Smile Innocently Lie Easily

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

When Rachel got home after school and saw the black dress laid out on the couch, she remembered exactly what she agreed to. “Dinner with the mom. Shit.”

Jay stepped out from the bedroom. “You’re not flaking on me again.”

“You know the SATs are coming up...”

“Rachel!”

She dropped her bag down by the door. “Fine! I’ll go but you owe me big time. I really do have to get some studying in. I need more of high school like a fat kid needs cake.”

“I’ll help you study when we get home. I have passed them already.”

“Lucky you. How much time do we have before show time?”

“Half hour until we have to be out the door.”

“Luck you again. It’s a good thing I don’t take hours to get ready like some girls, like your usual conquests perhaps. Speaking of which, when are you going to find a real girlfriend?” Rachel picked up the simple black dress. It wasn’t unlike the last one she wore to his mom’s house, or so she thought at first glance.

“I haven’t really been looking. I have important things to focus on like getting my career off the ground and bills.”

Rachel followed him to the room, she leaned against the doorframe as he looked through a pile of clothes on the bed. “That’s actually a good excuse for a fake breakup with your fake girlfriend.”

He grinned. “But I still like my fake girlfriend, we make it work through the trials of my complicated life.”

“You’re so funny I don’t know how I haven’t jumped your bones yet.”

“I don’t know either. Go get dressed before I leave without you.”

“Promise?” Rachel knew there was no getting out of it, she used her get out of jail free card yesterday. She sighed and grabbed the dress again from the couch. At least she’d get some free food that wasn’t made in the microwave.

 ~*~

Twenty minutes later both Jay and Rachel met at the front door. His eyes weren’t shy about inspecting the dress he chose.

His eyes landed on her chest and stayed there. “The neckline is longer than I thought.”

“Yeah, I bet that’s purely by accident you pervert.” Rachel almost didn’t wear it because of the neckline and thin straps but after realizing she didn’t have another option, what the heck she thought and put on the dress. She reached for the door handle.  “Let’s go. I’m giving you an hour to get in and out.”

“An hour’s enough time to get in and out a few times.”

“Pervert!” she laughed all the way to the car.

 ~*~

Jeremy was seated at his desk planning for his essay when his mom tapped on his open door. She stood holding a paper plate with a cupcake on it. “Feel like being my taster?” she coaxed.

He took the plate and noticed it was another new recipe. “I thought Rachel was your official taster.”

“You’re her understudy. She called a little while ago to say she couldn’t make it today.”

“She made plans with her roommate.” He grumbled the words around a bite of frosting.

“The cute boy she’s pretending to date?”