Little White Lies

Chapter 6
Alex

I can’t believe it. My brain refuses to accept the very evident facts I saw with my own two eyes. Yet, I can’t believe it. I’m parked
outside my studio, but I haven’t moved a muscle. How? What? No!

I’m staring at my trembling hands and shaky legs. Every single detail of the past thirty minutes unfolds and I just shatter, into a million pieces. Breathe, Alex, breathe. So much has happened in these seventeen years since I’ve seen my father. I’ve felt so distant from him, I hated him. He left us. The night in my bedroom was the last time I actually saw him. But he’s been closer than I thought. Five-blocks closer! And her. She looks just like him. Hell, she looks a little bit like me.

I try to focus on my breathing but it turns into panting almost immediately as everything hits me. The worst years of my life have unfolded before my very eyes. I curse God for my eyes.

After an hour of an almost-full-on panic attack. I step out of my car and head into the studio. Jonah has just finished hanging the last canvas for the opening tonight. I’ve always been somewhat creative, so once I finished High-school, I went to a prestige Art School in London on a full scholarship by the way. I’ve spent almost four years working on my craft for this night. It’s finally here; Opening night
of my art gallery.

I wish I was more excited, but I’m a little drained from all the over-thinking I did in the car.

“Hey, looks great, if I do say so myself.” I say to Jonah, admiring my creations.

“Right? We’re gonna make a killing off of these!” He says, smiling a little too broadly.

                                    ***
I met Jonah in London, he studied photography and he’s incredible at it. A lot of my pieces are portraits of pictures that he’s taken from all over the world. We decided to combine forces when he moved to New York a few months ago. He’s what I would consider a best friend. I say “consider” because I don’t really have anything to compare it to. Other than my mother, but that just seems wrong.

“Of course that’s where your head is at.” I punch him on the shoulder. He laughs, and it instantly brings me back to thoughts about
Isabella and how she did the same thing to me not so long ago. Is it possible to miss someone you don’t even know? Actually, I might
know her a little too well.

“Come on, Alex. You can’t tell me you’re not excited about the money.” He says, pouring us two glasses of champagne that I just happened to notice was here the whole time.

“To being young, handsome, but most importantly; successful!” He raises his glass and we cheers.

I down the contents of my glass and tell Jonah to refill my glass. I’m going to need a lot more than just a glass if I want to drown out
the thoughts of Isabella that seem to have taken prominent occupancy in my head.