ECHOES OF YOU

Untitled Episode

CHAPTER ONE

I jumped out of bed the moment the doorbell rang.

She’s here.

I dashed down the stairs, but when I opened the door, a tall figure greeted me instead.

Rowan—my brother’s best friend—smiled at me, but I didn’t smile back.

I’d always found him a little weird. Maybe it was the way he acted around me. Or maybe it was the fact that my best friend couldn’t stop gushing about him.

“Hey, Lyra!” he said, brushing past me like he owned the place.

Just then, I saw her—beaming, standing outside, her eyes following Rowan as he climbed the stairs. I rolled mine instinctively. I already knew what that smile meant.

Mira had been obsessed with Rowan since the day she met him. I still didn’t understand what she saw in him. His vibe had always been... off. The only reason I tolerated him was because he was close to my brother.

Mira finally stepped in, and I closed the door behind her. She’s been my best friend since my family moved to this neighborhood ten years ago. She waved excitedly, her grin wide, and despite myself, I smiled back.

She’s always been that kind of friend—the sunshine type. And after all these years, she still managed to cheer me up.

Mira threw herself onto my bed when we got to my room.

“Are you really leaving this weekend?” she asked, her voice quieter now, her expression dimming.

I sighed. We’d been over this a dozen times. And yes—I was just as sad about it as she was.

I’d been accepted into Belcliff College, all the way at the other end of the state. I was moving into the dorm on Friday. I chose Belcliff over Weybridge University, even though my brother Aiden was there. I needed space. A fresh start. And maybe… Belcliff’s rising basketball team helped seal the deal. I couldn’t wait to visit the court.

“Yes, Mira. I’m sick of this house already,” I muttered, scrolling through my phone. “You know… it would've been the both of us moving if you hadn’t ditched me for Rowan.”

She winced playfully, but didn’t deny it.

Mira had chosen Weybridge, and I knew why. Her crush—Rowan—was there.

I honestly didn't have any problem with that. Rowan just never paid any attention to her and that always pissed me off. Mira was gorgeous, she had a bubbly character and could easily make you feel at home. I hated the fact that Rowan kept hurting her unconsciously.

Even though Mira made it very obvious that she liked him, he just chose to ignore her.

"You'll be fine, my darling Lyra.” She stood up from the bed and stretched her hand toward me. I took it, and she pulled me into a tight hug.

“You have no idea how much I'm going to miss you,” her voice cracked.

I hugged her even tighter. “I will too. I honestly don't know how I’m going to survive without you.”

Mira wasn’t just my closest friend. She had long since become part of my family.

“Oh, my dear,” she whispered, then pulled away gently. “You’ll be fine, trust me. Now can we continue packing?”

************

The next afternoon, I stared out the taxi window, eyes wide with quiet awe. The city was bursting with life—cars weaving through traffic, voices buzzing on the sidewalks, buildings towering like they belonged in a movie.

"We’re here, miss," the driver said, and I stepped out.

Lindenhall City Mall. The biggest one in town.

I had a mental list of everything I still needed to get before the big move tomorrow—some casual wear, a few dorm essentials. Just as I stepped through the entrance, my phone began to ring.

I reached into my bag as I moved toward the women’s section, but just then, I collided—hard—into something. Or rather… someone.

A cold splash hit my chest and ran down my arm. I gasped, shivering as the icy drink soaked into my top.

“s**t, s**t, s**t” I stammered, immediately looking up.

And then my breath caught.

The person I had bumped into was tall, broad-shouldered, and impossibly striking. His sharp features were framed by dark tousled hair, and for a fleeting second, our eyes locked, intense, unreadable.

Before I could even register another thought, he stepped back, gave a slight nod, and walked away without a word.

Wait. What?

Shouldn’t he be the one apologizing?

I blinked after him, stunned, my heartbeat doing something it had no business doing.

My phone buzzed again, yanking my attention away.

“Hey girl! Have you gotten the clothes you wanted?” Mira’s voice chimed through the speaker.

I forced a laugh and pressed the phone to my ear, trying to gather my thoughts. “Not yet. Just got here.”

A few minutes later, I stood in the restroom, dabbing awkwardly at the stain on my shirt with a wad of tissue paper.

Ugh.

Why did he just walk away like that?

Still… my mind replayed the moment—his face, his voice (or the lack of it), the way his presence lingered even after he’d left.

He was fine. Too fine.

I caught myself blushing in the mirror.

Get a grip, Lyra. You’ll probably never see him again.

I crumpled the tissue and tossed it in the bin, shaking off the weird feeling building in my chest. I didn’t come here for mystery strangers. I came to shop.

So I straightened up, fixed my top as best I could, and stepped out of the restroom like I hadn't just stumbled into the human version of a daydream.

***********

“Honey, come downstairs. Dinner is ready!” my mum’s voice echoed from the kitchen.

A smile tugged at my lips, completely betraying the way I was angrily scrolling through my phone just seconds ago while my stomach grumbled in protest.

Everyone was already seated at the dining table — even my dad, surprisingly. He usually came back late from work, so seeing him home this early was a pleasant shock. Mum brought over the already served dishes and settled into the seat beside him.

“So, Lyra,” she began, looking at me. “You're moving tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, Mum. As early as I can. Belcliff isn’t exactly close.”

“Alright, honey. Your dad and I talked… he’ll be driving you down.”

Wait, what?

I turned to Dad, surprised. He held my gaze for a moment, then nodded softly.

“You’ve never been to Belcliff,” he said. “I figured you'd need help settling in.” He said. “Don’t worry, it won’t disrupt anything on my end.”

Okay… that wasn’t bad news at all.

“Thanks, Dad,” I said, quickly stuffing my mouth with food so I wouldn’t grin too hard.

Aiden sat there quietly the whole time, eating like we were a TV show he was observing. He really was good at spectating.

After dinner, while helping Mum wash the dishes, I noticed she was quieter than usual. When I dried the last plate and turned to her, she wiped her hands on her apron and gave me a small, soft smile.

“I’m really going to miss you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

My chest tightened, and I pulled her into a hug. “I’ll miss you too, Mum.”

She sniffled and blinked back tears. “The house just won’t be the same without you.”

I nodded, resting my head briefly against her shoulder.

“I’m not going too far,” I said gently. “I’ll call. Often.”

She gave a watery smile and waved me off. “Go and pack. I’ll cry in peace.”

I smiled all the way back to my room. I was actually moving to Belcliff College tomorrow.

It still didn’t feel real.

I did a small, ridiculous dance in front of my mirror and then flopped onto my bed, hugging a pillow to my chest.

It was a New Beginning.

And I couldn’t wait.