Love?

BOOM!

Lyra felt her entire world-shattering at that moment. While Oona's face looked pale with no colour on her face.

Lyra's hands shivered, and her lips quivered. She fisted her hands tightly from stopping herself from reacting. Oona immediately looked at Lyra after overcoming her shock.

'I knew it! I knew this will end like this! What the f*** is this? God, what will we do now?' Oona thought with a panicked expression on her face.

Tara's face went sad looking at her friends' reaction.

'Am I late? Does he already have someone he like? Does he have a girlfriend?' Tara thought as tears pooled in her eyes.

While Lyra just sat there like a stone while biting her lips. While suppressing her emotions

'What should I do now? Should I fight my friend for my love? How can I? Tara is such a good girl. How can I even think of hurting her? What should I do now? What should I do?'

Lyra felt like crying loudly now. Her doe-like eyes were filled with her salty tears. She has loved Juan for as long as she can remember. Love? The word seems like a curse now. She has loved Juan even before understanding that word's meaning. She can't tell when it started. Was it when she first started walking holding his hands? Was it when he blew her knees when she fell down? Was it when she first learnt the difference between men and women? She doesn't know. She just knew that he was different from how she liked Aiden.

A sob almost escaped her mouth while thinking about all these. Was she going to let go of him? Was she going to make everyone feel bad? Was she going the disrupt the peace they all shared now? No! She can't. She won't. But What now? What now??

Lyra felt her head exploding with all these thoughts. Tara lowered her head already so she didn't see how bad Lyra's face was contorted. And Oona massaged her head as she couldn't tell what to do now? Who should she side with? She massaged her temples.

"Do-Does he has so-someone he l-like?" Tara asked stammering with extreme fear in her heart. She still didn't raise her head fearing to see their reaction.

Tara's voice pulled Lyra out of her stupor. Lyra blinked her tears and tried to stay composed. But damn! It was so hard. She was hurting bad now! She couldn't calm her damn heart no matter what. She felt empty already. Nothing happened between Tara and Juan but she felt like someone forcefully emptied her heart.

The room was dead silent as nobody replied to Tara. Silent tears escaped her eyes like rainfall. Oona was the first one to compose herself. She sneakily placed her palm over Lyra's clenched fists under the table.

Lyra looked at Oona with a pale face. Oona was very concerned about this friend of hers. She knew how much Juan meant to Lyra. He was literally her core. Her centre. Her everything revolves around him.

Oona patted Lyra's hand in a comforting manner. But what should they tell Tara now? Oona didn't intertwine as this is something Lyra should speak about. So she just gave her friend comfort so that she can talk. Lyra sighed deeply with a heavy heart,

"N-No. No. Juan doesn't have any... any woman in his life." said Lyra stealing her heart.

"Really? Are you telling me the truth?" asked Tara while wiping her tears.

Lyra shut her eyes and nodded her head lightly.

'Yeah, I didn't lie. He really didn't have anyone in his life now. Yes, I did well. I don't want whatever that is between us to break. Tara is such a lovely girl. She will make him happy. Yes, Lyra. You did well. Don't worry you did right' Lyra said to herself over and over repeatedly so that she will not spew any nonsense.

Oona sighed for the nth time. She didn't know what she should do now.

Tara's eyes crinkled in joy seeing Lyra nod. She just mistook their reaction as them getting shocked over her reaction. She laughed happily thinking that she will do anything to make Juan like her.

She tapped the table lightly in enthusiasm, "Did you know? Juan was the one who rescued me when there was a gun pointing at my head. He just whipped me out of the place so quickly. It felt like, I blinked, and the moment I opened my eyes I was in his arms safe and secure. He looked soo good in his camouflage uniform. At first, I didn't know it was Juan. Only later after everything ended I found. But even before I knew his identity I started admiring him. I will often think about that masked that, but after knowing that it was Juan. I... I felt like this was fate wanting us to be together"

Tara reminisced everything with a far-away look on her face. Lyra felt her throat tightening. She felt that even breathing was a difficult task. While Oona just didn't know what to do in this scenario.

"What does he like?" Tara asked clasping Lyra's hand in hers.

"He... He... just like peace. He doesn't like complicated things." Lyra said absentmindedly.

"Peace... What else? What food does he like? What does he usually do in his free time?"

"He likes spicy foods. Nothing in particular. He is very picky about seafood. Free time... He and Joel would train. Or we would all meet and have fun." Oona spoke not wanting Lyra to answer these.

Tara nodded her head, " Girls, I am planning to confess my feelings to him on his birthday. What do you guys think?" she added cheerfully again.

Lyra just felt like laughing like mad now. Does she seem like a joke to destiny or fate or whatever? While Oona looked at Lyra not knowing what to tell Tara.

Lyra just nodded weakly and leaned back against the soft chair as if all her life force was taken out. At this moment the food was served and the trio had their in silence, each making a mess in their head. Though they had plans of having fun all day, now they are really not in the mood.

"Baby, there is an emergency in the company. Lyra has to go now. Shall we go to my apartment and catch up on things?" Oona asked Tara as she understood that her other friend so badly needed her space to vent out her emotions.

Lyra just nodded at her, thanking her for understanding her feelings. Oona just gave her a comforting smile. Lyra and the girls parted their ways there.