Our Little Lie (Complete)

TWENTY ONE

D: So you've been caught.

Yeah

D: That sucks. Oh well, thanks for all the help.

I would say no problem. But I'd be lying.

D: I know.

Can you do me a favor now?

D: I did you plenty of favors by keeping your secret.

I know, but I need a witness for this trial I have to do and if you were there that night, you can tell them that I wasn't forcing Stephen

D:... I'll think about it.

Can I meet you in person?

D: But you already know me. We've been over this.

Please?

D: Fine we'll discuss this at Gulley Park @ 5:00 Thursday night.

Sounds good.

D:Oh and please don't bring anyone else.

Well there goes my plan. Alright.

•••

Its only Wednesday and the anticipation feels like it's about to explode inside me. Tomorrow I will find out who's pretty much ruined my life. But for now, I have some cleaning up to do.

"Hey Jill!" I say from across the school yard after the bell rings.

"Hi Lyssa," she smiles, but underneath it is disgust, just like everyone else's. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to ask if I could refuse to do the trial."

"That wouldn't be smart. Then you'd seem even more guilty to the school. You'd look like you're trying to hide something. And plus I was getting no where with that case on Audrey."

"Did you find anything?"

"Yeah I think it was a suicide. Apparently her dad, you know, that lives in Minnesota, was trying to use her to talk to her mom about letting her live with him and her twin, Natalie."

I never met Natalie, but Audrey always said she was the meaner and brattier version of herself. Back in sixth grade, her family split up when her parents divorced. Natalie went and lived with her dad and she stayed here with her mom. It was a really hard transition for her. So I'm guessing having her dad trying to persuade her and her mom refusing kind of stirred up the same emotions.

"Huh. That's weird," I say,"Well I guess I'll do the trial."

"Good," she replies and walks to her car.

I do the same. I reach my car to see bright yellow paint scribbled all over the sides of my once beautiful silver car. As I get closer I can make out words that I would rather not say. There's maybe twenty different words they use to describe me. And all of them are true. I deserve every single label for what I did.

Originally, I told myself that it wasn't my fault. That he forced me. But now after all the different stories, they start to blend together until I can't even remember what really happened. I open the door to my embarrassing ride and drive away before anyone watching can get a reaction from me. 

•••

Apparently tonight I'm meeting with my attorney. Jill said it would probably be Renee Michaels. Which sounds great, she's one of my good friends on the dance team and she'll definitely try to make my case look good.

About two hours later I hear a knock on my door. Jill was right, Renee stands in front of my door with a big pink binder hugged against her chest. She sees me and smiles a smile that's big enough to cover her whole face.

"Hi Lyssa!" She says as I open the door. "You're probably wondering why I'm here."

"No actually I think I-"

"I'm your attorney! Isn't it exciting?!"

"Yeah! Super excited to get to discuss what a lying cheater I am to the whole school," I say and she laughs.

"I get it, this might be a little hard on you, but trust me, we're helping you."

We work on certain points to bring up in trial, witnesses to ask, and just overall how it's going to happen. Renee is an expert in court so I'll just follow her lead.

After about an hour of work we start to drift into regular conversation. It's really nice, I spent so many years building my friendship with Lena and Audrey that I never stopped to realize all the other amazing people that surrounded me.

"Are you hungry?" I ask.

"I'd like to say no but..." Renee says. It's a joke we've had since eighth grade.

"Good because I'm hungry too," I laugh. My phone dings. I look down to see a text from Mirren.

Mirren: Are you busy?

Kinda why?

Mirren: Just wanted to hang out.

Renee Michaels is at my house rn, but you're welcome to join us especially if you bring food

Mirren: I'll be over there soon with some Chick-fil-a

"Who is that?" Renee asks.

"Mirren, she's bring us food."

"Yay! I met Mirren this year, she's really nice."

"Yeah, she moved here from Ohio with her twin, Tyler."

"Oh yeah! I met Tyler too!"

Ten minutes later the doorbell rings. We run down and Mirren is standing on the other side of the door with three bags of food. I pull open the door and let Mirren inside.

"Food for three?" She says smiling. And I want to capture the moment in a photo. My best friend smiling with a bag of Chick-fil-a for me. It's such a gift to have friends that can make the hardest thing I've ever had to go through in life not so hard.