Smile Innocently Lie Easily

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

“Where’ve you been?” Rachel’s mother asked as she came home that evening. “Is it that boy again?”

“His mom lets me stay for dinner. I figure it’s better to mooch off them and save you some money. Win, win right? Don’t even ask it, no nothing is happening between us. It’s possible to have a male friend and it not be sexual.” She closed the front door.

“Is that a dig at me? Yeah, it’s possible but you should also take into consideration he’d have to be pretty hard up to touch you.”

“You just lost the mother of the year award.” It was always easier to make a joke. She stopped letting her mother’s words hurt her along time ago. “See you later.” She continued on to her room and as always locked herself inside her small slice of heaven. She dropped her bag, kicked off her shoes, and laid down in bed.

Normally when she had a run in with her mother she’d grab the closest book and get lost inside the fictional world. Tonight she thought of Jeremy, his family was what a family was supposed to be. They had unconditional love between them. 

She wanted to do something for him, something that would make him happy as a thank you for all the wonderful time they spent together. He was a true friend, never once judging her, and because of that she couldn’t judge his taste in woman. He wanted Lisa Sutton then she was going to find a way to make that happen.

Talking to Lisa had been a total bust. For her next plan she’d have to involve Jeremy himself, get him to somehow get the guts to talk to Lisa himself. He needed confidence. Too bad that wasn’t something they could go downtown and buy.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard voices coming from the living room. She got up and moved toward the door to listen.  Some guy just arrived and knowing her mother it was going to be awhile before he left. “Damn it.” she sighed and glanced around her room, it wasn’t so much a heaven when she could hear her mother with some guy. The apartment was small enough that no matter where they went she’d hear their voices and worse; their activities.

Her eyes stopped at the window. They were three floors up but there was a fire escape just below. There was no way she was going to get any sleep tonight if she stayed there. She pulled her sneakers on, packed a clean shirt in her backpack before swinging it over her shoulder. She opened the window and made her escape.

There was only once place she could go, one place she wanted to go, and the place she never wanted to leave.

It was past eight o’clock and the Hansen household was in bed or getting ready to do so. There was no guarantee his parents were asleep. She was careful as she moved around the backyard to his window. She nearly jumped for joy when she saw the tree just outside his bedroom. Finally a stoke of luck.

She climbed the tree then scooted over on the branch to reach the glass of his window. She listened for a moment to make sure he was alone then knocked.

Jeremy looked through the blind then pulled it up and opened the window. “What are you doing here?”

“Help me inside.” Once she was standing in his room she closed the door. “I can’t be home right now.” She whispered and hid near the closet in case one of his parents walked in she’d have a place to hide.

“My parents are already in their room.” Jeremy walked over to the door and locked it anyway. “What happened?”

She never held back with Jeremy, whatever he asked she always told the truth. She never wanted to lie to him. “Um, can we not talk about it?”

“All right whatever you need.” He said gently, always the gentlemen.

She smiled weakly. “I need a place to crash. I wouldn’t ask if I had anywhere else to go.” It didn’t happen often but this was one of the times she grew nervous. She hated putting him in a tough spot where he had to disobey his parents.

“It’s ok.” His blue eyes darted around the room. “I could take the floor or—”

“The bed is big enough to share. We can each take a side and never touch each other.” Unlike hers, his room was big enough to fit a good size comfortable bed. 

He considered it, his eyes glued to the bed while he silently grew tense about the idea. “I guess your right.” He said softly moments later.

Rachel took off her shoes and climbed into the right side of the bed while he turned off the light and laid on the left. “Relax.” She said a minute later as they both lay staring up at the ceiling.

“I’m fine.”

“I can feel the intensity coming off your skin. You know by now I’m not going to hurt you so you must be worried about getting caught. If your parents do find out it’s all gonna be on me. I’ll tell them I forced you into letting me stay.” That seemed to break some of the tension. She grabbed his hand and held on. “Goodnight Jeremy.”

“Goodnight.”

 Too bad it wasn’t that easy; to say goodnight and fall asleep. Rachel laid there staring at the walls and tried to figure out what she was going to do tomorrow. Her mother didn’t care too much about what she did but sneaking out in the middle of the night wasn’t something she’d approve of. She turned over on her side and stared at Jeremy who had his eyes closed. He was probably faking it, there was no way he could be asleep. “Jeremy?” she still held his hand.

“Yeah?” his eyes remained closed.

“Are you asleep?”

“Obviously not.”

“Me either, I normally don’t go to bed this early.”

“What do you normally do?” he whispered, they were both careful not to be overheard.  

“Read or listen to music when my mom starts bitching about the light bill being too high since she’s never home and it has to be my fault.” She shrugged. “If I’m not at school or the library I’m passing time in my bedroom and now I come here.”

To kill time, over the next hour they traded different childhood stories and learned the last few facts they didn’t know about each other. Rachel smiled softly as she noticed he had fallen asleep before her. He looked relaxed and at peace. She envied such an experience. “Goodnight pretty boy.” She got comfortable on her side and closed her eyes.