Lie Lie Lie | ✔

Chapter 17 ~ Guns

Song of the chapter - River Bishop Briggs

I wake up early, force of habit from school. After lying in bed for about half an hour, I decide to get up and make pancakes. I put a hoodie and sweatpants on over my pajamas and start walking to the kitchen.

The house is silent, only the occasional noise from a bedroom, or one of the dogs when they hear me. I use my phone as a torch until I reach the kitchen. Then I close the door and flip the light on. After gathering what I need, I start hunting for bowls. I find a metal mixing one, but when I drag it out from the cupboard, another one drops to the floor.

The clang must've woken people up. If that didn't the barking definitely did.

I finish making the mixture and pour it into the pan. The shape isn't perfect, but the first pancake never is. I hear footsteps, identifying them as Rachel.

"We don't go to school anymore. Why are you up so early?" Rachel asks, walking into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.

"Couldn't sleep." I answer, grabbing a plate for Rachel. I put it on the bench, then turn back to the hob. The pancake is ready to be served, so I put it on Rachel's plate and shove it toward her. I scoop another bit of batter and drop it into the pan. This one is closer to a circle.

"Thank you," Rachel sits at the island and dumps maple syrup all over it. "You know, pancakes are never complete without chocolate chips,"

"Get them out then," I sigh, holding back a laugh. "We are not dumping the whole bag in, though."

"Why not? It's not like anyone else cooks around her," Rachel throws me a bag of chocolate chips. It hasn't been opened, proving her point.

"Because you don't need that much sugar at 6.45 AM." I say, ripping the packet open and chucking a few handfuls into the batter. I stir them in, watching them sink to the bottom.

"Oh come on, don't be a spoil-sport," Rachel hoists herself onto the countertop and drops a few chocolate chips in her mouth. "You woke me up so,"

I grab the packet from her and put it back. "That is enough, young lady."

"Never enough," Rachel complains, sliding off the counter and back into her seat. "At least let me have golden syrup."

I pass her the golden syrup, and she drizzles it all over the pancake. She carefully cuts a small piece off and puts it in her mouth.

"These are good," she says, mouth full of food.

~~~

"I can't believe you didn't leave me any pancakes." Victoria says, turning the key in the ignition. The V8 engine roars into life, such a satisfying sound. It settles into a steady thrum.

"I'm sorry, but Mads is such a good cook," Rachel says, stuffing the last bite of her pancake into her mouth as she does her seatbelt.

"Thanks for the compliment. Where are we going?" I ask, watching the car's reversing camera as we back out of the garage.

"To the shooting range. You need to practice your aim, in case Jamie does something stupid."

At the mention of shooting, memories flood my brain. Crawling through the mud while gunshots echo above me. The sound of Rachel hitting the floor. A million emotions all at once. All turned up to the max.

"Don't worry, this range is run by my family. Jamie can't reach you here, remember?" Victoria takes a hand off the steering wheel and places it on my thigh, rubbing gently.

"No PDA in front of me, please," Rachel says, sticking her head around the seat. "I would rather not taste those pancakes again."

Victoria and I laugh, but she doesn't move her hand. It just rests there gently, a reassurance. A reminder.