Life LIES we LOVE

Prologue

I'm getting taken to the testing site today, my thirteenth birthday. Uncle Jack, or Uncle Jacko as I like to call him, my parents, my big sister, and little brothers have been helping me prepare for this since I was born. I'm going to be in the city for five years-or seven years, depending on how well I do. I don't really know any other kids apart from my close family and neighbors, so I don't have many friends. My closest friend is Matt, or Matthew...but I don't call him that. He wants me to but I don't, too formal. Anyway, I'm getting side tracked.

I don't see Matt on the bus- but I do see the two people I hoped would go to testing site B, Dameon and his 'friend' Lyla. They hold hands. I've seen them kiss as well and I'm sure they are so excited to be alone in the city, acting all lovey dovey. Disgusting! Dameon is (was?) Matt's boyfriend! Matt should be with someone who cares about him more than that idiot. Oh right; as I was saying. I walk down the aisle to the back of the bus, staring out the window and spacing out. He has to be in site A! We live right across the street from each other, how could he not be? Did something go wrong in the listings? Did his parents-

My frantic thoughts are interrupted by a slam of a hand on the window from the outside. Right in my face. I flinch and am angry at whoever did that until I see his face, bursting into laughter. I can't help but laugh along as he sprints up the steps with his backpack looped around his shoulder, bulldozing down the aisle and stepping on a few feet on the way, earning a few yelps. At first I thought he's going for me, since he had scared me, but no. He runs up to Dameon and all but jumps into his lap, pulling him into a tight hug, not even noticing Lyla's sneaky little hand clutching Dameons to the side. It makes me want to vomit. After what seemed like a century, Matt let go of him and kissed him on the cheek, practically skipping back to me. He jumps into the seat next to me and I do the most logical thing I can think of, I punch him right in the arm, hard.

"What the-Ow!" he rubs his arm. "What was that for?" he asked, seemingly confused and of course as oblivious as ever. I might write 'you're being cheated on' on my forehead, he wouldn't notice.

"For being an idiot! And you scared me. I thought you were assigned to site B with how late you are. Do you know how worried I was having to spend the next 5-7 years with Dameon and that demon?!" he crossed his arms, not truly angry with him.

"How am i being an idiot? You're just jealous that my boyfriend's here." he smirked, leaning back in his seat.

His smirk seemed fake, it didn't fit his face quite right. "Yes Matthew, i'm jealous of you for having the worst possible boyfriend.I'm still not over the fact you said yes to that pile of horse crap." I huffed out, closing my eyes.

"Okay hold on since when do you use my full name?I miss Matty...what ever happened to that?"

I felt my face go red at the memory from a few months ago.Me and Matt had been running through the woods, we vaulted over the deer fence to get in, figuring if we were going to follow the rules for the rest of our lives, why not break the biggest one? We had ran to our heart's content, and at some point we lost the trail and made our way to a small lake. It was awfully clear, we assumed it ran off into a larger one.The source of the water ended up being a waterfall.Granted, it was not the kind you see in movies, just a simple run off from a ledge, not even tall enough to stand under.

I was so focused on the water running down and splashing into the pond, I didn't notice Matt had taken off his shoes and socks and shirt. He ran ahead and did a cannonball into the deepest part of the lake, splashing me soaked while doing so. I ended up jumping in with him after some convincing.

We had splashed around and played Marco Polo.I was Marco and he hadn't replied with 'Polo' for a minute or two, i assumed he was under water so i called out again, wading through the shallow water, my feet sinking into the wet sand at the bottom, when suddenly he answered with "POLO!" right in my face. I fell back into the water from shock, and he had laughed more than I ever saw him laugh.