The Other Side of Blue: A Best Friend's Sister College Romance

by Anna Bloom

  Lyra grabbed my hand, unfrozen from the state of shock she’d been in. “Is that it? You’re scared that Luca is still going to be mad? I’m a grown woman now for God’s sake.”

  “No, Lyra. You’re forgetting what happened the next night.”

  “Your dad. Did you attack him, Jack?”

  Here it went. I searched for the anger that had kept me going the last four years, but strangely it had gone. “Luca was waiting when I got to the bottom of your window again.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah, oh.” My throat tightened. “It happened so fast. I explained that I just wanted to say goodbye, that no matter how wrong he thought I was, or how sick, I didn’t feel it fair to leave without saying goodbye.”

  “But you didn’t say goodbye. You kissed me, really kissed me.” She touched her lips, like the echo of the kiss still tingled there.

  “My dad started in my house, the usual.” I dropped my gaze for a moment, my throat tightening. “And then Luca said that he was going to end it right now, all of it, that he would set me free. That he should have before. That if he’d helped me years ago I’d never have been preying on his baby sister. He pointed at his jersey, mine, my Florida Amphibians one, and then I saw the knife in his hand. ‘Don’t come back, Jack, not unless you want this to end up in the wrong hands. In fact, come back and I’ll kill you myself’, and then he ran into my house and the next thing I heard was my mom’s scream.”

  Lyra whimpered, and I tried to soothe her until I realized the noise came from me.

  “I froze, torn between turning for your window and running. Luca couldn’t undo what he’d done, nor did I think he’d want to. He hated me, Lyra. Hated me enough to attack another human being so I’d leave you alone.

  “So I ran. And I ran. And I never looked back.”

  “Luca?” Lyra broke away from me and stumbled to the sofa, collapsing onto the cushions. “Luca?”

  “He really had issues with the best friend code.”

  She didn’t laugh at my lame attempt of a joke. “Luca is the reason you haven’t seen your mom for four years?” She shook her head. “I’m the reason you haven’t seen your mom for four years?”

  “Lyra, you were fourteen years old. He was trying to protect you.”

  She let out a long deep moan. “Oh my god. No wonder you hated my guts when you saw me again. We’ve ruined your life.”

  I couldn’t really argue with that.

  Lyra

  It stung like a double whammy sucker punch. Air wouldn’t fill my lungs. I leaned over, gagging over Evan’s sofa cushions, unable to stop myself.

  Grams…

  I tried to focus on the intense grief I’d felt claw at me in Alex’s car, but I couldn’t.

  “Luca,” I gasped my brother’s name. “He did that.”

  “Would you rather it was me than Luca?”

  “No!” But maybe yes… Luca was my brother. Would he have attempted to murder someone just to protect me?

  “After you left, he changed. I thought it was because he missed you; hell, we both did. The fallout of that night, it changed our entire neighborhood, Jack.”

  “You know, I never even checked the news, didn’t even try to find out what had happened, if Dad had survived.”

  “What? Why wouldn’t you?”

  “Because what if he was dead and it didn’t bring me any satisfaction?”

  I stared at him, trying to make sense of it all. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

  “I know.”

  “When I saw you that night at Blue’s bar and you told me you were trying to forget me… you really were, weren’t you?”

  The revelations just rolled over me, taking me down, taking me apart. “Fucking hell, did you come here waiting for me so you could ruin me?”

  “What! No! I already told you that, I didn’t even realize it until you asked me. I’ve never lied to you, Lyra.”

  “Apart from not telling me my brother almost killed your dad out of some act of retribution because you and I…”

  I couldn’t finish the sentence.

  Jack stalked for the sofa and dropped to his knees. “Lyra—”

  “No, Jack. You haven’t been home in four years because of Luca? How can you even look at me? How could you do that the other day with me, knowing what we’ve caused?”

  “Because I love you, Lyra. Have always loved you. You’ve never not been everything to me, no matter how hard I tried to fight it.”

  My opinion of my brother crumpled to dust.

  Had Grams known? Was that why she’d been so cryptic the other day? I’d assumed she’d known Jack was here, but had she known why he’d left?”

  Why the fuck had Luca done this? Couldn’t they have just had a fight like normal boys and called it quits?

  “He manipulated you, me.”

  Jack cupped his large palm around my cheek. “Lyra, he was protecting you. I’ve been so angry with him, for so long, but I’ve never not understood his motives.”

  “You should have told me the moment you saw me again.”

  “Hey, Lyra. Your brother is an asshole who made me run from everything I know.”

  I rubbed the bridge of my nose.

  “Do you think your mom knows it was Luca?”

  He shrugged, which I think was as honest a response as he could give.

  “And he really said, ‘you come back and this ends up in the wrong hands’?”

  “Lyra, don’t torture yourself over this, it’s done now.”

  “Jack.” I slipped to the edge of the sofa, gently cradling his face in my hands, mirroring the hold he had on me. “Jack. I’ve had that jersey for years.”

  “What?” Those dirty greens zeroed in on my face.

  “After you left, I was so mad. I was sure Luca knew something. He was different then, drove Grams crazy walking the wild side, staying out late, drinking too much. So I went into his room one night and I tore the place apart looking for any reason why. I found the hoody, covered in blood. I assumed that Luca had found it, realized what you did to your dad and had hidden it to protect you.” I offered a dry laugh. “I can’t believe how wrong I was.”

  “You have it? You’ve had it all this time?” Jack rocked back on his heels.

  “Yes.”

  “You’ve had it, and you’ve still fallen into this with me, the whole time thinking that I tried to murder my dad—and worse, sadly failed.”

  “I love you, Jack. Since the first time I saw you in the yard with those bruises on your face.”

  He pressed his forehead against mine, both of our chests rising and falling with ragged breaths. “What a mess we are in.”

  I leaned back, catching his face again, just in case he disappeared from me once again. “Let’s go home and sort this, Jack. We’ve got nothing left to run from.”

  “Apart from the fact your brother is going to kill me.”

  Tears slipped from my eyes as I shook my head, my stare determined. “He’ll have to get through me first. Let’s go home and give Grams the send off she deserves from both of us. You can see your mom. Luca can’t do anything without that jersey; not that he’d dare by the time I’ve finished with him. I’m going to rip him to pieces.”

  Jack pulled me close, slamming his lips over mine, swiping at me with his tongue and demanding entry. “My little firecracker. You know you really have grown some lady balls.”

  I laughed, swiping at my face. “I had to. You left and broke my heart.”

  Jack rocked back, his face torn. I reached for him, desperate to keep some kind of physical contact. “I’m not letting this carry on, Jack. You deserve to come home. I want you to come home with me.”

  He nodded, silent tears slipping down his face. “I would very much like to see my mother again.”

  My chest crushed under the weight of it all and I threw myself into his arms. “I’m so sorry; so, so sorry.”

  “Shhh.”

  “Oh God.” A fissure snapped straight down my hear
t.

  “What?” He stared at my face, soothing my hair. “What is it? Things can’t get much worse.”

  “I’ve just realized I’m the reason you’re no longer Blue. It’s because of me that you’re now Jack.”

  His hand slipped around the back of my neck and we clung together, two ships tossed in a storm of betrayal.

  Eventually, he pulled away. “How quick can you pack?”

  “You’re coming home with me?” My voice rose, a flicker kickstarting my poor heart.

  “I sure as hell ain’t letting you go home by yourself. I need to sort some things here. I’m going to have to go and see Evan.”

  Fresh tears poured. “Thank you. I promise on my life I will make this right.”

  “Just promise to always love me.”

  I nodded, unable to speak. I didn’t need to say a word to confirm that promise. I’d been keeping it my whole life.

  Back in the dorm, I opened the closet and stated flinging stuff into my duffel bag. “Lyra, what on earth are you doing?”

  Eva stood in the open doorway. She took one look at my face and rushed in. “What’s happened? What’s wrong with your face.”

  “My grams died.” Saying it, remembering that the whole nightmare started because my favorite person had died made a fresh torrent of tears pour down my face. “She’s gone.”

  “Oh shit. I’m so sorry.”

  I shuddered into her hug. “I’ve got to go home. I’m getting the bus tonight.” A little lie, but one more wouldn’t hurt.

  “The bus! Isn’t Luca coming?” She held her hands up. “And I’m saying that in a totally non- sexual harassment way.”

  I snorted a laugh and wiped at my nose. “No, he’s not.” Because I’m going to bloody kill him when I see him.

  “How are you going to get to the bus station?”

  “Taxi.” I shoved more stuff inside my bag and flung in my battered copy of Wuthering Heights. Everything else I could leave.

  “How long do you think you’ll be gone?”

  “I don’t know.” Another lie.

  I wouldn’t be coming back. Once everyone knew Jack had left with me, which they would, Miriam Collins would make sure of that. I’d never be coming back.

  I grabbed up my bag and walked for the door.

  “Lyra! Your violin!”

  I stared at the case, my soul torn clean in two. “Keep it for when I come back.”

  She nodded and picked it up, taking it to her side of the room.

  “Bye, Eva.” My throat thickened. “Sorry I’ve been such a shit roommate.”

  She frowned, but then laughed. “When you come back, we’ll find some parties to hang at, and I can definitely come to work with you and stare at your boss all day.”

  “Definitely.”

  I gave her a last wave and walked out of the door.

  Downstairs by the security lodge, I had a few minutes until the taxi arrived. I pulled out my phone and jabbed at the screen. One day it would crack from the sheer will of my anger.

  “Luca.”

  “Hey, you. How are you?” He sounded tired, but hatred burned too strong in my veins for me to give even one shit.

  I breathed in a deep breath. “I’m coming home, tonight.”

  “Now hold on. You can’t travel in the dark, Lyra.”

  “I’m not coming home alone, Luca. I’m coming back with Jack.”

  A long pause stretched between us.

  “What?” he whispered.

  “I said I’m coming home with Jack. Luca, I know everything. Everything that you did. I can’t believe it.”

  “Lyra. What have you been doing?” His voice rose. “What have you done?”

  “It’s got nothing to do with you. I hate you for what you’ve done. You might have thought you were protecting me, but you ruined me, made me so fucking unhappy. I’ve been a shell for years. We were kids, we hadn’t even done anything wrong and you blackmailed him to stay away from me.” I laughed a hollow echo. “You have no idea what you’ve done.”

  “Lyra, I was trying to protect you.” His words were half strangled.

  “No. No more big brother crap. I don’t even recognize you anymore. Can’t believe you did that. My brother would never do that.”

  Luca laughed, a half-wheezed sound. “Lyra, I was protecting you.”

  “From what?” I screamed, making the security guard turn to look at me.

  “From the truth. Lyra,” there was a pause where I thought he’d hung up. “I’m not your only brother. Jack is too. I found out years ago. I’ve been living with the lie most of our lives.”

  “What?” Sick rose up my throat.

  “Jack is—” I hung up the phone before he could say it again.

  Jack

  “So I’ve cleared as much money from my bank account to yours as I can. I suggest tomorrow you move it on.”

  “Because money laundering is my go-to.” Evan smirked.

  “I’m sure your cousin will know all about it.”

  “He still wants to hear Lyra sing, you know. You should keep that in mind with whatever comes next.”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  “So what does come next?”

  “I don’t know.” I couldn’t believe I was saying the next words. “I think I get to go home.”

  “Enjoy it, but don’t forget us.”

  “Believe me, I think Luca will make it as unenjoyable as he can. He’s not going to like the fact Lyra has the upper hand.”

  “You should have told me all this shit four years ago. You only ever told me half.”

  “Yeah, well, when we met, I didn’t know where I was going to end up.”

  “Right back where you started, bro.”

  “With a girl called Lyra.” I smiled and lifted my soda. We’d be on the road soon, heading into the unknown and toward a shit storm big enough to swallow us whole.

  “I’m going to clear up, don’t suppose you want to help?”

  “Nah. It’s your problem now… well until Jensen Collins claims it back.”

  “Great.” He whipped his towel at me and walked off to pick up the stools and chairs. I glanced around the place, waiting for a feeling of remorse that didn’t arrive.

  Time to stop hanging onto the past.

  An hour later my glass sat empty. Evan stood at the opposite side of the bar, his elbows leaning on the polished wood.

  “She’s not coming, is she?” I couldn’t meet his eye.

  “Maybe something happened?”

  I knew what had happened. I’d told Lyra the truth and it had scared her off, just like I knew it would. It had come down to a line between me and her brother and she’d stepped over to his side.

  My greatest fucking fear had just come true.

  Lyra hadn’t chosen me.

  “Buddy.” Evan reached for my shoulder and squeezed. “You’ll sort it.”

  “Yeah.” I stepped off the stool, knocking it to the ground and then turned and launched my glass at the far wall.

  I would sort it, because this time I wasn’t running, I was fighting, and nothing was going to stop me again.

  ~ The End ~

  Follow Lyra and Jack in The Other Side of Green

  Thank You

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  Acknowledgments

  This bit get’s harder to write with every book, which seems ironic really.

&n
bsp; There are so many people to thank for their help and support on this journey I am on.

  So many amazing people to be grateful for.

  Sarah and Lynn, thank you for your unwavering support.

  Nikki A for keeping me going.

  Nikki G for always being there.

  Andrea M Long, you are amazing and I’m so glad we are in everything together.

  For my family, for believing in my dream and loving me even when I’m staring into space and having conversations with the people in my head.

  Lyra and Jack for giving me this story. We’ve been on a journey together that’s for sure and we have a way still to go.

  And lastly to my readers. Thank you for getting me. It makes this dream of mine a future I’m proud of.

  Anna xxx

  Also by Anna Bloom

  Tears of Ink

  If We Were Young

  Tabloid Princess