The Imposter

The Imposter | Chapter Nineteen [Perpend]

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[Chapter Nineteen]

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perpend \per-PEND\

(v.) To ponder, deliberate, be attentive or reflect

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"Uh, I can explain," I said quickly to Olivia. I gave my parents an apologetic look and motioned that I was going to go up to my room and talk to Olivia. They nodded in understanding and shooed me out.

"You better damn well explain what's going on!" Olivia lectured. "We've been worried shitless about you! You always answer your phone or text messages. We thought something had happened with your clone."

"No, no it's okay. I'll tell you everything, you don't need to worry," I said. Crap, what was I going to tell her? I couldn't tell her the truth about NANO despite the fact that she knew about my clone. I had to make a story up and fast. I hated lying to my friends, but I had to tell myself it was for their own good. I got up to my room without any interruptions and flopped down on the bed.

"Hold on, I'm putting you on speaker so that Andrew can hear you too," Olivia told me.

"Hey Porthos," I heard Andrew's voice echo over the connection. I returned his greeting absently and racked my brain for some way to explain my random absence.

"So?" Olivia prodded impatiently.

"Um...well you guys aren't going to believe this," I started out, "but my parents decided we needed some family bonding time." I squeezed my eyes shut and hoped they would believe me.

There was silence on the other end for a minute before Olivia blurted out, "Seriously?"

"Yah, I guess my attempts at being a better daughter have paid off. They randomly surprised me with a little trip up north. We're only staying for a couple days because of work, but I'll be back soon."

"Well, hey, congrats then. Where'd they take you? San Francisco?" Andrew asked. Olivia muttered something to him and he laughed in return.

"No," I said, "We went up to San Louis Obispo," I hoped they would buy my story. Olivia was going to be the hardest one to convince, but if I stayed true to the facts, it would all play out according to plan.

"I still find it weird that they suddenly sprung a trip on you," she said skeptically.

I shrugged, and then realized they couldn't see my motions. "Maybe it was the only time they could get off for work. I don't really know, but it was a nice gesture, and I've had a fun time with them."

"When are you heading back?"

"Geez Olivia, you're turning this into an interrogation," Andrew scolded lightly.

She snorted, and I could just picture the look of annoyance on her face. "Well I just think it's a little weird that her parents whisk her off on a vacation with no notice and she doesn't have the decency to reply to our calls and texts. It's not like they don't have service up there!"

Ah crap, I hadn't thought about that. "I'm sorry Livy, I was whisked away out of nowhere that I didn't even think about texting or calling you guys. I'll make sure to text you all the time now. Okay? I'm not sure when we're heading back," I confessed. "It could be today, it could be tomorrow, who knows? But I'll let you know as soon as I find out. Okay?"