Mendacious ( Contay highschool AU)

The expense for the deceitful

A/N:

The summer heat in Texas was enough to use the sidewalk as a stove, there was no doubt that stepping on it would melt your shoes. Although hot, the scenery never fails to be beautiful in the summer. The small patches were covered in dandelions and buttercups, and the grass was bright calming green. The sky was a breathtaking blue, it reflected perfectly over the water even though it was murky brown if you ever got a cup of it.

Two boys who lived right across from each other. A boy named Taylor had brown hair, brown eyes, and a tan complexion. Chubby but he wasn't proud of it. He wore a collared shirt and a sweater to make it seem like he was less fat and it was just the thickness of his clothes, but his thighs never did him any favors.

Another boy lived next door, he wasn't new but wasn't acquainted with either. He had just moved near when the last school year ended and Taylor had been trying to make friends with him ever since. It didn't kill Taylor for not being friends with him but his parents have been making a big deal about it all summer. If anything Taylor believes there's something exceptionally wrong with him. Taylor's mom only sometimes spoke to the boy's mother, as they seemed to have the police at their door a lot. From what Taylor's mom heard the boy's name was Connor, he had curly black hair, circle glasses, his acne was sneaking up on him, and a black trench coat but his most odd attribute was his weight, almost opposite from Taylor he was nearly skin and bone.

" Taylor.." Taylor's mom said as she walked inside Taylor's room while he was writing and taking notes in his bible. Taylor didn't respond, as he had been staring at a proverb ever since she walked in. " Matthew 22:37–39 "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and greatest commandment." this was only the first part of the proverb, but there was a second part. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself". The proverb had him in a trance thinking of what he was going to do with Connor. However, he was quickly snapped out of it. "Taylor!" his mother lightly shouted to get his full attention.

" ah! Sorry sorry!"

He quickly closed his bible and put it to the side so the proverb wouldn't bother him anymore

" your father wants you outside Babu.."

Taylor's mom said in a soft tone it was clear that she probably had been yelled at for Taylor's lack of exploration by his father.

"Okay okay!" Taylor hastily got on his shoes, if he argued about going outside that could only escalate the situation unbeknownst to him, he likely thought it was the best to get going.

Taylor searched for his play ball on the side of his bed, picked it up, and left for the outdoors.

At first glance, there was Connor. Sitting on the edge of the sidewalk with his Nintendo DS and his cord headphones plugged into it.

"HEY!!"

Taylor tried to get his attention by shouting, but it was likely that Connor couldn't hear him.

"HELLO!!!!"

His game volume was too high while he was playing Kingdom of Hearts. Taylor looked at the ball in his hand and came up with an idea. He put it on the ground and swiftly jogged back from it. He prepared with all his might to kick it towards Connor.

"KICK!"

Despite all his efforts, the ball didn't go far, and its escalation lasted very shortly. Taylor's kick was incredibly weak; however, the ball still managed to roll its way completely over to catch Connor's eye. He looked up with a confused, offended expression as if it had upset him that someone had the audacity to roll a ball near him. Pulling his headphones down and scanning the area, his eyes locked on Taylor, who was expectantly waiting for Connor to play ball with him. Taylor waved, and Connor's face flattened. The boy got up to grab the ball and waited for the upcoming car he could hear from the distance. Taylor held out his hand, not knowing the situation or Connor's plan, but hoping to get his first successful playtime.

The car came up, and Connor's plan began. He tossed the ball into the street, and the two both watched as the ball loudly popped and got run over by the car. The driver didn't seem to notice anything, continuing their driving past the two.

Taylor hurriedly ran over to grab the remains of his ball. He got down on his knees to grieve, "WHAT WHY?" He picked up the deflated plastic and looked up to confront Connor, but he was in his direction to walk back home.

"Just you wait a moment!!!!"

Taylor got up from his despair to chase after him.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?"

Connor ignored him.

Taylor got closer and closer.

Finally gripping onto the tail of Connor's trench coat

"What the hell!?" Connor shouted, turning toward the grasp.

Taylor huffed from all the running, but he was finally there to catch the perpetrator of his balls' death. Hunched over and panting with his arm on his knee, he looked down to express his anger to the best of his ability.

"Haa.. ha.. WHY would you do that?"

Connor looked around, almost uncomfortable with being convicted in such a manner, but shortly after, he stood still. He didn't answer Taylor's question.

"I'm always trying to hang out with you! Ha.. ha.. and be nice to you. Haa.." Taylor kept panting, but he needed to get his point through.

Connor ripped his coat from Taylor's grip.

Taylor continued to confess his anger.

"Why don't you want to be friends with me?" Taylor slowly caught his breath.

"I haven't done anything to you," he said, looking up at Connor. His eyes were a deep black void; it was almost an explanation as to why he was such a dick; he looks like he wouldn't care.

"Quit lying," Connor answered simply to Taylor's multitude of questions.

"I'm not lying...?" Taylor had a serious tone mixed with confusion.

"If your only motivation to be friends with me is because your mom told you so or that you want to be the most popular kid on the block, I'm not interested. You are doing nothing but what other people want you to; what kind of friend is that?"

Taylor was stunned by Connor's response. That's true. He can't help but feel guilty at the moment. Did he truly want Connor as a friend? Shouldn't you be friends with people you decide on your own? Although Taylor finally got an answer to his frustrations, he was only left with the realization that he was being deceptive.

They both went their separate ways, and Taylor in the absence of his ball found some sticks to play with. As soon as it got dark, he went back inside for dinner. Immediately, he was greeted by his father in an unpleasant manner: "Where the hell have you been?". The tone in his voice made Taylor flinch. He didn't do anything wrong; he went outside like his dad wanted him to.

"I was outside playing with sticks."

"No exercise?"

"Um, I don't know."

Taylor's father took a glance at him, up and down.

"You're still as fat as you were when you left."

Taylor's eyes welled up a bit, but he held it in.
"Go on a run or something next time you're out."

"Yes sir"

Taylor nodded and walked carefully past his dad towards his mom.

"Oh, Beta! Dinners not ready yet; it's only 3:50," she warmly smiled.

"Beta, how about you go to your room and freshen up for dinner? Your hands are all dirty." Taylor said nothing but listened to his mom's orders with glee, heading upstairs to wash his hands and go to his bedroom. He creaked open his bedroom door and looked at the Bible on his desk. He walked over to his chair to sit down and open it. Flipping through the pages, he finds a proverb—the one that he should've looked at earlier before approaching Connor at all.

"Proverb 24:28: Do not testify against your neighbor without cause—would you use your lips to mislead?"