The Wrong Twin's Kiss

Chapter 8

Lyra's Confession

I found myself back in the kitchen, unable to go to him. The familiar surroundings did nothing to calm the storm inside me. The walls felt like they were closing in, making every doubt and fear louder in my mind. My feet felt glued to the floor, and even though I wanted to leave, I couldn’t move. I was stuck, not just physically, but mentally, caught in my thoughts.

The kettle on the stove whistled, the sound shrill and jarring. I hadn’t even realized I’d put it on. My hands shook as I reached for it, the hot metal searing my skin. I yelped, dropping the kettle, and the water spilled across the counter, soaking everything in its path.

“Dammit!” I cursed, cradling my burnt hand against my chest.

The pain was sharp, but it was nothing compared to the ache in my heart. I could still feel Kurtis’s presence, the warmth of his body, the way his eyes had softened when he looked at me before everything went to hell. The memory of his touch sent a shiver down my spine, but now, it was laced with regret. I’d been living a lie, pretending to be something I wasn’t, and now it had all come crashing down.

“Why did I do this?” I muttered to myself, pacing again. “Why couldn’t I just be honest?”

But deep down, I knew the answer. I was afraid. Afraid of losing Kurtis, afraid of being seen as less than Angela, afraid that once the truth came out, I’d be nothing but a shadow in their perfect world.

The door creaked open, and I spun around, half-expecting to see Angela again. But it wasn’t her. It was Kurtis, leaning against the doorframe, his eyes dark with something I couldn’t quite place. My heart skipped a beat, and I froze, the words I’d rehearsed a thousand times suddenly slipping away.

“Lyra,” he said, his voice low and rough.

“Kurtis...” I started, but the words caught in my throat. I couldn’t tell if it was fear or relief that he was here, standing in front of me. All I knew was that I needed to say something, anything, to explain, to make him understand.

He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving mine. “I know, Lyra. I know everything.”

I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. “I didn’t mean to deceive you. I was trying to protect you... and myself. I never wanted to hurt you.”

Kurtis’s expression softened, but there was still a hardness in his eyes that made my stomach twist. “You should have told me the truth from the beginning.”

“I know,” I whispered, the tears I’d been holding back threatening to spill over. “But I was scared, Kurtis. Scared that you wouldn’t want me, that you’d hate me once you knew.”

He was silent for a moment, his eyes searching mine as if looking for something he wasn’t sure he’d find. “I don’t hate you, Lyra. But I don’t know if I can trust you anymore.”

His words cut through me like a knife, and I felt the tears slip down my cheeks. “I’m so sorry,” I choked out, my voice trembling. “I never meant for this to happen. I care about you, Kurtis, more than you know.”

Kurtis’s jaw tightened, and he looked away, the silence stretching between us like a chasm. “You’re not Angela, Lyra. You never were, and you never will be. But that doesn’t mean you’re not important.”

I felt my heart break at his words, the truth of them sinking in. I wasn’t Angela. I was just Lyra, caught in a web of my own making, trying to be something I wasn’t. “I just wanted to be close to you,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I wanted to be someone you could care about.”

Kurtis sighed, his shoulders slumping as if the weight of everything was too much to bear. “Lyra, you don’t have to pretend to be anyone else. You just have to be yourself.”

I stared at him, the tears flowing freely now. “But who am I, Kurtis? Without Angela, without the lies... who am I to you?”

He looked at me then, really looked at me, and for the first time, I saw something in his eyes that made my heart skip a beat. “You’re Lyra,” he said simply. “And that’s enough.”

The words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I felt the tension drain out of me, leaving me weak and exhausted. “Kurtis...”

He reached out then, his hand brushing against my cheek, wiping away the tears. “We’ll figure this out, Lyra. But you have to be honest with me. No more lies.”

I nodded, the weight of his touch grounding me. “No more lies.”

He pulled me into his arms then, holding me close, and I buried my face in his chest, letting the warmth of him wash over me. It was a small comfort, but it was enough for now. I wasn’t sure what the future held, but at least I knew I didn’t have to face it alone.

And as I stood there, still in my dream world, wrapped in Kurtis’s embrace, I realized that maybe, just maybe, there was still hope for us after all.

"Lyra... are you okay?" Angela's voice cut through the haze, snapping me back to reality. I blinked, the vivid image of Kurtis holding me close fading like smoke. My heart pounded in my chest as I realized I had been lost in my thoughts, imagining a moment that hadn’t happened.

Angela was standing in the doorway, her eyes full of concern. “Lyra?” she repeated, stepping closer.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to shake off the lingering fantasy. “Yeah, I’m... I’m fine,” I lied, but my voice wavered, betraying the turmoil inside me.

Angela raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “You seemed really out of it. Are you sure you’re okay?”

I forced a smile, though it felt hollow. “Just... a lot on my mind, I guess.”

Her gaze softened, but there was a knowing look in her eyes that made my chest tighten. “I get it. Everything’s been so crazy lately. But you’re not alone, Lyra. We’ll figure this out, together.”

I nodded, trying to believe her words, but the ache in my heart was a painful reminder of how far I had fallen into this mess. I wanted to tell her about the thoughts running through my mind, about the overwhelming desire I felt for something more with Kurtis, something real, something that wasn’t just in my head. But I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Not now. Not when everything felt so fragile.

“Thanks, Angela,” I said softly, looking away, afraid she might see the truth in my eyes.

She gave me a small, reassuring smile before turning to leave the room. But as the door closed behind her, the loneliness crept back in, and I found myself standing there, wishing more than anything that the fantasy had been real. The memory of Kurtis’s imagined touch still lingered on my skin, burning with a heat I couldn’t ignore.

And in that moment, I realized just how much I needed him.