Bad Liar

Chapter One

~Alice's P. O. V~

I turned over in my bed facing the window, the world outside was grey and overcast. The tops of buildings breaking up the cloudy haze, the only pieces of colour and clarity in the landscape, through the glass I could lightly hear the sounds of the market below, hear the sounds of people getting on with their lives.
"Alice baby time to get up." My dads deep, London accent traveled softly through the wood of my door, I lay there not flinching pretending to be asleep.
"Alice I know your not asleep." The door burst open and dad's shoes clicked on the dark wooden floor of my bedroom. Sighing I turned over and faced him, I looked up my eyes grazing over his soft features, his dark beard and dark eyes the latter of which I inherited.
"Baby you look sad, what's the matter?" The bed dipped as he lowered himself down stroking my white blonde hair.
"I'm fine dad, there's no need to worry." I smiled lightly at him, he squinted his eyes looking over me.
"You're a bad liar Alice Carter." Momentarily I closed my eyes, racking my brain to find any plausible lie to tell.
"I guess I'm still not used to it round here, you know? I miss granny and Nance, I miss my friends." I could feel the tears burning my eyes but I refused to let them fall, dad scooped me up into his arms and just sat there hugging me, making me feel safe.
"I know it's hard, but this new life here it's going to be amazing just you watch, and Nance well, she'll come around."
"Eventually." I giggled looking up at him through my lashes.
"Mick!" My mum's voice howled up the stairs breaking the calmness of the moment.
"Better go and see what the woman wants." Dad laughed before kissing me on the head and leaving me alone again, kicking the covers back I climbed out of bed walking over to the mirror. I stared at the distorted reflection in front of me, I started at what was supposed to be me but instead this thing stared back almost unrecognisable from me, it's true form, at least that's what everyone tells me. Everyone tells me that I am the truth, not the reflection but that's all I see so to me it is my truth.
Swallowing I stepped away and gathered an outfit for the day before plodding over to the bathroom, showering then changing into a pair of black skinny jeans and white t-shirt I tied my damp hair up in a pony tail and made my way downstairs stealing a glance at the clock on the way down 14:54 , great.
The noise of the pub assaulted my ears as I entered behind the bar looking for my parents.
"Mum." I called as she finished pulling a pint, she smiled over before collecting the mans money and coming over to me.
"You okay darling, your dad said your a bit down." She sweetly reached out and stroked my cheek, smiling affectionately.
"I just miss home, but I was wondering can I go out for a bit?" Mum hesitated.
"Okay but no more than two hours, and baby this is our home now." I nodded before hugging her, slipping on my shoes and jacket then leaving the pub walking out onto the busy square, I turned left and walked to the Minute Mart for a drink.
"That's £1.40." The woman behind the counter smiled at me softly, I glanced at her name tag that read Denise.
"You're one of the Carters daughters yeah?" She asked as I handed the money over the counter.
"Yeah, I'm Alice." I took the drink in my hands and shifted my gaze to the countertop a sudden pressure falling on my chest.
"You'll love it round here I'm sure." I nodded and uttered a small thank you before dashing out the door, the pressure in my chest grew and grew, labouring my breathing, my feet feeling as though they'd walked quicker than they ever had before. Tears welled in my eyes blurring my vision, I was sure by now my movements had become sloppy almost drunk like I didn't have anytime to steady myself before I went tumbling to the floor.
Blinking the tears from my eyes I looked up to see the well-manicured out stretched hand, grabbing onto it they pulled me up, my eyes focused and I saw long blonde, dark eye make up and black clothes, Sharon.
"Alice, you alright love?" She asked carefully, I nodded picking the bottle up from the floor and shoving past her. I had no clue where I was going I just walked, I ended up on a swing set near the community centre.
I lightly swung back and forth my tired feet scraping the bark beneath them, I watched people purposefully walk by with prams dogs, briefcases and children they all seemed to know where they were going they all had somewhere to go, frustrated I kicked some bark watching all the little pieces fly up and smack the ground. Feeling my phone vibrate against my leg I fished it out of my back pocket, Dad's name illuminated the phone sighing I answered the call.
"Hello dad." I muttered blandly.
"Alice you were meant to be home over an hour ago, where are you?" Dads relived yet irritated voice met my ear.
"I'll be ten minutes." I hung up and slowly made my way home, checking the time before I opened the doors 19:32, an hour and a half late.
"Alice baby we were worried." Mum ran over to me cradling my face in her warm hands.
"Mum I'm fine I just lost track of time, I'm sorry." She pulled me into her arms resting her chin atop of my head.
"Love you mum." I breathed out, inhaling the soft a loving scent that will always be my mothers, that will always be home.
"I love you too." She kissed the top of my head gently pulling away.
"What about your old man hey, no love for me?" Turning round I laughed lightly at dads pretend hurt face.
"Of course I love you as well."
"And I love you too baby, now get up them stairs I'll be up in a minute to sort you some tea." I made my way up the stairs and into my room, changing back into my pyjama shorts and vest. As I pulled the shorts up my fingers grazed the raised lines on my upper thighs I sighed sitting down on the bed pulling the short legs over the lines.
I traced my fingers over and over the lines, sixth months, it had been sixth months since I carved the last mark into my skin I can't remember what made me stop the urge just wasn't there anymore, the urge too watch the blood pool from my skin to watch it track down my skin like tears, like my skin was crying.
"Al teas ready." Grabbing a grey hoodie from the side I threw it over my cold frame and took a seat at the kitchen table. A plate of sausage and mash was placed down in front of me, I smiled at Johnny as he sat down opposite me picking up his knife and fork. Dad wandered back downstairs to help mum out not before kissing the top of my head.
"You okay Al." Johnny asked after swallowing down his food.
"Will everyone just stop asking me that for Christ sake!" I shouted dropping my name and fork into the plate storming back to my room slamming the door behind me, locking it without a second thought. I sunk down to the floor sobbing violently, my bawled fists hammered on the door absentmindedly trying to send any signals to my brain to shut up, to get myself to stop crying.
"Alice baby open the door." I could make out dads voice, mixing with my own sobs distorting in my head.
"Go away!" I screamed, I could hear muffled shouts between dad and mum on the other side.
"Baby you need to move away from the door." I just managed to scramble across the floor as the door flew open, the lock shattered across the room making a clinking noise as it dramatically hit the floor.
"Alice what's the matter?" Dad dropped in front of me, reaching out he took my small frame into his strong arms, I shook my head refusing to answer.
"Look at the state your in, I know there's something." This was mum's voice not dads, I was being rocked back and forth as soft reassurances were muttered to me, mum's delicate hands stroked my leg in little circular patterns, the way she would when I was little after a nightmare.
But there was no after this nightmare.

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Here's the first chapter, I wanted to do something different to my normal stories (which by the way feel free to check out 😉 ) I hope you enjoy it guys!

I would also like to say I do not own any of the characters in this book apart from Alice and any teachers mentioned from her school, I am responsible for the creation of 98% of the storyline in this book as well with certain storylines from Eastenders being used in correlation with Alice's.

Love you xox.