you. It'll be an adjustment for everyone if I'm being honest...but it's the best thing to do," Shaye assures her, although she doesn't know if she's reassuring Lyria or more herself.

Lyria takes a deep breath, looking around as they wait for Dartanian. She smiles when she can see her breath in the air. It is getting colder, winter is coming. She closes her eyes and breathes in the cool air, reveling in it before breathing out. When she opens her eyes, she sees Dartanian and smiles, her blue eyes watching as he walks towards them. Dartanian is the handsome sort, Lyria thinks absentmindedly. His black hair contrasts his light skin and metallic silver eyes. They shine like stars and they are Lyria's favorite physical feature on him.

"You ready?" He asks and Lyria nods along with Shaye. They head over to Dartanian's car and get inside, ready to be out of the cold air. He turns his car on before glancing in the mirror to look at Shaye, then his silver eyes turn to Lyria. "Something going on? You guys are quiet," he says, his focus completely on Lyria and her silence.

She turns her gaze to his before taking a deep breath. "My friends...they're asking me about the fire...how I survived, they want to know what's going on with me," she admits, "I know I can't tell them and I haven't. But I don't know how long I can continue to avoid them."