Dealing with Karter

Chapter 5: Rumour has it

I just lied to my parents and told them I was dating a guy named Karter. I couldn't believe myself.

Manny and Jared looked like they were about to faint. Well same here!

"Wait... Karter who?" my mother pried, a suspicious look on her face.

Don't drag him into his Liv.

Stop while you can.

"Pierce." It came out like a whisper.

Darn it!

I needed a mute button!

My mother gasped. "That's the boy they talk about in the PTA meetings."

"The one that is part of a mafia? The drug dealer? The fight club boy?" my father looked horrifyingly at my mother who nodded.

I rolled my eyes suddenly feeling really defensive. "They are just rumours."

Anyone that knew me knew that I didn't listen to rumours. Unless I saw something with my own eyes I wasn't going to believe it. I've seen what rumors do to people. Especially Karter.

"Rumours have to start from somewhere," my father said.

I looked at Jared for help. He wanted to date Madeline, he could start by defending her brother. "Tell them he isn't that bad."

Jared looked flustered. He cleared his throat. "He's okay."

I could almost let out a relieved sigh. At least Jared had my back.

My parents seemed to ease with Jared's reply. Of course.

"Tell you what, invite him over for dinner. I'd love to meet him," my mother offered. In other words, they were going to interrogate him.

I began to panic. Karter wasn't even my friend! How was I going to convince him to play my boyfriend?!

"He's uh-- he's a pretty busy guy. He's always working, I'll have to see if he could get a day off. His bosses are pretty mean. He basically works for Hitler," I lied.

"Well, let him find some time. I'm sure he could spare a night for his... girlfriend's parents," my father seemed uneasy with the word.

"Yeah... for sure," I said. Abort! Abort!

I stood up taking my plate with me. "I'm full. I'm going to be in my room... talking to Karter."

I lied again trying to escape. I really needed to stop dragging him into this.

It wasn't long until Manny followed me to my room.

"What were you thinking?" he asked as soon as he shut the door behind him. "Karter?"

"Chill!" I put my hands up in front of me. "I know what I am doing..." Big fat lie. "God Manny, I have no idea what I am doing! I was just lying to get them to leave me alone! Karter doesn't even like me as person, let alone a friend or a boyfriend! What do I do?"

He crossed the room to sit across from me on my bed. "Tell me all about your encounters with Karter, maybe we could see where you went wrong."

I told him everything, from every rude comment to his facial expressions. By the end of it, Manny's jaw was open. I waited for him to say something.

"Was the chocolate cake good?"

"Manny!"

"Sorry!" he put his hands up in surrender. "He seems like an asshole."

"Right!" I said in relief. Finally! But the chocolate cake was pretty good....

"But he seems like a mystery, I know you have a soft spot for the bad boys," he reminded me. It only made me slap his arm. So not the time for this.