LYRA.

I blinked rapidly, my eyes fluttering open as the rays of the light bulb infiltrated into them. I looked around me, wondering where I was and how I'd gotten here and slowly, the memories of what had happened earlier came, flooding my mind.

I'd managed to pick up my bag from the ground, and I'd paused momentarily in panic, hurriedly opening my bag to be sure my tab hadn't been damaged as a result of the whole fuss. I heaved a heavy sigh of relief as I remembered that I'd left it behind in my locker. I'd tried lifting myself up from the floor, wiping my eyes with the back of my palm as pain seared through every inch of my body. I walked slowly towards the door, making to head for the lesson I was supposed to have, even though I knew I was already minutes late, but my strength failed me. My hands trembled as I placed them and my knees buckled beneath me, and I slumped to the ground, weak and exhausted from intense pain and drifted into oblivion. 

“Oh, shoot!” I exclaimed, jumping up from the floor as I remembered my lesson. I quickly glanced at my wrist watch and realized that it was about ten minutes to the end of the very last lesson for the day. Needles of sharp pain shot through me like shock waves as I tried lifting myself from the ground, walking briskly to the door. 

I walked slowly through the highway, not missing the stares I got from students who passed me by. My eyes were reddened as a result of intense crying, and no matter how hard I tried, the tears kept brimming in my eyes and rolling down my cheeks in trickles. 

The school bell rang signifying the close of classes for the day, about the same time I stepped into the class. The class became noisy as students picked their properties and hurried out in excitement, chattering loudly amongst themselves. I walked to an empty chair, dragging my feet along and threw my weight on it, feeling extremely exhausted. I was physically fatigued and emotionally drained, and I lowered my head to the desk, trying to suppress the throbbing headache I felt. My mind reeled over my episode with Cassian again, and I shook my head sadly, realizing that nobody had thought of looking for me. 

I'd almost dozed off there, resting my head on the desk when I felt a hand tap me softly on my shoulder. I sleepily brushed it off, my eyes heavy with extreme fatigue, but the person tapped me again, tapping continuously this time till I woke up.

I raised my head and looked up to find a student aide staring down at me. “Hello, Lyra. The principal wants to see you in his office, immediately.”

I rubbed my sleepy eyes, closing my mouth with my other hand as I yawned tiredly. 

“What?” I asked, shaking my head and widening my eyes as I returned her gaze. “What did you say?”

“The principal would like to see you in his office immediately,” she repeated, keeping a straight face. “He insists you come now.”

I sat up in alarm as I heard her words. The principal wanted to see me? I immediately knew what it was, and I heaved a heavy sigh. I was going to be detained for missing lessons. And not just one, but two.

“I'll be right behind you,” I said to her, and she nodded, turning on her heels and walking out of the classroom. I got up sluggishly from my seat, heading towards the principal's office, wondering within me if the day was going to get any more worse than it already was.

Inside the principal's office, I stood still with my hands crossed behind me as he fixed his gaze on me, his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. The room felt cold and silent, the only sound being the silent hum of the air conditioner.

“You missed your lessons today,” he said, his voice clipped, staring intently at me as his fingers intertwined on the table. “You were absent in two lessons again,to be precise. May I ask why?”

I stayed quiet, staring blankly at him. I swallowed hard as I thought of the perfect excuse to give this time, having exhausted all possible lies I could make up for committing the same offense in the past. Telling him about Cassian's antics was of no use, because he never believed me. 

“You've got nothing to say in defense?” he asked, jolting me from my thoughts. 

“I'm sorry, sir,” I said, bowing curtly. “It was something way beyond my control, and I just couldn't make it, sir.”

“Something way beyond your control?” the principal asked, raising a brow. He took off his glasses and placed them on the table before him. “You do know that being in school isn't just about making good grades and having excellent results, don't you? Truancy is a very big offense around here, Miss Morgan, one that violates the school's code of conduct. Are you aware?”

I looked away from him and bowed my head, staring at my feet. I was tired of the fact that I always had to be reprimanded for something that purely wasn't my fault, and deep down, I cursed Cassian. 

“This is the very last time we're ever going to have this discussion. One more case of truancy from you, and I'll have you suspended without delay. I hope I've made myself clear?” the principal asked, giving me a warning look.

“Yes, sir. I apologize deeply, sir,” I said, turning away from him and walking out of the office to the waiting hands of the office assistant who led me to the detention room. I sat there in silence, brooding over my life as a student of the school, with Cassian as a classmate, and I made a silent prayer, hoping that I could escape Cassian's constant bullying at least for one day.

Dusk had begun setting in by the time I was let out, but there was still enough light to see people’s faces. I walked home casually, my tab in my tucked safely in my bag which I hung over my shoulders and I pulled my phone out of my pocket, checking to see if I had any unread messages.

I got to the big gates of my residences and heaved a sigh of relief as I pushed it open. My father’s car stood in elegance at the parking lot but my mother’s was missing, and I squealed happily, thankful that at least one of them was home. I rushed up the short flight of stairs that led to the entrance and walked into the house, shutting the door behind me.

“Mum? Dad?” I called out my voice echoing round the house. “Anybody home?”

I got no response and I ran upstairs and headed straight to my parent’s room, hoping to see my dad but was disappointed by his absence. My brows knitted together in confusion as I ran back downstairs and headed to the kitchen, surprised to see the cook and gardener watching something in her phone and speaking in hushed tones.

“Hi,” I said, waving to them. “Dad isn’t home?”

The cook looked up at me, smiling. “No, dear. He isn’t back from work yet.”

“But… his car—” I started to say.

“Oh, he joined your mother in her car today,” she, and I understood immediately. “Would you like something to eat?”

I frowned in disappointment. They were never home, always busy and never had my time. 

“Not now, I’ll have to freshen up first,” I said, shaking my head sadly as I turned away from them. They returned  to what they were watching on the cook’s phone, and I faintly heard the gardener’s voice as I walked out of the kitchen as he spoke in whispers.

“It is so unbelievable. To think that it was named Revenger Porn,” the gardener said and I paused momentarily. What the hell was that supposed to mean? I laughed it off and walked on, climbing the stairs and heading to my room as I craved the soft comfort of my bed.

I threw myself on the bed, lying on my back and closing my eyes as I took deep breaths. Finally, I was home and safely away from school and everything ugly it reminded me of. My phone beeped with a notification and I reached for my bag, pulling it out and opening it to see a message containing a text file from an unknown number. I couldn’t restrain myself as curiosity overwhelmed me, and I tapped the download button. The video began playing and my eyes furrowed as two figures; a male and a female, appeared on the screen. Then I heard it, the clear, unmistakable laughter of someone I knew so well, and I held my breath momentarily as the video played on. My jaw dropped in shock and my eyes widened in disbelief as I watched longer. I wasn’t mistaken. The laughter I’d heard belonged to someone I knew so well, someone so dear to me, my own mother. I brought the phone closer to my face as though to have a proper, clearer view, and then I made out the man’s face.  He was a popular actor, someone she’d been fortunate to work with on a recent project. She clinged unto him, both of them completely nude, and they kissed passionately, and then she turned around, arching her back to him as he rammed into her from behind.

My phone dropped from my hands onto the bed as I stared blankly into space, dazed.