Pretending Forever

Chapter 5

After pizza and a movie, followed by ice cream, I excused myself to my room. Something in Mattie's face kept revealing flashes of memory. If I could just get a picture of her face, maybe something would stick. I heard Lilly and Mattie laughing next door, in Lilly's room. The walls in our new house were pretty thin, sound-wise, so I could hear pretty much everything.

The doorbell rang, and I jumped, my thoughts dissipating. I heard my mom talking with a voice I didn't recognize. I trotted downstairs to see my mom talking to some guy in a delivery uniform. A moving truck was parked outside. For some reason, my parents have this fear and mistrust of moving companies, so they sent our things separately, with separate companies. Apparently this batch was random sentimental things we couldn't bear to give away.

My mom noticed me and asked me to grab my box and bring Lilly's up to her room. I grabbed the boxes and sauntered back up to my room. I opened my box and shuffled through the knickknacks inside. One object sparked an idea.

It was a small camera my parents had given me during my spy phase in sixth grade. I noticed there was some used film, but also a Bluetooth chip I had never used, because I didn't have a phone at the time. I plugged in the Bluetooth chip and connected my phone. I stuck the camera in my pocket and grabbed Lilly's box of stuff. I knocked on her door, and waited for her to open it. 

"Delivery for Lilly." I said in my best British accent. She laughed and I came in and plopped the box down on her bed. While Lilly and Mattie rummaged through the box, I grabbed her desk chair and shuffled over to the corner. I stepped onto the chair and pulled the camera out of my pocket. I applied the rubber gum that made it stick, and shoved it into the corner by the ceiling. After I put the chair back, Lilly glanced up.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Oh, the lighting made it look like the paint was peeling, but you're all good. Have fun!" I swung out the doorway. "Let me know if you need anything!" I closed her door (after all, I am a decent human being), and ducked into my room. I sighed. I had never done anything like this before. 

I sat down at my desk, and plugged my phone into my computer, so I could watch in real time, and get a good picture. As I watched, memories kept flashing through my mind, faster than I could catch them. I saw Mattie turn, and captured a screenshot at the perfect time. 

What I saw in her face startled me so badly I knocked over my chair. I knew that smile.