All the lies I've been told

How it all started

I never notice how much I hate silence.

The vague noise of creeks' being the only sound I hear for hours.

It's moments like this, complete utter silence, that makes you think. Because without any distractions there's no way to escape your own mind.

Our residence is the biggest one for miles, yet it's almost always completely silent. Even the staff try to be as quiet as possible. But once in a while you may walk past my dad, Barret Campbell, in his office discussing business and finances, while you're wandering the corridors. Or perhaps you stumble across my mother, Evelyn Campbell, in the garden, smelling her favorite roses.

You may even meet my brother, Jonathan, as he is constantly strolling around the house worrying about taking over the family business.

By now, I've gotten used to the silence, but from time to time it hits me how awfully quiet and colorless life is.

Other than that, there's nothing here. I've almost never interacted with anyone besides my family. I don't get why we always have to socialise as humans, I'm happy as I am. The people working at the mansion try not to disturb us as much as possible, they never interact unless needed to. Everyone except one, Mr. Smith, as we call him. He's our butler.

While I was sitting on the floor and picking up books that I had no intention of reading, a loud knock filled the quiet room. I rushed towards the door, knowing this would probably be the most interesting part of my day.

I'm homeschooled and almost never leave the house. I try to convince myself I'm just lazy but truth be told I'm a bit frighten. I'm not really sure how to act around others. I usually spend my days locked in my room. It's boring, and it never gets better. I've tried to make time move faster, by for example trying to read a book or paint. But the words never seem to stick and I easily get tired of dipping my paintbrush in paint and spreading it out on canvases.

I unlocked the door and pushed it open, so that Mr. Smith nearly stumbled, while he was holding a plate with food and tea.

"I thought you might be hungry, Miss."

In order to help, I took the plate of his hands and put it down steady on my nightstand.

"Oh, Thank you." I said and looked up at him.

He was a tall elderly man, he had blonde but soon to be gray hair. He looked no different from the other servants, except for one thing. He had a couple of burn marks on his left arm. But I've never asked about them. Still, I can't keep but wondering how he got them.

"I also think it's time to put on the dress." He pointed at a long blue dress hanging from the top of my wardrobe.

"The festivities start very soon, and your mother would be most pleased if you put on the dress she chose for you, along with the jewelry she picked out."

I turned around and looked at the dress, it was hideous. I grimaced.

"You don't like the dress, Lex?" Another voice said.

Jonathan, my brother, had finally stopped working and came here, just to check up on me. I love it when he has time for me, when we were younger he was my only and best friend. He still is.

"It's.." I paused to think of a more pleasant word to describe the dress. "Much fabric."

Jonathan laughed, it was a sweet genuine laugh which made me smile.

"I best get going," Mr Smith said and then walked away.

"I knew it!" He said triumphing. "I told mother that you wouldn't like it, but she insisted"

"Well, at least it will keep me warm"

Jonathan smiled. "Go put it on. And hurry, the guest are already arriving"

I closed the door and walked over to the much too big dress.

After I got dressed we started walking quickly to where the ball was being held.

"Will you stop doing that?"

"Tripping? I can't really control it, Jonathan. It's not my fault, it's this damn dress. I keep stepping on the fabric."

I said while stumbling through the hallway on our way to the ballroom.

"Lexie, I don't care. Let's just get a move on."

"I'm going as fast as I can. Why are you so stressed?"

"Because." He said and stopped walking in order for me to catch up. He looked at me carefully.

"This is really important to me."

He sighed. " It's my one time to prove myself to all of fathers business partners. If I'm going to take over the business one day, I have to impress tonight. "

John looked down at me.

"Okay?"

"Okay" I nodded, to which he gave a smile in response.

"Let's go" He said and took my arm in his.

Walking into the ballroom felt like walking into a new reality. Everything was perfect.Perfect decorations, perfect dishes, perfect music and perfectly dressed people in pretty dresses and tucks. I stood there in a trance until Jonathan called my name.

"What?" I asked

"I said, doesn't it look nice."

I smiled. "Yeah. Yeah it does."

Jonathan started scanning the crowd, perhaps looking for someone. During the day Jonathan usually goes out to meet people, mostly business partners.

But maybe someone else too?

I knew Jonathan was charming but I never expected him to have a girlfriend. I looked up at him and that's when I saw it in his eyes. His eyes were locked on something. But he didn't show love nor compassion, his eyes described fear. My stomach turned, I'm not used to seeing him scared. He's always been my bigger brother, the fearless one, the brave one.

But now, now something has changed. I followed his gaze.

There, in the corner stood a tall man with his arms crossed. He looked a little bit over fifty, he had some gray hair strands and a couple of wrinkles that were starting to form in his face. The man had an all black suit. But it wasn't his strong presence or the odd tattoo in the form of a circle of some sort hiding under his sleeve that made his appearance stick out. It was the scar at the corner of his eye. It was a big scar covering a big part of his left side, going through the eyebrow and down. From the looks of it, it was deep and probably still hurting.

"Will you excuse me for a minute Lex. There's something I have to take care of" He said and quickly started walking towards the man before I even had the chance to say anything.

Jonathan walked up to the man and slowly shook his hand as the man dragged him closer and whispered something in his ear. Jonathan nodded, it was a little gesture but still visible from where I was standing.

They started talking and my curiosity took the better half of me, so I started moving towards them in order to hear their conversation. I was close but could only still hear a couple of words. They made sure to talk very quietly. I turned around to not seem suspicious. I stepped back a couple steps to get even closer and that's when I bumped into Mr. Smith.

"Pardon me"

"Oh, I'm sorry Smith."

He smiled. "No worries, miss Campbell."

I looked back to see if they still were there, they were. But I still couldn't manage to hear them.

"Are you enjoying your evening?"

"Huh?" I turned around hastily, swept by my own thoughts.

"Sorry. Can you repeat that."

"Maybe we shouldn't eavesdrop on them, not very lady like I'm afraid."

"I wasn't... I mean, I didn't mean to."

"Come with me Miss Campbell, I have some people I think you'd be happy to meet."

He led me away across the room. The next time I looked back they were gone.