I AM A LIAR

28 | the truth

It didn't help that I hadn't had a real conversation with Christian all week. It was mostly my fault though. I had been purposefully avoiding him.

"Come on. That's enough for today." Adrian sighs and sets a hand on my shoulder. I stand up straight and begin taking my gloves off.

"I really was trying."

"I know, come on." He purses his lips. I throw the gloves up on one of the shelves then we gather our things and head out of the gym.

"What do you want to do tonight?" I look up Adrian who's arm was around my shoulders, "Think of something fun."

"What about the Vibe? I know you work there, but it could be fun to have a night to be free."

I sigh, "O-Okay. Yeah, that actually sounds great. Just the two of us though, right?"

"Definitely." He replies. We didn't talk on the way to the car though.

Adrian was a lot quieter now. He didn't dare crack any jokes or make any lewd comments toward me. He was different. Not in a bad way, but also not in a good way. Just different.

He was like an older brother to me now. It was nice because I was an only child who grew up alone.

"Do you... do you think she misses us?" I was looking out the car window as he drove, "Do you think she knows how much we loved her?"

He takes a deep breath, "I don't know, Marie, I have no idea." I glance over at him.

"Remember how she was so excited to meet you? I had no idea who you were." I smiled softly, and he returned the favor, "She was so dramatic sometimes, but... I loved it. Every minute of it."

He didn't answer, instead we both looked out separate windows and thoughts about better times.

It was 6pm when Adrian finally dropped me off at Christian's penthouse. I hadn't gone back to my apartment. I couldn't... and I'm sure you could guess the reason why.

Life was going to be harder now. I knew that, but I just couldn't bring myself to go back there.

Christian was no where to be found, like always, so I made myself some tea and walked outside and up to the balcony on the roof. The city greeted me from below, but I couldn't smile back. The world to me sat on a different plane now. It wasn't the same. All day everyday I constantly felt out of place. Half of me still wanted to believe this was just a nightmare. A terrible, terrible nightmare.

"We need to talk." Someone says from below as they came up the stairs. It was Christian, who had probably been in his office. He was dressed in a black button down with the sleeves rolled up and matching slacks as if he had just come from work. I roll my eyes at his fanciness and sip my tea.

He came to stand in front of me, and I sigh as I glance up at him then set my drink down on the small table beside me.

"I've been avoiding you all week," I speak after a while, "and I think it's because I'm angry. I didn't want to have this talk with you because I know we'd have to talk about the things that happened, other than Katelyn's... death."

"So, they told you." He crosses his arms, focusing on me.

"They did, but I'd rather not talk about it." I sigh deeply, "They aren't my family and they never will be, so I don't really see how it's relevant. All we have in common is that we used to share a last name and some DNA."

"I understand, but they still are your-"

"They're not." I reply coldly, "Doesn't anyone understand? I haven't had a family in a long time. They died 9 years ago." We were both quiet, not knowing what to say, "Did you know?" I asked him the question that had been on my mind ever since, "Did you know the whole time?"

He didn't need me to repeat myself. He knew what I was talking about, "No, not the whole time," He begins, "But I was going to tell you once we got home-"

"Bullshit."

"You were so happy. Did you really want me to spoil the trip?"

"Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit!" I stand up and back away from him, "This is all such bullshit! You were never going to tell me if you didn't have to. Why would you? If you did I might've left you, and you couldn't have that happening, could you?" I walked to the edge of the balcony which didn't have a railing and stood there looking down at the city. By the now the sun was going down, the oranges, yellows, and blues of the sky melting together. I hated it. I hated all of it.

"Do you know how my parents died, Christian?" I turn around. He was looking at me oddly as if he didn't know what to do. He was right to feel that way.

"I've never asked."

I think it over, "Right, you haven't." I scoff, "What do you think you deserve a reward?" He looks unamused, but I keep going, "Let me paint you a picture... Once upon a time, there was a rich little girl who lived in England with her mother and her father. She was content with what she had. When it came down to it the only thing she would've changed is the fact her father was barely home. She always missed him dearly."

"I'm not in the mood to hear a bedtime story, love-"

"One day, when the little rich girl was 13 years of age, she came home from school and her mother told her to hide in the closet." I raise my voice angrily, "Her father was not the man she thought he was." My voice breaks, and I turn around, looking out toward the city, "M-My father murdered my mother." I say through gritted teeth, "It was on accident. He pushed her and she hit her head." I close my eyes, "T-There was so much blood, and her screams... they were so loud."

I heard Christian take a few steps closer to me, but he didn't say anything.

"I ran out of the closet... a-and-" I swallow the knot forming in my throat. I can barely see through the blurry tears in my eyes as I look out over Manhattan. It was really beautiful from up here. I regain some of my composure and gather the courage to finally say the words. The words I never could say, "He tried to kill me, too."