The Lies He Spoke

ONE

And then she noticed that the car had no back license plates.

That was illegal.

Just then, the front door to the apartment complex opened, and a tall figure stepped out into the streetlight. With his dark hair and muscled back, Olivia would've recognized him anywhere.

She almost yelled for her brother, but then shut her mouth when she saw him walking towards the car with no license plates.

What on earth was he doing? Was that his?

But when Elijah got into the passenger seat, she realized it wasn't his car. Someone was taking him somewhere.

The car reversed quietly and slunk out of the parking lot into the dark street.

Olivia sat down where she was on the balcony, watching breathlessly through the railing. Why had he left without telling her? Why did he just leave in an unmarked car? What the hell was he doing?

Was he even going to come back?

She clenched her fists and tried not to overreact. Logan was always telling her that she was overreacting, that she only jumped to the worst conclusions.

But she couldn't think of a single reason why Elijah would just leave her in the middle night without telling her.

The nighttime heat began to make sweat drip down her back. Her sweaty shorts stuck to the floor. Mosquitoes buzzed at her ears, eager for a midnight snack, only to be slapped flat. But she stayed where she was, her heartbeat refusing to calm back down.

Finally, at 3:44am, the same car pulled back into the parking lot.

Elijah got out of the passenger seat, and without any sort of goodbye to the person inside, he went back into the apartment building.

Relief washed over her like a cool glass of water.

Olivia shut the balcony door behind her and stood in the living room until the door opened, half expecting it to be a stranger, but it was only Elijah. He was half bent to take off his shoes when he jumped and clutched a hand to his chest.

"Jesus, you scared me," he gasped.

Olivia ignored that. "Where were you?"

"Olivia, what are you doing awake right now?"

Olivia shook her head. "I asked first."

Elijah sighed and continued taking off his shoes. "If you must know, I went to go see Logan."

"No, you didn't," she retorted. "You went in some random car."

Elijah frowned, looking slightly taken aback that she had been spying on him, but he didn't mention it. "Our car isn't working. I had to call an Uber."

Olivia narrowed her eyes at him. "That Uber had no license plates."

"I will be sure to leave her a horrible review and tell her she should get some license plates on that car. Happy?"

Olivia was not happy. In fact, she was half terrified.

But Elijah wasn't having it. He pulled her back down the hallway. "Come on, baby, go back to your room. I can't believe you've been up this whole time. And why are you so sweaty?"

"I was waiting for you."

"Outside?"

She bit her trembling lip. "I was worried."

Elijah slid both arms around her shoulders and hugged her tight, sweaty mess and all.

"You have nothing to worry about," he said into her hair. "There's nobody here anymore, alright? Now go back to sleep."

He kissed her forehead and made sure she was back in bed, but as soon as he shut the door, she took out her phone and dialled her middle brother.

After half a dozen rings, his voice, thick with sleep, floated through the phone. "Olivia?" he mumbled.

"Logan," she said without any prior introduction. "What were you doing twenty minutes ago?"

"The fuck, Olivia," he muttered. "Go back to sleep."

"Just tell me what you were doing fifteen minutes ago," she insisted.

"Is this a trick question?"

"No. Just answer it."

"If you must know, I was sleeping. Like a normal person. Now go back to sleep, please," he begged. "If it's an emergency, make it Elijah's problem."

"You were really sleeping?"

"Olivia, I have class at eight am and I'm really tired. Yes, I was sleeping. Now leave me alone."

The line clicked.

Olivia did not go back to sleep. She lay awake until morning, thinking the most horrible things.

Shady business...

For next time: has anyone ever attended a private school? I have!