It All Started With The Butterflies

Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Butterfly Reaper

"What are you wearing?" my mother asked, as I climbed into her Toyota.

I mentally swore; I had forgotten to give Caspian his hoodie back. "The library was chilly, so I borrowed Chrissie's hoodie" I lied.

"Chrissie was with you?" she enquired.

"Yip," I answered, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"Where's the work you did today?"

"Huh?" I asked, but I already knew exactly what she meant.

"The project," my mother clarified.

"Caspian has it," I fibbed.

She seemed to believe me. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"When's it due?" she persisted.

The truth was it was actually due two days from now, and we were nowhere near getting it completed; but I couldn't tell her that.

"In a week." I prayed to God that I wouldn't get caught out with all these lies.

"What's it on?"

"Butterflies." I said the first word that came to mind.

"I thought it was English, not Biology," she stated, looking at me out of the corner of her eye.

"The symbolism of butterflies in literature." When did I get so good at lying? "Butterflies symbolise death."

Now I had really confused her. Her mouth was twisted into something that might have been a smile, but it looked more like she was fighting to keep her lips sealed.

I went on with my explanation. To be honest, I was kind of enjoying myself. "Butterflies wings are like angels, especially the white ones." I realised that I didn't remember what white butterflies were called, even though that was a word I had always been really proud of knowing. "One of the legends said that butterflies were sent to Earth to pick up people whose time is up." Thank God she was out on the butterfly day: the day before Asher died, otherwise she would have known I was flat out stringing lies together.

"That's interesting." My mother gripped the steering wheel. Talking of death probably reminded her of Asher.

We finished the journey in silence.

I opened the door to go out, but it was still locked and my mother made no move to unlock it.

"I know you lied," she said, without meeting my eye.

About what exactly? I had told so many lies in the past ten minutes, she'd have to be more specific.

"I know that's a Stinger hoodie," she continued, looking straight ahead at our house.

Phew, at least it wasn't anything to do with the project.

"The Stingers have been around since I was in school," she explained. "The Stinger boys may seem enticing; trust me, I know."

Did she have a bad experience with one of them? It sure sounded like that. I waited for her to continue.

"They're bad news," she finished.

"Not Caspian," I defended him.

"I just don't want you to make the same mistakes I did!" She swiveled around in her seat, so she was facing me. 

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