When Autumn gets accepted in the university of her dreams she cannot believe her luck. Her mind is only focused on her scholarship and getting her degrees.
But all those goals are put aside when she meets the notorious Nicholas Payne who is everyth...
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“These croissants are the great and I do not really like sweet things so that is saying something.” Dan grins ay my father who beams so much I feel like his face may break.
“Did you really make them yourself Mr Chastain?” asks Delilah, Eric's date for tonight.
Dad agrees while Mr Payne grabs another croissant which makes me smile. I knew that they would enjoy them just as much as I do. Plus Dan has had around four already and he does not seem to be stopping any time soon. Mr father looks more than flattered when hr smiles shyly and shrugs it off modestly, “Oh, I try. Did you try the cinnamon rolls?”
Mabel looks up at my Dad when she mutters –– “Oh they are beyond divine.”
“I still cannot belive that our daughter is dating the son of Daniel and Mabel Payne.” Mom gushes and that is when Nick and I choke on our steaks.
“Oh she did not tell you?” Mabel glances at me before looking back at my mother.
“Tell me what? I do not understand.” Mom also looks at me for a brief five seconds.
I try to explain, “Nick and I lied so that his parents would leave him alone. They were forcing him to propose to Aspen. That girl who hurt Nick and Tatum.”
I flinch at the sound that is made when my parents drop their utensils on their plates loudly. “What?” Dad sounds so disappointed.
“It really was not supposed to be harmful.” I explain to him simply.
“Autumn this nearly costed Nick and his brother their lives!” I flinch again but this time when Dad raises her voice. He has never raised his voice at me. Ever. He watches me in disbelief, as if I have embarrassed him and Mom. I try not to feel so bad, but I know that they are all going to blame me. They are all looking at me as if I have just killed someone. As if lying is the biggest sin ever. Well perhaps. But I am human after all. Everybody lies.
“Everybody lies Dad. It was only one mistake.” I mumble staring down at my food.
“Everybody lies yes. But you do not lie to people Autumn.” his voice is low and disappointed. “You are a good girl. You have always been my good little girl.”
“But Dad that is not fair! I am also human for God's sake! I am not always going to be the perfect daughter that you have always wanted for me to be – ” I speak up but Mom cuts me off.
“Autumn you do not speak to your father like that.” Mom scolds me.
The rest of dinner of what is left of dinner is filled with complete awkward silence. Eric has been looking at me and mouthing to me that everything is going to be okay. All that I can hear is the clinking of everybody's forks, knives and spoons on their plates. When Nick flinches his face in pain I get up. Everybody has their eyes on me. It was not my fault that Nick wanted to get rid of Aspen. It was not my fault that the only way was to lie. It is not my fault that our parents are angry with us. It is not my fault that Nick and Tatum got hurt. It is certainly not my fault that Aspen ran out of the asylum and has a bipolar disorder. Buy it was my fault that I agreed to help Nick with plotting to lie to his family.
“Where are you going?” Mom asks.
“Please excuse me and thank you for dinner. I hope you enjoyed the sweet potato pie that I made for tonight. Goodnight.” I choke out before I run upstairs to my room.
I shut my door quietly and open my window. I have not gone up to the roof in a while now and I think that is what I need right now in order to forget. In order to get some fresh air. So I step on the windowsill and climb up to the roof on the vines on our wall.
