Chapter 40 - The Second Coupon
The final bell echoed through the academy corridors.
Students streamed out of their classrooms in lively groups.
Conversations filled the hallway.
Laughter drifted between the stone walls.
Just outside one of the first-year classrooms...
Amy stood quietly against the wall.
Both hands were clasped behind her back.
Her gaze remained fixed on the floor.
Every now and then...
The toe of her shoe nudged an invisible line between the stones.
Back.
Then forward.
Back.
Forward.
She had rehearsed what she wanted to say.
At least twenty times.
None of it sounded right anymore.
Students continued leaving the classroom.
One after another.
Amy looked up.
Not her.
Another student.
She lowered her head again.
"...Calm down."
She whispered the words to herself.
Her fingers tightened behind her back.
Then...
She saw familiar dark auburn hair.
Lyra stepped out of the classroom with her bag resting over one shoulder.
She noticed Amy immediately.
Their eyes met.
Neither spoke.
For a moment...
The noisy corridor seemed strangely distant.
"...Amy."
"...Hi."
Another silence.
Amy suddenly remembered every sentence she had prepared.
And immediately forgot all of them.
Instead...
She reached into her pocket.
"...I..."
She pulled out two cafeteria meal coupons.
"...I bought two again."
Lyra looked down at them.
Amy let out an embarrassed laugh.
"...Habit."
A tiny silence followed.
"...I kept forgetting..."
"...that I've only needed one."
Lyra quietly looked at the coupons.
"...I see."
Amy rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.
"...Would you..."
She hesitated.
"...Would you eat with me?"
Lyra didn't answer immediately.
Instead...
She gave a small nod.
"...Okay."
The cafeteria wasn't as crowded as usual.
They found their old table by the window.
For several minutes...
Neither of them spoke.
The silence wasn't uncomfortable.
It was simply...
Unfamiliar.
Amy slowly turned the spoon in her soup.
"...I've been trying to figure out what to say."
Lyra looked up.
"...Did you?"
Amy laughed softly.
"...For two days."
"...Turns out I wasn't very good at it."
Lyra gave a small smile.
Amy placed the spoon down.
"...Lyra..."
"I'm sorry."
The words came out quietly.
Without excuses.
Without hesitation.
Lyra lowered her eyes.
"...Amy..."
"No."
Amy gently shook her head.
"...Please."
"...Don't apologize."
Lyra blinked.
Amy took a slow breath.
"...I'm the one apologizing."
"...I should've stayed beside you."
"...When everyone was whispering..."
"...When everyone was looking at you..."
"...I wasn't there."
Lyra remained silent.
Amy continued.
"...Do you remember..."
"...after the synchronization accident?"
Lyra slowly looked up.
"...I found you sitting on the bed."
"...You wouldn't even look at me."
"...I didn't know what happened."
A small smile appeared on Amy's face.
"...So I hugged you."
"...And I told myself..."
She lowered her gaze.
"...Whenever you're ready..."
"...you'll tell me."
The memories quietly settled between them.
Amy's fingers tightened around the edge of the table.
"...I thought waiting was the right thing."
"...I thought giving you space was helping."
She smiled sadly.
"...But while I was waiting..."
"...You were carrying everything alone."
Silence.
"...That was my mistake."
Lyra's grip slowly tightened around her cup.
"...No."
Amy looked at her.
"...If I'd told you sooner..."
"...None of this would've happened."
Amy immediately shook her head.
"...You don't know that."
"...I do."
"...No."
Her voice remained gentle.
"But neither of us knows."
Lyra lowered her head.
"...I should've trusted you."
"...I should've told you everything."
"...I just..."
Her words caught in her throat.
"...I couldn't."
Amy quietly watched her.
For the first time in days...
Lyra's calm mask finally began to crack.
"...I kept thinking..."
"...If I said it out loud..."
"...Then it would become real."
She laughed once.
A quiet, bitter laugh.
"...Stupid, isn't it?"
Amy's eyes softened.
"...No."
"...It isn't."
Lyra looked away.
"...Everyone got dragged into it."
"...You..."
"...Professor Bradmore..."
"...Even Erix."
"...Because of me."
Amy stared at her.
Then...
She reached across the table.
Not to pull Lyra closer.
Not to force comfort.
She simply rested her hand over Lyra's.
"...Listen to me."
Lyra slowly met her eyes.
"...You don't get to carry everyone else's choices."
"...I chose to step away."
"...That was my mistake."
"...Professor Bradmore chose to help you."
"...That was hers."
"...Erix chose to keep training you."
"...That was his."
Amy's fingers tightened ever so slightly.
"...None of those choices are your fault."
Lyra felt her chest tighten.
"...But—"
"...No."
Amy smiled.
"...You've apologized enough."
"...It's my turn."
The words hung quietly between them.
Lyra wanted to answer.
She wanted to say...
"It's not your fault."
"I forgive you."
"Let's go back to how things were."
But...
The words wouldn't come.
Because deep inside...
The person she couldn't forgive...
Was herself.
Amy slowly withdrew her hand.
She smiled.
A small...
Warm smile.
"...I'm not asking you to forgive me today."
"...Or tomorrow."
"...Or next week."
She stood from her chair.
"...Last time..."
"...I said I'd wait until you were ready."
She looked at Lyra.
This time...
Her smile held quiet determination.
"...I'm still waiting."
"...The difference is..."
"...This time I won't leave you alone while I do."
For the first time...
Lyra's faded amber eyes trembled.
Just slightly.
Amy picked up her tray.
"...I'll save you a seat tomorrow."
She turned and walked away.
Lyra remained where she was.
The untouched second meal coupon rested beside her tray.
She picked it up carefully.
Held it between her fingers.
Outside the cafeteria window...
Students laughed as they crossed the courtyard together.
Lyra watched them in silence.
Then...
Almost unconsciously...
She slipped the meal coupon into her pocket.
She wasn't ready.
Not yet.
But...
For the first time...
She wanted to be.
Author's Note
No battles. No monsters. Just two friends finally saying the things that had been left unsaid. Sometimes, those are the hardest chapters to write—and my favourite ones. I hope you enjoyed it.