The Staircase

*Lyra*

"So, what color are we thinking?" Bree asked, scrolling through an endless grid of designer dresses on her sleek laptop. She shifted on the edge of my mattress, a supportive, enthusiastic smile plastered across her face. "You need to look flawless. Silk? Chiffon? Maybe a deep crimson to make a statement?"

My twentieth birthday was merely two days away. Bree and my older brother, Kaelen, w