Daughter of the Demon (I)

Daughter of the Demon-4-Bold Lies

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Chapter 4: Bold Lies

~Jemma~

The truth isn’t such a great thing. Think about how much people could change and shape their lives if they never told the truth. And you technically didn't have to call it lying, either. Just a slightly bent, slightly off version of the truth.

Well, I was preparing myself to tell a slightly off version of the truth while I waited for Jacob outside Heart high school Friday afternoon. God, he sure was taking his sweet time. He probably wanted me to wait on purpose.

Over half the school was already gone by the time he emerged with Trevor by his side. He frowned when he saw me. Yeah, like seeing him brightened up my day.

“Let’s just get this over with,” I muttered when he stopped in front of me. He waved good-bye to Trevor and I started down the trail to Aunt Clara’s

“Hey, Jemma? That’s the trail to the woods.”

Well, gosh. This surely wasn’t improving my social status any. “I know that, Jacob.”

“I thought we were going to your house?”

“We are.”

“Then why---?”

I clutched my backpack strap. “Just shut up, okay? You're giving me a headache.”

To my surprise, he did. He never talked again during the twenty minute trek through the woods and through nature. He didn’t talk until I opened the cabin door and Aunt Clara came bustling in.

“Jemma! How was your---oh. I see you’ve brought a friend home?”

She was trying not to look excited or relieved, but she was doing a pretty terrible job of it. Sorry, Aunt Clara. Hate to burst your bubble, but no. I had not finally made a friend.

And if I did, why would it be the hottest guy in school?’

“You can set your stuff down in the kitchen,” I told Jacob without looking away from Aunt Clara’s disturbingly happy face. “I’ll be there in a second.”

“Whatever,” he replied, and walked into the kitchen.

“It’s not what you think!” I hissed to Aunt Clara as soon as she had closed the distance between us and grabbed my arm.

“It looks like you finally made a friend. And he’s cute too!”

“We’re not friends. We’re partners. Totally different things.”

“Partners? For what?”

“English project. He’s supposed . . . he’s supposed to find out about me.” I shifted uncomfortably. “You know how much I wanted to avoid that.”

Aunt Clara’s happy face disappeared, and I realized I missed it when it was gone. It was so nice to see her not angry or frustrated or stressed. “Jemma, you can’t avoid everything. You control what you say and the credibility of it all. I’m not telling you you should lie, and I’m not saying you should tell the truth. I want you to do what you think is right and if in the middle of it all you find the truth comes pouring out, well, then it won’t be so bad. Because if it happens, it happens. It will eventually.”

“Thanks Aunt Clara. That makes me feel so much better.”

She grimaced. “I’m sorry, but, it’s all I’ve got.”