The Perfect Lie

Chapter 21

May, 2007, NYU

Zach and Liam exited the clinic while holding their aching and bruising jaws.

"I told you it was a bad idea," Liam groaned.

"She told me they were almost over, man! Who would have thought he was in a football team? Crazy, coward..."

"This is your fault," Liam shot at his friend.

"Oh, hey, there, Chanty!" Zach called, not hearing his words.

Liam turned around and saw Chanty walking toward them with a frown.

"What happened to the two of you?"

"Do you care that much?" Liam asked in his jesting tone.

Chanty rolled her eyes. "I actually want to thank the ones responsible for your injuries. Oh, well, whatever the two of you have been doing, it would have been really bad, as usual."

And then she was off to her classes.

"Now she thinks I am a douche," Liam sighed.

"Buddy, in case you haven't noticed, Chanty has always seen us that way."

"It will change. Once that bastard Cameron is out of the picture."

"Man, I hate to say this, and I am only saying this VERY rarely," Zach said, facing him, "I think it is time for you to give up on her. She doesn't see you as you see her."

Liam didn't answer, his mind reeling with thoughts of Chanty Strindberg walking away from them.

2013

"What do you mean you are being arrested?!" cried Cassandra and Angelica at the same time.

Julianne was silently shooting daggers at Zach who was cowering behind Henry.

Chanty's eyes flew to Liam but he was not even moving his head to look at her. It seemed that he was too focused on his bleeding forehead.

"They had caused quite a scene. There were damages," the cop explained while he tried to make his way through the crowding ladies.

"I want a full report on--" Cassandra started but Philip cut her off saying, "Babe, just go home. Let us handle this."

"Handle this?" Angelica asked incredulously, specifically fixing her gaze on her husband, her hands on her hips. "What do you plan to do? Call your attorney? Well, let me tell you, he is quite busy getting arrested as well! You have no choice but us, your wives and fiancée and..." Angelica's gaze flew to Chanty for a few seconds before she added, "well, girlfriend or whatever."

"Angelica, not now," Henry said dryly, his voice tired. "You are obviously overreacting. Go take Cassandra and Julianne home. I will be home before you know it."

Henry had that authoritative voice that if he used, could really mellow the ladies down. Sure, Philip was bossy, but Henry was scary. Well, they only felt scared in his presence after they learned he was a freaking NSA agent.

"And did I forget to tell you we have a lot of talking to do?" Henry added to his wife, quickly throwing Chanty a glance and then his eyes went back to his wife.

Chanty groaned. Henry knew. And obviously, by the way Philip was looking at her and his wife, he was also made aware.

There went her perfect lie. Out in the open.

She didn't bother listening to the exchange of Cassandra and Angelica and their husbands. She was already looking at Liam, silently calling out his name to turn his head and look at her. But he wouldn't. And she knew it. He was aware of her presence and he was not even looking at her.