By Chance | Book One |

Chapter Seventy Six

Lyra

"Are we going to ignore me the rest of the night?" River sighed. The towel around his waist hung low as he stood at the end of his bed.

"I'm not apologizing."

"Will you at least talk to me? I don't want to fight, I just want to know what's going on with you, Lyra. You're my girlfriend. If he has something over you, I promise you I'll take care of it. It's no longer your problem."

"He doesn't have anything over me. We were just talking."

"We're not doing that. We're not going to bed upset. I'm going to bed cuddling you while we watch tv."

"You keep things from me."

He shook his head, his damp curls bouncing. "What have I kept from you?"

"I haven't asked a lot of questions about the day after Valentines, I didn't get upset when you took your exs call during our vacation."

"This is different and you know it. You were shaking when I went over to you. This is different. If you want to know about Emily all you have to do is ask."

"I shouldn't have to. At some point, you are my boyfriend. I understand she's been through shit, but she attacked me last semester. In case you forgot."

"In case I forgot?" He scoffed. "If you had a problem-"

"Again, I shouldn't have to say anything. I understand, more than you may realise. You can't walk in on a conversation and think you know what was going."

"That's why I'm asking you."

I crossed my arms over my chest, pressing my lips together.

River dropped his towel, slipping on his sweat pants and shirt. "Alright. I'll see you later." He grabbed his phone and car keys off his dresser. "If you leave, I'll climb through your window. We're not done talking."

"Where are you going?"

He shrugged.

I let out a sigh.

Fair enough, I suppose.

"I love you." He told me before leaving.

I was upset he had heard any of what Levi had said. He was better off not knowing about everything. He never should have heard about the pictures.

I never wanted him to find out we dated.

Not only was I embarrassed, but he was a piece of shit. He was a slimy, piece of shit. My choice in men has never proven I have a good judgement.

After turning on River's tv and changing into one of his shirts, I crawled into his bed.

I hoped he'd come home soon. As much as I didn't want to talk to him, I wanted him to hold me.

I was terrified what would happen with those photos. If he would leak them, or if he would send them to River, or even Lilian.

If they got to her, I would no longer live with Sasha. She'd make sure of it, then she'd make me life absolute hell. I can't even begin to imagine. River would most certainly dump me if he ever saw them. And If he didn't, there's no way I could stay with him.

They were disgusting.

I had realized I had fallen asleep until I was awaken by the bed shifting.

I rolled over, reaching my arm out.

"Hey," River said softly.

"What time is it?"

"After midnight."

I opened my eyes, finding a bit of light coming from the lamp closest to his side. "Did you just get home?"

"Mhm."

I moved my hand under his shirt, up his back. "Where did you go?"

He put a sealed white envelope down on the bed.
I shot up, grabbing his hand. It was red, some of his knuckles busted, and starting to bruise. "What happened?"

"You no longer have a problem."

I froze. "What do you mean? What are those? Where were you? Let me see your face."

"I'm fine, Lyra."

My hand inched towards the envelope, but he put his hand over mine. "He's not going to be a problem anymore. I wasn't going to let this be a problem anymore."

My heart pounded against my chest.

He got the pictures.

That's what was in the envelope.

I almost cracked, as my throat started to squeeze, thrones slithering up.

"You got the pictures?"

"All of them."

I paused for a second, "Have you seen them?"

"No." He shook his head.

A relief flowed over me when I heard him say no.

"You haven't?"

"They're yours, Ly. Whatever they are, they're yours."

"What did you do to him?"

"That's between him and I."

"Did he hurt you?" I moved behind him, laying my head on his back. "I'm sorry."

"No, he didn't hurt me. He got almost exactly what he deserves."

"Almost?"

"Thank you for listening to me for the first time in your entire life."

"I've listened to you before, you're so dramatic."

"Hardly." He mumbled. "If you want to talk about it, we can. If not, I'll drop it."

"They're drunk photos of me." I sighed. "In his bedroom at some party. They're disgusting, and I had too much to drink, I didn't know he was taking them."

"I'm sorry, Baby."

"I had too much to drink. Don't be sorry." I grabbed the envelope and stuffed them in my bag.

"No, that doesn't mean that's your fault, Lyra."

"Thank you for getting these for me." I whispered.

He turned around, pulling me close to his chest. "Any problem you have is ours. If he even comes near you again, I swear."

I never had anyone to protect me, my entire life. Not my parents, not my sister. Bridgette did the best she could, with what she knew.

In the past few months, even when we hated each other, River protected me.

From the boy at the party, he got Emily off of me before she could do worse, standing up to Lilian, and this.