When Lies Become Reality (On Hold)

Chapter 8

It's Friday... finally! Josh, Amanda, Eric, Jess, Adam–Jess's new boyfriend–and I are going bowling tonight. I hate bowling but, I agreed to go because it was the only thing everyone else agreed on. We all decided to get pizza but, we needed to do something fun first. Adam doesn’t like going to the movies, Jess can't swim, Amanda hates pretty much anything active, and I hate bowling but Josh, liked all the ideas.

I walk towards my dresser in the corner of my room and open the top drawer to get a t-shirt. As soon as I slide the drawer closed there's a knock on my door. I sigh inwardly. Can't I be left alone long enough to put on a shirt?

“Can I come in?” Josh asks from outside my room door. I'm tempted to say 'no' because I really don’t want to talk to him right now but, I tell him he can come in as I slump down on my bed with my t-shirt in my right hand phone in my left. As Josh came in I placed the t-shirt on my bed and started texting Jess.

“I was thinking...” Josh starts

“Oh God no!” I say as he turns around and closes my door. He then walks over to sit on my bed. When he sits really close and our legs and arms touch I use all the power I have not to move away from him.

He then leaned in and his lips at my ear. “Relax, I'm not going to kiss you again.” he said, his warm breath caressing my face. Then he leaned away and moved over a little.

My cheeks reddened but, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Making the blush on my cheeks deepen when he laughed slightly as my shoulders slumped.

“Anyway, as I was saying I was thinking that, Amanda, Eric, Jess, Adam, you and I could all skip school today and go to the mall. I'll drive” Josh says.

I sigh debating whether or not to skip school. I didn’t have any test today or any assignments due. So, why the hell not?

“Yeah” I say

“Yeah?” Josh asks disbelief sounding in his voice.

“Yeah”

We get into the school parking lot and go get Eric, Adam, and the girls. We tell them that we should all go to the mall. They agree without hesitation.

When we get to the mall we hope to stay out of trouble and just hang out there for the day. We walk around for a bit talking about random things. We head down to the store 'American Eagle' and look around. Amanda bought a shirt, and I got some new jeans. Jess didn't buy anything because she didn't know what she would tell her mom when she got home. After we finish looking around we go up to the food court and sit at two different tables because there is no tables for six people. Josh and I sit at one table while Eric, Amanda, Jess and Adam all go and sit at the table across from us.

“Ugh! I'm bored!” I complain to Josh taking a big slurp of my smoothie he had just bought me.

“Stop complaining and enjoy the fact you’re not in school!” Josh counters and I sigh because I know he's right.

We were sitting and just looking at people when Amanda says “Hey, Steph isn't that Nick?” I look in the direction she's pointing and see Nick and some girl. I'm guessing it was Courtney but maybe not. I get up out of my seat in the food court and make my way towards him, Josh following behind me.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I ask when I’m in hearing distance of Nick and his face falls from the smile it had to a look of terror.

“I um I... What the hell are you doing here?” Nick says answering my question with a question. Which he knows I hate.

“I'm hanging out with my friends but, you didn't answer my question.” I reply.

“Well, I'm here hanging out with my friend.” Nick says gesturing toward the mystery female.