They Lied (Liar Duology #1)

Chapter 2 / Olivia

"What happened?" I repeated, all while watching Atlas a little uncomfortably. 

I never felt normal around people who cried. I guess it was because I hardly ever cried, or maybe it was because it was a tough-girl thing. Whatever it was, though, was forgotten when I realized the situation must be terrible if Atlas was crying. I said nothing, and after a while he sniffled as he stopped crying.

"I'm so sorry," he said, wiping his face with his sleeve, "I called you and I just subjected you to watching me cry, which I know you would feel uncomfortable with."

We both chuckled halfheartedly, and I went to the kitchen to pour the both of us a glass of water, all while watching Atlas carefully. I wasn't foreign to emotions, I just had a hard time understanding them and dealing with them. And with others? If a person does not know how to deal with their own emotions, how can they help other people? But, I decided to put on a brave face in front of Atlas.

"Why me?" I asked, trying to distract myself, and him, from the events that just transpired, as well as a desire to understand why he would choose the least emotionally intelligent girl in the school who he had exchanged maybe ten words with before today (non-inclusive of texting).

"Well," he said, tucking his black shirt into his black pants (a little too much black for a creative guy?), "You are the most logical person I know, or at least, I think so," so he'd noticed, "and you could help me out in this situation." 

"Okay, " I said, cupping the glass of water with both hands and leaning on the kitchen island, which was salmon-colored. "But why would you need a logical person?"

"I have a situation which I'm reacting to too emotionally, and I need a voice of reason."

"Ok, Atlas, continue."

"I have a twin sister. Her name is-"

"Acacia?" 

"Yes. She was adopted by-"

"Your maternal aunt Petunia?"

"Yes. Because my mom couldn't handle both of us. But, I discovered something yesterday. She was diagnosed with-"

"Brain Cancer?"

"Yes. How do you know?"

I smiled, "My mom is her doctor. Those Acacia trees outside were a dead giveaway. I just realized she was your twin."

"So, what do I do Olivia? Should I-"

"Nope. Don't say anything more. She is going to get better, okay? I'm saying from a scientific perspective."

"Are you sure?" he asked, shaking me, "Are you sure that she'll be fine?"

"Yes," I said, "Yes! She'll be fine!"

"Oh, thank God!"

After the discussion, we decided to sit and chat. We talked about God and religion, Science and conspiracies, and practically every controversial topic under the sun.

"Look, the Law of Attraction is real!"

"No, Atlas! There is no scientific evidence behind the Law of Attraction!"

"Yonsei Medical Journal 2007 supports the Law of Attraction!"

"So? There are a ton of other studies proving the Law of Attraction wrong, Atlas!"

"Can you name one of them?"

"Ummm..."

"Exactly!"

It was exactly the kind of banter one would experience in a romantic comedy (I watched one once in my life, never again). But, it was fun having an opposing view for once. Most people found me too cold to engage in a conversation with. And to oppose? Practically a death wish. Atlas was fun that way. He just expressed his views; no filter.

I left Atlas's house at two-thirty to eat lunch at home, promising to meet him after school on Monday to have some more deep conversations. I think we both hated shallow discussions because neither of us talked about the weather (boring!) or about political parties (who cares?).

I think I was the luckiest girl in the world; I had found my intellectual soul mate!  

***

Thinking and feeling are two ways of taking in information and sorting them in one's head. Thinkers prefer to use impersonal logic, while Feelers prefer to use others' and their own tastes and feelings while making decisions. These types of people can learn a lot from the opposite type to neutralize the extremity of their own type.

I sat in the bathtub, thinking about the stark difference between Atlas and I, explained in just these few lines. I was definitely a thinker and he was definitely a feeler.

A Feeler must understand that a Thinker doesn't think about how their own actions affect others all the time, and a Thinker must understand that a Feeler doesn't logically analyze stuff all the time. 

Oh, if only I had read the book my dad had been telling me to before I went to meet Atlas, I could have sympathized with him better. I sighed wistfully. I had been a brat! Of course, unintentionally, but a brat nonetheless.

As I tried to get out of the bathtub, I realized I couldn't. I tried and tried to get out, but my legs wouldn't budge.

Frost had formed on the surface of the water, and it was frozen underneath. I tried hard to move, but I couldn't. It was in the middle of the monsoon, and it wasn't that cold! What was wrong with the bathtub?

"MOM!!" I hollered, and I heard her high heels get into my room and then into the bathroom.

"What's wrong, love?" she asked, her green eyes wide with worry.

"Umm... Never mind," I said, realizing that I had forgotten what I had called her up for.

Me, Olivia Bree Mason, had forgotten something! I tried to remember, but the memory was slipping away, like a name at the tip of your tongue which you just can't seem to utter.

"Ok," said my mom, leaving the bathroom with a swish of her (new) black skirt.

As I wracked my brains for the reason I had called my mom when I was taking a bath, I couldn't imagine anything. It was even harder to understand why my mom just said okay before leaving, no questions asked. There was something seriously wrong going on, and I bet a million dollars (not that I had that much money) that my mom knew what it was.

And I was going to find out.