Pretty Girls Don't Lie [coming soon]

two

After our first initial meeting, I was sure as hell that Everley would forget all about her weirdo next door neighbor. She would stumble into the Starbucks in town and meet some girls who are more up her alley and instantly become friends or run into Eddie Miller, quarterback and all over dickhead and she would be hanging on his arm come Monday. What I didn't expect Detective, was what came next.

"So, I just met our new neighbors,"

Mom looks up from her chopping board and smiles. She has got her dark hair pulled back into a messy ponytail and is wearing Dad's old shirt. My heart clenches for a moment but I force a smile on my face.

"Oh, you did? How are they?"

"Well, I only spoke to the girl; she is my age actually. Her names Everley." I know before I even finish my sentence, Mom's eyes are lighting up. I know what she's thinking, but how can I tell her that no, the pretty girl next door is not going to want anything to do with me when she finds out I'm the only Asian girl in the school, oh and I have no friends? As annoying and overused as it sounds, where you are on the popularity ladder in high school matters. It matters more than life itself sometimes. It's a fucking dictatorship and your girl here is below the bottom.

"Don't even—" I start to say but Mom cuts me off.

"I said nothing,"

"Your face said it all." I raise an eyebrow and pinch a carrot from the chopping board. My hands are still dirty from the gardening and Mom scowls, swatting my hand away.

"I just think it would be nice to have a new friend, maybe you could suggest giving her a ride on Monday? I'm sure she will be nervous,"

I watch her carry on slicing the carrots and frown. Everley doesn't take me as someone who would be nervous about anything. I mean she practically came bumbling over, all confidence and smiles and she didn't even know me. If that were me, it would be five years later before I could muster up my own little wave. I am a joke.

"Maybe," I mutter though we both know that's a firm no.

"I'm making NanGyi Thoke," Mom says after a moment. I am scrubbing at the dirt under my fingernails and look up to observe what she's doing. NanGyi Thoke is basically rice noodle salad with chicken, one of my favorites. It's a traditional Burmese dish my Grandmother used to make all the time. It's delicious.

"Do you need any help?" I ask though I am wishing she will say no. Before she asked me to help finish the planting, I was in such a good place in my book.

"Go to your book," she says with a small smirk. I swear this woman knows me so well. "But first, tell me more about our new neighbors."

I pull the kitchen towel from the cupboard and dry my hands. "Well, it seems like it's only the mom, the girl I met, Everley and her little sister Josie who is blind. She's really cute."