started with a lie ➳ raura revised

Chapter Four

 We're on dessert when Mom says, "You know, I heard something strange today."

 I continue to eat my apple pie. "What'd you hear?"

"Something about," she pauses, "you and this guy named Ross Lynch?Something about you two in a relationship and he's a world class billionaire?"

 I jolt up and glance at her. She smirks like she knows just caught a criminal red-handed. "What are you talking about, Mom?" I know it won't work. She's already sure about what she heard. 

"Now," Mom says, "I don't mind if you're in a relationship." She helps herself for another piece of pie. "But I don't get why you didn't tell me." Mom takes a bite  of her pie, trying to hide her frown. "I wouldn't have been angry."

I set my fork down. "Mom, it's not how it looks."

 "I get it, I get it. You're growing up and you're at that stage where you lock your parents and family out and — " 

"Mom." 

"And you don't feel like telling me everything because you think I won't understand but trust me, I will. I was once — " 

"Mom," I try again. 

"I used to be a teenager too. Maybe centuries ago, but still a teenager — " 

"Mom!" I exclaim. She finally looks up at me. "Listen. You know the lie I was talking about earlier?" She nods. "This is what I meant. You know Melody?" She nods again. "Yeah well, she's together with Cody now." 

"Cody?" Mom gasps. "I thought you liked Cody."

 "Yeah, I know. Well, they're together and she obviously still hates me and I kind of, maybe, could've, just maybe, slipped out by accident, pure accident that I was going out with Ross Lynch."

Her fork drops to her plate. "What! You told her that?"

I nod. "I didn't mean to lie or do anything so big that it would cause me to be the trending topic on gossip websites. I just panicked and blurted it out because I was pissed at Melody." 

"Oh, honey." She massages her temples, a sign that she's thinking deeply."What about Mr. Lynch? Does he know?" 

"Oh, he knows." I finish my pie. "He called me some minutes ago."

"He did what?" 

"He wants to meet me in New York City. Talk things out, you know? I have  to idea what to say to him, but I don't care. It's kinda my fault I kind of humiliated him by saying he's dating me," I explain. 

"Honey, any man would be honored to date you." She smiles genuinely at me.Mom stands up and gives me a hug. "Just explain things to him, I'm sure he'll understand." 

She picks up my plate with hers and brings it to the sink. 

"I hope," I whisper.

 Today is the field trip. The day I meet Ross Lynch, my so-called boyfriend. I  look at myself in the long-view mirror in my bedroom. I am, surprisingly, wearing a skirt. 

I don't know what brought me to do this. 

Maybe the facts that this guy could either humiliate me completely or help me until Karen believes I'm over Cody. I have come up with a plan. I'll convince Ross to cooperate. I don't know how. But I will. I need him for this to work. 

I pull down the white skirt until it stops centimeters above my knee. I'm wearing black stockings to cover up my legs and a navy green army coat to shield myself from the freezing weather lately. I wear a black shirt with sleeves that stop near my elbows. My hair is let down loosely within some beachy waves.