The AR Gamer Girl «Original story»

Chapter Twenty-three

POV Lyra

My head feels burning. "Argh..." I rubbed my head whilst opening my eyes. Everything was dark, but from where I was laying and the feel around me, I noticed I should be home and not in that closet anymore. After a few seconds, my eyes got used to the darkness and I could now confirm I really was home. I let out a sigh of relief until I noticed some weight next to me. I looked to my left and saw someone resting his head on two muscular arms. Zane? Jace? No that isn't Jace... But Zane can't be here, right? Wait... I slowly put myself up into a sitting position, trying not to wake the person next to me. I stretched my hand out and slowly touching his hair. So soft... I felt my cheeks' heat rise. I slowly began to run my hand through his hair, because I enjoyed doing so. While going through it I saw his face. It's really Zane... For some reason, I felt a tingling sensation in my belly. After a minute or two of me just going through his hair and feeling his warmth, I realized what I was doing and retracted my hand. Girl... What're you thinking...

I didn't want to get up, because I didn't want to wake Zane. I saw his blanket hanging over his one shoulder, but falling, so I reached over with my arms each around his neck. I silently took the blanket and pulled it up slowly, trying to set it on his shoulders. "Was my hair not soft enough anymore?" I froze. The sentence was only a faint whisper, but it hit me hard. My cheeks flushed and I let go of the blanket. "W-w-w-wha--?!" Before I could form an actual sentence Zane had taken my arms and pulled them towards him. I fell out of the couch on top of him. Our faces were inches apart and I quickly pulled myself up, but he didn't let me go. I could only go as far as to sit on his lap, facing him as he was holding my arms next to his head. Zane looked at me. "I didn't mind." "I-I-I... I w-was just..." I didn't have a proper reason but I was trying to find one, avoiding his gaze by looking to the side. "Hmm~? You were just playing with my hair?" My face becomes hotter and hotter if that was even possible. "I... I j-just...I-Agh--!" He turned us around making me lay on the ground whilst he was wandering over me. "You're beautiful you know."

It felt like I was in a movie. A ray of the moonlight shuns through the window upon us. His face was inches away, our heartbeats were faster than normal, he was looking in my eyes and I in his. But this was real life. He was really there. "Are you not even going to respond?" His smile broke my trance and I looked to the side. "I-I mean you.... You are... H-handsome too....." The last of my sentence was only in whispers as I was too embarrassed to tell him directly. Zane chuckled. "You're too cute for this world blondy." He came closer, closing the space between us. I closed my eyes out of reflex until I felt a pair of soft lips kiss my forehead. When they left I opened my eyes again and Zane had his hands out to help me up. "Come on, I'll make you some food, you have a fever." While Zane walked to the kitchen I placed my hand on the place he had kissed me. Zane...

I suddenly heard some footsteps. "Hey, you up?" Jace walked up to me. Good, he didn't see... "Y-yeah! Anyway, what happened?" I realized I still had no idea or recollection of the past evening and night. I got up and we went to the kitchen table, where Zane was making me something I couldn't quite see yet. "We found you in the supply closet with a fever knocked out cold. Zane, Nina a-." "Wait," I interrupted, "you mean Nina from the company? So Zane knows?!" I saw Zane's eyes shift to me for a second, but Jace continued. "No he doesn't, but I'll explain later alright? First, we need to sort out what happened yesterday." I chuckled awkwardly at knowing I got excited instead of looking at the problem at hand. "So Zane, Nina and I brought you back here and Zane stayed with you during the night." I blushed at the thought, recalling what happened a little ago. "Nina gave some papers to fill in for the company for what happened, but could you tell us first?" When Jace finished his sentence, Zane came with a plate of some scrambled eggs and toast. "I know you don't like bacon, so I left it out. And I'm not a special cook, but I could at least make you some eggs." I smiled brightly as he handed me the plate and a fork. "Thanks!" I chirped. "Ehem." Jace interrupted. "Ah yes!" I said, getting back to what happened while eating. "So in short, Mia asked me to do her cleaning duties and when I arrived she brought me to the supply closet and locked me in. She also took my ba--." I suddenly realized something and stood up. "Jace this is bad!" He looked confused. "What?"

"My augma is in my bag, Jace! What if she puts it on?! What if she knows? She'll let everyone know!" I sat back down and tried to process what to do. "Okay, so you eat and stay here with Zane. Nala asked not to do rash things, so I'll call the company and ask what to do." I shook my head. "No, get my phone, I have Nala's number in there. If the rest at the company doesn't know before I leave my report, then best not create havoc there." He nodded in agreement and turned around to get my phone until I quickly stopped him. "Nevermind... My phone is in my bag too..." We all sighed. "Just call the company and only ask for Nala. If they say she isn't there, just say you love pancakes." Zane and Jace looked at me very questionable. "What? It's a code to get to her, but anyway, we should get it back as soon as possible. Jace nodded and left upstairs, so I turned myself to Zane. "So....." The memory of the moment before still lingered in my head and didn't leave. My cheeks heated up, but I just tried focusing on the food. Zane chuckled. "Don't think about it blondy. Let's just get your stuff back before it's lost." He ruffled my hair and walked on. "Hey!" I chuckled.

Jace came back down with a backpack and his phone in his hand. "We can go pick Mia a visit. Nala said it's not suspicious if we just go ask out belongings back, so after you've eaten go change and Zane and I will sort out on how to get there." I nodded and put my dirty dishes in the dishwasher before going upstairs, leaving Zane and Jace talking downstairs. After changing in some comfy shorts, a T-shirt and a hoodie over it I put my hair up in the bathroom. If I was going to have to run, I didn't want my hair getting in the way. I went back downstairs and saw that the two were putting their shoes on. "So what's the plan?" Zane turned around to me and answered. "We're just going to her house asking your stuff back. If she doesn't return it, then we have two options. Be legal and come back another time, or be illegal and break in her house when no one's there and find it ourselves." I smiled. "Alright let's hope this goes smoothly." I put on my sneakers and we locked the door, but I stopped. "What if mom wakes up?" Jace smiled. "I left a note, but we should go."

We arrived at Mia's house and Zane went up to the door. "Zane...." Jace wanted to warn him, but he didn't give him a chance, as he knocked on the door. The door opened and I was surprised to see a man open up. He was tall, normal build and looked at us with a smile. "What are youngsters like you doing out at this hour? Is there any--?" Before the man could continue, Zane bypassed him and went into the house. "Hey!" The man wanted to turn around and stop Zane, but I quickly went up and put my hand on his shoulder. "Excuse us sir, but could you let us inside and explain? Mia stole from me." The man looked shocked, but he let us in without a word, leading us to the living room. The house looked big and it seemed like they were leading a richer life than others. We sat down on the couch and the man in a big comfortable chair. "So..." He sighed. "Could you tell me what my daughter did?"

Jace and I looked at each other. The man seemed to be the father. Jace gave me a nod and I began. "I am Lyra, this is Jace and the one who went in earlier is Zane. Last evening Mia asked me to come around by the classroom to do her chores, so I did. Instead of me doing it, she locked me up in the supply closet and stole my bag. Then she closed the classroom and left me. Jace and Zane went searching for me and since Zane knew Mia asked for me, they found me. Otherwise, I'd probably still be stuck there." The father shook his head. "Why..." Jace tried explaining to him. "Sir, this is not on you. Mia isn't really fond of Lyra. We just want her bag back with all her stuff in it. A few valuable things are in there, like her phone, so we just want everything back and we'll leave it at that. We don't need to involve anyone else if we get it back." The father bent his back while bringing his hand to his chin and nodded. "I understand... Let me handle this."