Up in Flames (Flames #1)

Six

I manage to completely sleep through my class on Monday, unintentionally adding more distance between me and Tali. By the time I remember where I hid my phone and turn it back on, Tali's last text informs me that she's left already and if I want notes I better go talk to the professor. Even though this is what I wanted, the rejection stings and I wish I could take it back. Maybe this is too big of a step back? I don't want to hurt her - only distance her from me. Having convinced myself of a new course of action, I type out a response to her.

Me: OMG I'm so sorry I slept through my alarm. Forgive me?

Putting the phone down, I quickly get dressed, touching up the makeup I didn't take off last night and rushing to campus without even getting anything to eat. My stomach grumbles loudly, complaining about the lack of food over the last 48 hours, but I ignore it as I rush to try and find the professors office. I've survived on less before, and I'll be okay with waiting another hour to eat. What won't be okay is if I fall behind class in my second week - this chance is the last one i'm going to get. I have no idea what I'll even say once I find my professor, I'm just hoping I'll be able to get some information about extra classes I can take to catch up. I rush through the door of the social sciences building, not even looking where I'm going. Before I know it I'm crashing into another body sending both of us to the ground in a flutter of loose papers, mostly mine.

"Ohmygod, I'm so sorry!" I look up slowly, both me and the person I knocked over reaching for my book together. When I meet a pair of dark brown eyes, my whole body ceases to move for a moment. I'm locked into a gaze I thought I would never see again - that I hoped I would never see again. The eyes look just as cruel as they did in my memory, the flecks of gold seeming to glimmer with malice. I shake my head and look again, trying to remove the memory of eyes that can't possibly be here.

In my haste to get to the professor before he leaves for the afternoon, I've run straight into a boy who can't be more than a few years older than me. Not only are his eyes familiar, but the line of his nose, his high cheekbones, his dark hair falling into his eyes all remind me of the monster I hid from as a young child. My father. But it couldn't be...this man has to be 20 years younger than my father at least. Then who...

"What, no hug for your cousin Phil?"

As the boy stands up, his voice booms out in a yell that makes my skin crawl. He leers at me, still holding tight to the notebook of mine he rescued from the floor.

"What - I -uh - I think you must have me confused with someone else." I mumble slowly, wanting anything but to stand here looking at the face of my father any longer.

"Nonsense! Lyla, I'd recognise your mothers eyes and my uncle's mouth anywhere. Come give me a hug!"

Before I can even take in another breath he's wrapping his arms around me, his arms a steel vice locking me in a cage I remember with every cell in my body. I hold my breath as he brings his mouth close to my ear, his breath hot as he leans in close enough to whisper so no one else can hear me, "I didn't recognise you without those ugly burns on your face."

He pulls back and I know my face is slack. I can feel every bone, every muscle in my body working hard to try and pull myself together but it's no use compared to the shock that is emanating through me from this simple statement. He couldn't have made a bigger deal if he had yelled to the world "I KNOW YOUR SECRET, LYLA DIANGELIS"

"Why don't we go have a coffee and you can sit down and tell me where you've been for the last twelve years, hmm? My dad, your loving uncle, hasn't heard about you since you sent your own father to prison after that fire you started. What a shame your own mother went up in flames...and those marks on your face weren't pretty either, although I see you've found a way to deceive even more people. Kudos, really! Bravo!"