Between Lies and Love

Chapter 10

Y/N had always been a planner, the kind of person who wanted everything to be perfect, especially when it came to Lizzy. So, it wasn't surprising when they started daydreaming about the proposal. It had to be special—something that would truly reflect how much Lizzy meant to them.

Sitting at their favorite café, Y/N scrolled through their phone, looking for ideas. Should it be something grand? Maybe a weekend getaway again, like their last cabin trip? Or something simple, just the two of them, where Lizzy wouldn't feel overwhelmed? They wanted it to feel like the perfect blend of intimate and unforgettable. Y/N absentmindedly stirred their coffee, excitement bubbling under the surface.

Across the table, one of Y/N's close friends, Sarah, sipped her drink and smiled knowingly. "So, you're really going to do it, huh? Pop the big question."

Y/N grinned, leaning back in their chair. "Yeah. I mean, it feels right, you know? Lizzy and I... I just can't imagine my life without her."

Sarah nodded, setting down her mug. "I can't believe you haven't done it already. You guys are perfect together."

"I wanted to wait for the right moment. Make sure everything's settled, especially now that we've moved in together," Y/N replied. "But I've been thinking about it for a while. I just want it to be special."

"Do you think she's ready?" Sarah asked, leaning in with a curious tilt of her head.

Y/N paused, their excitement dimming slightly as they considered the question. "I think so. I mean... we've talked about the future, about being together, but Lizzy's always been kind of private. She doesn't open up as much as I'd like her to. Sometimes it feels like she's holding something back."

Sarah gave them a thoughtful look. "Maybe she's just nervous. Proposals are a big deal, and so is the commitment that comes after."

Y/N smiled softly, their fingers tracing the edge of their cup. "Yeah. I get that. I just... I want to make sure she feels safe with me, you know? I want her to know she can tell me anything."

While Y/N was lost in thoughts of wedding plans and romantic gestures, Lizzy was spiraling in a different direction.

Since moving in, the shadows of her past seemed to loom larger. It wasn't anything overt—just a feeling that had been creeping in at the edges of her mind, the sensation that her carefully constructed life was teetering on the edge of collapse. She'd had close calls before, but now the stakes felt impossibly high.

One evening, as they sat on the couch, Lizzy tried to lose herself in the warmth of the moment. Y/N had their head resting on her shoulder, flipping through a book while Lizzy absentmindedly scrolled through her phone. But Lizzy's mind wasn't on the movie playing in the background or the cozy scene around her.

Her heart was racing, the guilt churning in her stomach. Every time Y/N smiled at her, every time they touched, Lizzy felt a little more trapped in the web of lies she had spun.

"You okay?" Y/N asked suddenly, snapping Lizzy out of her thoughts.

"Yeah," Lizzy answered quickly, a little too quickly. "Just... tired."

Y/N looked at her with a small frown. "You've been tired a lot lately. You sure everything's okay?"

Lizzy forced a smile, nodding. "Yeah, I'm fine. Work's just been stressful." She immediately regretted the lie. She didn't even have a job that involved stress—it was the kind of mundane desk work that couldn't possibly cause the tension she was feeling. But Y/N didn't question it.

"Okay," Y/N said, leaning their head back onto her shoulder. "Just making sure."

Lizzy swallowed hard, trying to relax, but the tension gnawed at her. She loved Y/N—there was no question about that. But every day they lived together, every day Y/N opened up about their dreams for the future, Lizzy felt like she was suffocating under the weight of her secret.

A week later, Y/N was sitting at their desk in the corner of the living room, scrolling through a series of rings online, contemplating designs. Should they go for something traditional? Or maybe something more unique that reflected Lizzy's personality?

They leaned back, their eyes drifting to Lizzy, who was in the kitchen, distracted and fidgeting as she tidied up. It was a little unusual—Lizzy was typically more relaxed, but lately, she seemed distant. Y/N's excitement was still there, but now, a small knot of doubt had started to form in their chest.

They glanced back at the screen and clicked through a few more options, daydreaming about how Lizzy would react, imagining the perfect moment.

Meanwhile, Lizzy's anxiety was reaching a boiling point. Every day, it felt like she was on the verge of making a mistake—slipping up just enough to let Y/N see through her. And one night, it almost happened.

They were cooking dinner together, moving around the kitchen in a familiar dance. Y/N was chopping vegetables, while Lizzy stirred the sauce on the stove. They had fallen into an easy rhythm over the months, but tonight, Lizzy was distracted, her mind racing with a hundred thoughts about her past, about the lies, about the future she wasn't sure she could have.

"Can you grab the salt?" Y/N asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

"Yeah, sure," Lizzy mumbled, reaching for the cupboard. She pulled out a container and handed it over without looking. Y/N paused, glancing at it.

"Uh, this is sugar, Lizzy."

Lizzy blinked, her heart skipping a beat. "Oh. Sorry." She quickly swapped the containers, trying to laugh it off. "Guess I'm more tired than I thought."

Y/N gave her a curious look, not saying anything at first. But Lizzy could see the seed of doubt in their eyes, even if they didn't voice it. They went back to chopping vegetables, but the moment hung in the air, heavy and uncomfortable.

Lizzy's stomach twisted. That was too close. She needed to be more careful.

Later that night, as they sat in bed, Y/N glanced over at Lizzy. "You sure you're okay? You've been... off lately."

Lizzy tensed, her mind scrambling for an excuse. "I'm fine. Just... there's been a lot on my mind, I guess."

Y/N studied her for a moment, clearly debating whether to push further. "If something's bothering you, you know you can talk to me, right?"

Lizzy nodded, forcing a smile. "I know. I just need some time to work through things."

Y/N's gaze lingered, but they eventually let it go, turning off the bedside lamp. "Okay. But I'm here, whenever you're ready."

Lizzy lay in the darkness, staring up at the ceiling. She wished she could just tell Y/N everything, let them in on the truth. But every time she thought about it, the fear of losing them was too overwhelming.

As Y/N drifted off to sleep beside her, Lizzy's heart ached with the weight of her lies. And in the back of her mind, she could feel her past creeping closer, threatening to shatter the life she had built with the person she loved more than anything.