young lies

chapter one - we're in

the thompson family was gathered in the living room as jeremy explains, through a slideshow, the pros and cons of him getting a new car for his 16th birthday.

ed and liz sit in the two chairs beside the couch as molly and landon are sat on the couch.

"now if you all please turn to slide one, you'll see that a third car can actually save the family money over the long run." jeremy begins pacing around behind the couch.

"mines just GIFS of baby porcupines eating corn on the cob." molly asks furrowing her eyebrows and turning to her eldest brother.

landon turned to look at his phone then to his sister as he began to speak. "where did you guys find the slideshow?"

jeremy let out an amused chuckle. "because i already know your views on increasing the carbon footprint, so your presentation is just best of baby animals," he pulls his lips in a tight line and turns to landon. "and i know you don't care."

molly smiles and giggles, "oh. good thinking." as she continues to scroll down the slides. landon simply nods his head and swipes over to some game on his phone.

jeremy goes and sits down next his siblings and gives them a small smile before turning back to his mom. clearing his throat, he begins to speak again. "so, mom, dad, if you'll please turn to slide two, you'll see that my learner's permit driving record is blemish free." he brags.

the sound of the doorbell causes everyone's head to pull away from their screens and to the front door.

"did you hire character witnesses again?" ed asks.

"if that is your drivers ed teacher, he's not staying for dinner." liz states with a pointed finger as she goes to answer the door.

the door opens and two young girls stand there looking upset and on the verge of tears.

"where were you?" the first girl asks. "we've been waiting at the train station all day."

"uh, who are y'all?" liz asks skeptically.

"i'm bex and this is nick." the second girl says confused. she looks to nick, panicked, and finds her friend wearing a similar expression.

ed had walked up behind liz and they both shared the same puzzled look.

"nicole." she says as if she's trying to remind them of who she is. when they don't anwser she continues, "and my sister, bexley." ed and liz turn to look at each other and back to the girls.

"nicole and bexley patterson?" bex says as she steps up to stand beside nick.

nick looks back at the other girl then back towards the family. "we're here to live with you." she states.

from the couch molly and jeremy stare at the girls like they've seen a ghost. next to them, landon can't seem to pull his awestruck gaze away from the girl named bexley.

"okay, what?" liz asks and puts her hand up, gesturing the girls to stop talking.

"you didn't get the memo?" nick questions, her voice breaking slightly.

"was this a actual or metaphorical memo?" ed asks seriously.

"no, no." bexley mumbles from behind nick as she put her hand over her face.

"they told us that they called and emailed." nick sobs her breaths coming heavy. she looks back to her friend who has a tear rolling down her cheek and looks terrified.

"okay, um, girls. just, uh, tell us what happened." liz queries, gesturing the girls inside.

nick gasps and hands her bag to liz, walking right in as bex steps in slowly and puts her blue duffel bag down by the door, following after her friend.