Party of The Dead

'From a very young age we are taught not to lie, yet many still do. Being part of the many who do can be fun or funny. Even helpful to get you out of trouble. So why not just break that one spoken rule?'

"Hey Jack, can you come over and help me with the party tonight?" Max asked as he started to put some school materials into his bag.

Jack simply looked over at Max and stated, "Can't, grounded." Max was not even a little surprised by this, since Jack is always getting grounded. He nodded a little angry then continued what he was doing. Jack watched his friend, thinking. "I could always sneak out to help." Max looked up, a little startled Jack had broken the silence that had consumed the room.

"That would require lying to your parents, wouldn't it?" The question hangs in the air for a moment before Max decides to elaborate, "You're already in trouble right? This would just cause your parents to get more mad." He looked away a little while mumbling, "Plus, you have to come to the party you organized."

Jack looks at Max indifferently, "What's a little lie going to hurt?"

"Whatever..."

"So right after school then?" 'I'll go home and tell my parents I have a lot of homework and that I really need to get it done. They won't bug me after I tell them that.'

"It's a plan then. See ya later." Max says walking to his next class.

"Later." Jack calls over his shoulder, walking the other way.

***

"I have a lot of homework, so I'll be in my room. Please don't bug me." Jack directs his words towards his parents who were talking in the kitchen. After hearing an 'okay' and a 'work hard' he continued his way towards to his room. A smirk displayed on Jack's face as he whispered to himself, "I will work hard... Just not on my homework."

As soon as he walked into his room, Jack dropped his stuff and walked towards his window. Quietly he opened the window, letting the cool wind enter his room. His clothes were blown behind him in a sudden gust of wind. He smiled into the wind; he felt free. A feeling his strict parents kept him from feeling.

Without a look back, Jack jumped out of his window onto the ground below. He sneakily ran towards his best friends house.

***

Half way through the night, someone called the police,

complaining about the party being too loud. Everyone made a run for it, yet people still got caught. To make sure Jack wouldn't get caught, Max decided to drive him home, even though they were both drunk. Arriving close to Jack's house, with a few close calls but nothing to bad, Jack ran to his window. Climbing through it, he had the feeling of excitement and adrenaline spread through his body. Doing things with Max usually ended in him feeling this way.

He laid down in bed, falling asleep not too long after.

***

The next morning, Jack heard a soft knock on his bedroom

door.

"Jack, open the door." His mother's voice sounded from the other side of the door. He could hear the disappointment in her voice, without even having to see her face, he knew she would have that same look she always does. A look full of disappointment and anger.

Loud knocks were heard on the door. Not the soft ones that had sounded not even a minute before. "Jack, your mother is being serious, you have to open this door right now."

Silently he gets up, quickly setting up his desk to make it look like he was studying last night. Then walking to the door, he opens it to look at his fuming parents. "Yea, what is it?"

"What were you doing last night? I know you were not studying. No matter what you say." Jack's mother looks him in the eye, glaring slightly. "I came to your room to ask you if you wanted dinner. I assumed you were asleep, so I just left."

"Max's parents called as well. He had a party. Did you know?" Jack's father asked, already knowing the answer.

"Party? Really? He didn't even invite me?" Jack said feigning innocence.

"Then where were you? As your mother had said, she came to check on you and you weren't here. Tell us the truth."

"I was sleeping, maybe? At the time mom came to check on me? Everyone has to sleep, you know."

"Jack Enon Oryle."

"Yes?"

"Im being serious."

"So am I."

"..."

"Jack just tell us the truth. Where were you." Jack's mother questions him, sighing afterwards.

Mom looks so tired.

"I was studying Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' for english." Jack says, walking to his desk to pick up said book. "To be, or not to be," he lifts his arms dramatically, "- that is the question:-" Jack places his hands on his heart, "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer." His face contorts to show pain as he is about to continue his show. "Th-"

"That's enough Jack!" Jack's mother exclaims having had enough, "Max is dead! Can't you see this is a serious matter?! Stop playing around!" Surprised by his mother's sudden exclaim, his eyes widen slightly. His always quiet mother huffing silently from her outburst.

"Max is dead?" He inquires surprised.

"Yes Jack. That's why we want to know what you were actually doing."

Jack stays silent, thinking over this new information he has learned. It's not true! It can't be! I was just with him last night.

Just as he was about to speak, his mother interrupted him

once again. "He was drunk. He... He-" Jack's mother started crying, unable to finish her sentence.

"He got into a car crash, Jack." His father put a hand on his

shoulder, "Him and the other driver both died."

Jack looks away from his parents, unable to accept their

words. He wouldn't believe it, he couldn't believe it.

"... I'm okay... Can I have some time to myself."

"... Sure honey." With that, Jack's mother and father left him alone.

Even though he asked to be left alone, he didn't actually want to be alone. He wanted his best friend. The one person who was always there for him, the one person in the whole world that knew him for who he is.

"Max... Why did you have to die on me? We were going to be friends forever. The bestest of friends." He then broke down in tears, sinking to the floor while grabbing a picture of him and Max. It was his favourite picture; one that show'd how much they meant to each other. "Max... I'm sorry... I'm sorry I lied, I shouldn't have. I shouldn't have organized that party... I shouldn't have done many things... I've learnt my lesson... I'll never lie, and I'll always take responsibility for my actions."

"...I'm sorry..."

"Jack!"