𝚂𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚖 𝚒𝚜 𝙼𝚢 𝙱𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝙵𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍 (Complete)

𝙻𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚂𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚜

"PARIS! PARIS, WAIT!"

I stop in the middle of the back school steps and without turning I say, "Bet you're wishing this is Cinderella moment."

"I don't really want you to disappear, so...no, not really," he returns with a small laugh.

"Fair," I continue. "Plus, I didn't really want to lose my shoe either. They're my favorite." I smile down at my soft tennis shoes, suddenly noticing my sock-covered pinkie toe stick out.

You must be joking.

I stick it back in as I sense Lucas carefully walking up behind me—like I'm some sort of wild animal that's going to make like a banana and split.

Although I'm tempted, my feet stay rooted to the ground.

"Are you okay?" he asks softly, deciding with hesitation to rest a hand carefully on my shoulder. "I'm not sure what happened but..."

I search my mind for a sarcastic reply—something to prove that I'm fine.

Because I am fine.

Fine?

The word's starting to look funny in my mind...

Fine.

Fine.

FI—

"As okay as an 'o' and a 'k' who got married," I say quickly, shuffling away from Lucas and onto the sidewalk that leads to my house.

"More like okay as in that car almost ran you over," Lucas replies, grabbing my arm and pulling me back as a car races by.

"That doesn't even make sense."

"What about 'okay as an o and a k who got married'?"

"Yeah, alright, I get it," I mumble.

"Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" Lucas asks suddenly, walking around to face me.

"Were you worried about me?" I raise an eyebrow. "I can assure you, I'm fine." The words taste bitter in my mouth, the 'lie' settling uncomfortably in my stomach.

Ｌｉｅ

T𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞;

Ｌｉｅ

A 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧

But it's not a lie.

I'm fine...

Right?

I hum my incoming call song, making an overdramatic face as I reach into my pocket to grab my phone. "Yes?" I pretend to say into my receiver. I listen for a few seconds before continuing, "Oh no. I guess I have to head straight home." 'Hanging up', I put my phone back into my pocket and face Lucas. "Guess I gotta go home. See you tomorrow."

Before I can continue down the sidewalk he calls, "WAIT!"

I turn back to him with an exasperated look. "What is it?" I ask in annoyance.

"Can I come with you? Justin has a 'top secret class' he's going to, so I have no one to hang out with," he answers, jogging over to face me again.

"'Top-secret class'?" I question, raising my eyebrow and setting a hand on my hip.

"He didn't go into details. He really didn't look like he wanted to share any information."

"Alright, fine," I consent. "But we're going in the back way. I don't need my family going all crazy, okay?"

"That's your business," the boy returns with a cocky grin, flipping his short hair.

I roll my eyes at his ridiculousness.

"But can I get my guitar real quick?" he asks.

"—ly," I correct. "And fine. But this bus is leaving in sixty seconds." I gesture to myself and then turn away from him with my hand on my hip, beginning the countdown, "60, 59, 58, 57..."

———————

"You started counting faster once you saw me coming down the steps, didn't you?" Lucas questions with his hands on his knees and his guitar case swung over his shoulder.

"Maybe," I throw over my shoulder before heading in the direction of my house.

As we walk, I can tell he wants to talk to me about my 'melt down', because his mouth continuously opens and closes.

"Careful," I start. "Or you might catch and chew a fly without even realizing it."

He turns to me with a worried look. Thinking he had been assured that I'm fine, I haven't even thought about the matter again.

"You look like the Mondays of my week," I continue but even I realize how forced it sounds.

"Alright, I'll tell you what's wrong..." I consent after a few minutes of awkward silence.

A smile lights his face, and he gives me his full attention.

"...In a hundred and seven years when I move six feet under," I finish.

"You plan to live until you're one hundred and twenty?" he questions, curiosity distracting him from my obvious swerve from his question.

"You're looking at a rebel," I reply. "Haven't you noticed?"

He laughs, my odd behavior earlier all forgotten in our conversation.

I shake my head before grabbing his arm and pulling him onto the front yard of my house.

And, of course, that's when the sprinklers decide to come on.

I scream as water flies through the air and soaks my warm clothes and skin.

I know I'll be soaked before I can make it to the front door, so like any rational person, I decide to take advantage of the situation. Plus, I need to, sadly, get new shoes anyway so...

Running forward I jump into a front hamstring, landing with both feet into a fairly deep puddle, thoroughly soaking Lucas even further.

And me.

But success comes at a price.

Did I laugh while doing it?

Maybe.

But no proof shall be provided in the courtroom.

"Hey! What was that for!?" Lucas cries, jumping back and slipping on the wet path. He manages to hold himself up, just barely, but to get there requires much arm flailing.

"Do I really need to name every reason?" I question.

Suddenly a grin rises to Lucas' face, and I know he has an idea.

One that I don't think I'm going to like.

As the world turns to slow motion I wonder, 'What have I gotten myself into?', right before Lucas grabs my arms and pulls me forward, sliding down the path at top speed. I scream when he twirls me around and leaps away, bounding through the grass to the side yard gate.

"Let's go, slowpoke!" he calls to me, as I struggle to regain my balance.

When I finally trudge up behind him, I'm completely covered in mud.

"I guess you ended up falling in, huh?" he questions once I catch up with him. He gives me a once-over, laughing at my mud monster appearance.

"No, I just enjoy bathing in mud for fun."

"Do you now?"

Straightening up and not allowing him to think he's broken my composure I say, "Actually, I do." Then I push past him and open the gate, walking through with Lucas following close behind, still laughing.