The Raven Conspiracy

Chapter 35 - New Clothes and Lies

Short A/N: I'm really sorry about the late upload. I've just been really busy with school and Ramadan. There are only a few more chapters of TRC left to go, so please enjoy :) My next upload will be a little delayed because of Eid, but hopefully it will happen in less that two weeks time. Thank you for reading :)

Chapter 35 – New Clothes and Lies

I slipped on a pair of sunglasses I found lying in one of the cupboards and loosened my hair so that it covered most of my face. There was little I could do to hide where I’d gotten hurt, but the small change made them much less conspicuous.

The shopkeeper smiled at me as I entered and started looking at the clothing. I checked the price tag on the first item that I came across – a plain cardigan – and smiled in relief. It was within my highly limited budget. I didn’t have much cash in my bag and I wasn’t sure that using my card was a good idea, but I would be able to afford a new outfit.

Without fussing about, I picked up a black jeans, tank-top and cardigan that I liked. I added up the prices mentally as I dropped some underwear into the basket with a pair of boots in my size. I had enough money left over to pick up another tank-top and jeans. I was sure that clothes would last long enough.

I fiddled with my bag as the cashier as rang up the items and dropped them into a plastic bag.

“You can take off your sunglasses indoors, dear,” she said. “That way you can see the lovely colours that are in the shop. No wonder you took everything in such dark shades.”

Reluctant, I pushed the sunglasses up to my hair and gave a weak smile. The cashier started at my appearance.

“Oh, my dear. Were you in an accident? Or,” she glanced around and murmured the rest. “Did someone attack you?”

I could tell that she was more concerned than inquisitive.

“I was attacked,” I said, starting it off with honestly, but a lie somehow attached itself to the end. “By my boyfriend. He kicked me out.”

I was amazed by how easily the words slipped out and how convincing I made them sound. Although I had been attacked, I didn’t even have a boyfriend to be kicked out by. Sympathy flooded her eyes.

“You poor child. You should go back home to your parents. They’ll look after you and make you feel better.”

“I should,” I answered. “But I can’t. Not anymore, at least.”

She nodded knowingly, her brow furrowed in a frown. Before I could protest, she subtracted a discount from my total and refused to let me pay the full amount.

“No, my dear. Use the money to go home to the people who care about you. They’ll take you back no matter what.”

I answered with a small smile, paid and left the store weighed down by guilt at how I’d lied to almost everyone who cared about me. My parents, Aunt Veronica, my siblings...I knew that it wouldn’t stop them from caring about me, but it felt wrong to force that on them. There would be nothing easy about loving a liar.

***

I got back to the apartment, carrying my shopping and a paper bag filled with food. I found a cheap, but fairly clean, take-away place next to the clothing shop. I was starving, and I was sure that Kairo would be too.

I dropped the parcels on the kitchen table, shook out my tired arms and switched on a few lights. Evening was drawing closer. I closed blinds and curtains, shutting out the dying sunlight and prying eyes before going to call Kairo. He was still asleep as I entered the room and placed the keys back where I found them.