Started With a Lie

Chapter Seventeen

            I sigh, taking another sip of my coffee. I’m a high-school student—a senior, dang it—and I’m getting wrinkles? I’m not supposed to be stressing. I’m supposed to be partying, letting loose—not worrying about stupid guys and money. The only things I should be stressing over are high-school boys and high-school problems.

            Why the heck am I acting way too old for my age?

            “Morning, Ivory.”

            Mom is pouring herself a cup of coffee as well when I turn around. There are bags under her eyes and I really want to ask her what she’s working on. I mean, it’s kind of affecting her own health. Any daughter would be concerned.

            Instead, I end up saying, “Morning, Mom.” I force a smile and she smiles back with the mutual fake smile that she has been wearing lately.

            “Are you going to get to school soon?” she asks.

            “Hm?” I sip my coffee to its last drop. Wait…school? “Oh yeah! I have to go shovel the driveway!” I race into the kitchen and place my cup in the sink. I give Mom a kiss and say something in between the lines of, “Love you, see you soon.” Rushing to my room, I throw on some clothes and dash out the front door.

            The wonderful ground greets me when I slip as soon as I hit the pavement of the driveway. There’s pain somewhere around my leg and I can feel my butt frosting slowly as I lay there.

            What a bright way to start the morning.

            “You okay?” someone says.

            My head snaps to the voice but because I’m on the ground, all I see are the clear gray skies and leafless tries around me. I use the side of my Honda car to slowly get up, being dangerously careful in case I slip again. Everything on the ground is ice.

            “I’m fine,” I call back and look around to locate the voice. It finally lands on a certain someone who’s on the opposite side of the white fences that border my house. “Mark? What’re you doing here… again?”

            “Me? What are you doing here?”

            “I live here.”

            “So do I.”

            “You live here?” I ask, my eyes open wide, all signs of sleep gone. What did he mean he lives here? I’ve never seen him in Brownwood my entire life and I’m pretty sure that in a tight-knit town like Brownwood, nothing gets past anyone.

            “Well, yeah,” Mark replies. “This is the house I rented for a couple of weeks or so for my business here. What about you?”

            I grin sheepishly. “Well, this is the house I’ve been living in kind of forever.”

 *              *         *           *          *             *          *           *

In the end, Mark gave me a ride and explained to me how he had rented the place and how we were going to be great neighbors. I thanked him for saving me from all that shoveling and possibly to my own death since I’m not really that great around ice—or anything else I could trip over for that matter. We laughed and joked around as he rolled up along my high school. Apparently, he hadn’t known I was a high school student but he treated me no different.

            So here I am in Biology, bored out of my mind. The teacher continues talking and talking as everybody else slowly falls asleep.

            The rumors have died down about the whole Peter-thing. It’s old news. There seems to be a bigger scandal including our principal and the nurse getting it on in one of the beds down at the nurse’s office. Weird, I know. Our town’s corrupted.

            Suddenly, the bell rings and everyone bolts out of class. I don’t waste a second escaping either as I run out into the hallway. It’s like rush hour on the highway when I get out—totally expected—but I have to push through more than usual.

            In the smack middle of the crowd, Karen passes by me. And we’re kind of stuck there for a moment due to everyone pushing around each other. She gives me quick nod with an almost smile before we’re both shoved our own way.

            Like I said, we’re on strange terms.

            After shoving everything in my locker like I usually do, I shove everyone in my way as I try to get through to History. But I’m surprised when I hear my name over the speakers.

            “Miss Ivory Flores, please report to the main office. Miss Ivory Flores, please report to the main office,” the nasal-voiced lady repeats over the speakers.

           

I am so sorry I haven't update for... well, forever.

Writer's block sucks. But I'm back now. And yeah. Sorry for keeping you all lovely people waiting. Hope y'all don't hate me. Also hope you guys enjoy this chapter. And thank you SO much for 2 million reads! I know I know... what did I ever do to deserve that? You got me thinking the same thing. (:

please continue voting, fanning, messaging, reading, sharing, and sending in banners and covers. they're beautiful! 

kinky bastard, are ye?

sorry. lol. i've been saying that all day.             

            AND Y'ALL SHOULD FAN : UniqueeSmile. She made me the wonderful covers. (: And example is to the side.