Finding the Truth in All the Lies

When I opened my eyes I was aware of two things. One, I was under a car, or at least some sort of vehicle. Two, I had my blanket and pillow with me. Now waking up, I expected to have my pillow and blanket with me. I brought them everywhere I went, whether it was to university or my parents' place, but waking up under a car was not an everyday occurrence.

I wiggled out to see the front end of not just any car, but my old red Austin mini, which happened to be parked in the middle of a field. I had been lying in a small dip in the field, which made it easier to get out. I dragged my pillow and blanket out behind me. Standing up, I wasn't surprised to see Josh Baker sleeping in the driver's seat. It looked like the Baker boys were up to their old tricks; and I had only been home for a day.

The Baker boys – Kyle, Josh and Lucas – had lived next door to us for as long as I could remember. They were triplets and a year older than me. They had made it their personal mission to torment my sisters and me since they were eight. My two sisters – Anna and Becca – had escaped most of their wrath. But for some reason the Baker boys, especially Josh, continued to pull pranks on me, despite the fact that we were all in university. It was enough to drive me insane. Anna and Becca were convinced that Josh had a thing for me. I would have believed them, if Josh hadn't confessed his love for Anna on his 16th birthday. I don't know if he even remembered, since he passed out shortly afterwards.

I slammed my hand down on the hood of my car, jolting Josh awake. He stared at me or a long moment before a grin slid across his features, making him twice as handsome – not that I would ever dream of telling him that. Josh and I had a special relationship. I didn't plan to change it.

"Looking good Bri!" he said, leaning out the driver's side window. I was wearing a black tank top that left a strip of my stomach bare and short blue shorts that revealed most of my tanned legs. They were what I typically wore to bed. I rolled my eyes in annoyance. He had seen me in much less, not that we ever mentioned that. "Want a ride?"

I stalked over to the passenger's side door and yanked it open. "I hate you," I muttered, knowing better than to say anything more while he was behind the wheel. Our arguments were known to get a bit heated and had already resulted in one car accident, which our families never let us forget about.

"Ah, come on Bri; you don't mean that. Besides, it's all in good fun," he said, starting up the car. I tried not to look at him, really I did. But he was wearing a pair of plaid pyjama pants and running shoes. He had the body of a swimmer with broad shoulders, washboard abs, and lean hips. His bare chest seemed to beg me to touch it.

"I am exhausted. My plane only arrived yesterday afternoon and then I had to go to Anna's bachelorette party." The bachelorette party had been a disaster as far as I was concerned. I had only just stepped off the plane after nearly nine hours' travel, and Anna insisted I come out with the rest of the wedding party. Lack of food and sleep had made me a cheap drunk. I had passed out the minute my head had hit the pillow; clearly I had been dead to the world.

"I know," he said quietly as he guided my car out of the field and back on the road.

"Yeah, well, normal people would stop by, or call to say hello."

"This is my way of saying hello. Besides, I've missed you." The last part was said so softly I wasn't even sure I had heard it properly. Then he glanced at me almost as if checking my reaction. "How's school?"

I stared at him in disbelief. Josh and I didn't talk about our lives. In fact, we didn't talk period. Any conversations we had were the result of one of us being drunk. "Do you honestly care?"