THE PAINFUL TRUTH

Chapter Sixteen - Tell a lie once and all your truths become questionable

Storm's POV

"Why is Emma here? Why is she talking to my sister?" I whisper so quietly that I'm surprised the words are able to escape my mouth.

Is that girl at the table Emma? Or is she just another brunette in a Minehead Academy uniform? Is that lady my older sister, River? Or is she just another woman in her early twenties? What if it is Emma and River but one of the two just dropped something on the floor without realising so the other is telling her? Then, my BFF and my sister wouldn't be having a proper conversation, right? Stop it, Storm! Of course it's not them! The girl in the uniform probably looks similar to the Emma and the same for that lady for River! Yes, I've always had a wild imagination that gets the better of me sometimes and right now is one of those times. I'm sure of it.

But, look at your friends' facial expressions

Despite trying to ignore that doubtful voice, I study the looks on Stella and Sophie's faces carefully as if I'm sat in an English lesson, analysing a poem. There is more than one emotion written across the girls' faces.

Confusion, uncertainty, scepticism, doubt, dubiety, shock, stupefaction, bewilderment, perplexity, puzzlement and many more. None of them have said anything but I don't need words to answer all my questions: their facial expressions have already done that. Their reply isn't the one I was hoping for.

What do I do?

Emma, the same girl who's supposed to be your best friend forever, has lied to you while River has been hiding something from you(something she shouldn't do as a sister).

You can't just ignore this, Storm, but you must deal with this maturely.

I can't say that while I approach Emma's table, I don't have second thoughts because I do.

Do I want to know their hidden lie?

Grow up, Storm! Of course you do! These people don't have any respect for you if they've lied to you!

Grow up...

I wish I could still be that child letting my parents sort out my issues for me instead of that teenager having to deal with her own problems: it's the sadness of growing up.

I gulp as I take the only empty seat at Emma's table but even though I'm shaking inside, I try to look casual.

"Hi, Emma! Hi, River! What a coincidence that we bump into each other, huh?" I say.

The two look like a pair of deer caught in the headlights; the sight makes me silently cackle.

Caught red-handed!

"Storm, this isn't what it looks like!" Emma and River both say at the same time.

They said it so hurriedly that I barely understood their two different voices talking over each other; they're obviously hiding something!

If your best friend and your sister sound so anxious, whatever they're hiding must be important!

My heart starts drumming even louder and I wonder how Emma and River can't hear it.

Or maybe they can but they're too worried about being caught.

I shiver and not because of the draught that follows the person who has just entered. However, I can't make them feel that they're not the only ones feeling uncomfortable; I raise one of my eyebrows in amusement.

"You better start explaining," I somehow manage to say confidently.

"After I had just told you, Sophie and Stella about not being able to come to Starbucks, I had found out that what had actually stopped me from coming had been cancelled-," Emma starts to explain but I interrupt.