Started With a Lie

Chapter Twenty-Five

    A complete awkward silence takes over the room.

    I stare at the present, my mouth wide open and my eyes even wider. Because right there in the perfectly padded box are sets of lace, intimate lingerie. There are sexy colors like black and red and— I can’t believe she had done that to me! She should’ve at least told me to open it in private but knowing Candy, she probably is loving seeing  me embarrassed.

    I awkwardly mumble, “Uh, um,” as I struggle to put the top back on, which for some reason seems to not fit to the box anymore. Finally, I press it hard and it shuts close. I look up at the boys in the room, my cheeks the color of Candy’s highlights. Brent’s eyes are wide and Mark’s face looks shocked. Even Lee, who’s ignoring me still, looks somewhat affected. His ears are red. “Candy!”

    “What?” she asks, grinning like I didn’t just open intimate lingerie in front of three grown men, one of them my brother. “Aren’t they all so cute?”

    “Candy! You little—”

    “Hey! You’re nineteen now—I still don’t get how you failed third grade—and you need some lingerie for when  you meet the one, you know?” she says. “Or maybe just for when you want to have a good time.”

    I clap my hand over her mouth. I look over at my brother, who’s in the same position and facial expression as to when I opened the box. I hope he doesn’t get a seizure from all of this—my overprotective brother seeing a box of lingerie from my best friend who said to use it when “I want to have a good time.” I am so done for.

    “W-Who wants some dessert?” I ask everyone awkwardly, throwing in a smile like that just didn’t even happen because I honestly want to crawl into a hole and die.

    Candy excitedly raises her hand and says, “Mmmf!” I let go of her mouth, sure that ice cream will distract her before she says anything else stupid. “Me, me!”

    I look to Brent. “Uh, Brent, can you get the ice cream? I’ll go to the dining room and get everything ready with Candy.” The three boys stay shocked, dazed. “Guys? Hello?” I snap my fingers and Brent suddenly shakes awake and mumbles a “yeah” before dazedly walking towards the fridge. I grab Candy and head to the dining room.

    Candy lets go and starts doubling in laughter as soon as we’re out of the kitchen. She falls to the ground, clutching her stomach. “Oh my god! You should’ve seen your face! You should’ve seen their faces!” She rolls over still howling. “I can’t even.”

    “Candy! That was so embarrassing! I am going to kill you, I swear!” I say, crossing my arms. My cheeks are red and I know I’m too embarrassed to be angry.

    “You love me,” she says as she continues laughing. “That was too funny!” After minutes of continuous laughter and how I should’ve seen their faces, she gets up, still smiling in a mischievous way. “Happy birthday, babe!”

    “Thanks,” I say in a sarcastic monotone. “That was the best present ever.”

    “I know!” she says, laughing again.

    “How’d you even remember my birthday? Or get here?”

    “I’m your best friend, of course I’d remember!” she says, making a fake hurt face. “Brent invited me over saying we were celebrating and well, Brent Flores doesn’t just call you up everyday, so of course, I had to go!”

    “I bet you just came here for him.”

    She grins sheepishly. “Maybe.” Taking a seat at the dining table, she pats a seat next to her. “So, tell me. Which one of those hot boys are you dating? I think this is the first time I’ve been in the same house—hell, same room, as such Greek gods. And they’re rich!”