Liar, Liar

Chapter Twenty - The Dark & Lies

{20}

Andrea Owens POV.

"... Guilty."

The Asian woman talking had suddenly become a bitch. When I look at her now, I think of evil.

Evil, evil, evil.

James can't go to jail! No! This has to stop.

"No! Not guilty!" I yelled. It isn't James' fault that this happened. He didn't mean it. It was an accident.

"Guilty for manslaughter." It was like nobody was listening to my pleas and disagreement.

"His not guilty! Stop!" I looked to my left to see two cops pulling James to the back out the room. I tried to run to him but I couldn't. It's like I'm stuck to the ground. Motionless. "Don't do this! Not guilty!"

Fiona Franks' laugh was heard across the room. After a while I could hear the judge's laugh too. What is going on? James wasn't in the room anymore and I still couldn't move.

"James Davidson is a murderer!"

"What a pig!"

"Disgusting!"

The comment kept coming in my direction. Colton stood and walked over to me. I thought he was going to help me but he just laughed in my face like everybody else. This can't be happening!

No matter how hard I tried to move, I couldn't. Why am I stuck? I want to move!

"Andy!" Someone yelled. I looked around the room, but couldn't find the source of the voice. "Andy, wake up!"

Wake up? What?

-

Suddenly my eyes snapped open and I jolted in the uncomfortable bed, sweating. The woman who ran the orphanage, Susie, was standing over me. I looked around, taking in my surroundings. Brown dressing table, a mirror and four other beds. In them were not sleeping children. No, they were wide awake and stating at Susie and I.

"Andy, look at me," Susie insisted. I dragged my gaze from the kids and to the owner of this stinking house. Her eyes had sympathy and pity in them. I hated that. "Andy, sweetie." She stroked my hair, pulling my head to her chest. "It's not real."

Confused, I ask, "what's not real?"

"Your dream. About James." She pulled me away from her slightly. "You were screaming his name in your sleep again. The little ones got scared."

I looked down, ashamed. "I'm sorry, Susie. I promise I'll be off your hands in no time."

"I'd love for you to stay, but you just can't." She gave me a sad smile. "When is your birthday, sweetie?"

"Just a month before Christmas. 26th of November." I said, "just three more days."

"Right. Well, you get back to sleep." She stood, and I lied back down. Susie turned to the little ones, "you too, kiddies. I'll see you all in the morning."

When the woman walked out of the room, a voice in the dark said, "Andy?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued. "Remember, James was proved not guilty. He's alright."

"Thank you." I had no idea who said that to me, and I'm not going to ask.

Because she's wrong. Sure, he was proved not guilty. That's what the jury decided. We were all jumping for joy; except his parents. It'd been a week since the last day in court. José and Marie locked James out of the house, and his been sleeping in his car - he managed to get it from the garage, apparently.

Therefore, his practically homeless. He is not okay. But she was just trying to comfort me, so for once, I stayed quiet.

★ ☆

"So, doing anything big for your birthday?" James asked as we walked in a park near the orphanage.

"Yeah, gonna have a big party."

"Really?" He sounded surprised.

"Nope," I deadpanned, popping the P. From the corner of my eyes I could see him glaring playfully at me. "Seriously, why would I? I got outta court a, like, nine days ago. Plus, I have no friends and no place to hold the party."

"You could have it at my -" James stopped himself. I could tell what he was going to say.

Have it at my house.

To my left, Colton sighed. "Andy isn't that exciting, mate."

I rolled my eyes. Of course I'm exciting, I just can't have a party. Sue me.

"My names James." Said James, on my right.

"What?"

"Not mate," he said.

Ugh, these boys. I'm friends with both of them, why can't they can't be friends too? All three of us!

"Can you two please get along?" I said, jumping over a puddle. They sighed in sync. "Why can't we all be friends?"

The boys mumbled an apology each, making me smile in victory.

"So, anyway, what are you really doing for your birthday?" We reached the swing seat, and Colton sat down, looking up at me. "You don't have to have a party. Just, anything you like."

James sat down next Colton and also looked at me expectingly.

I sighed, "I don't know, boys. You device." When I saw the looks on their faces, I hesitated. "Scrap that, I'm not doing anything."

"What? Why?" James looked defeated, along with Colton. "Its your eighteenth! You can't just do nothing."

I shrugged, leaning against a pole of the swing set. "Oh well."

"Why can't you let us do it? Please, Andy!" Colton's voice sounded like a little boy's when he wanted ice cream. "We won't do anything extreme. Or irrational."

"Please," James added, a wide grin on his face. I had to give in to that smile.

"Okay. Okay, you can."

I zoned out of the conversation, and watched as the two boys discussed idea for a birthday party for me.

They're so different. James is dark skinned and eyes, though his eyes were a mix of green. He has brown hair, and everytime I look at it I feel like running my hands through it, feeling the silky sensation between my fingers. When he smiled, the way his mouth stretches open and he shows nearly all of his blindingly white teeth, my heart beats faster. I'd never seen him without a shirt on, but a girl can imagine. And then when he opened up, talking about his past, he was a disaster.

Overall James Davidson was a mess, but his my definition of perfect.

Whereas Colton was pretty much the opposite. His blonde locks were irresistible, along with his green-blue eyes. With skin more of a pale colour, anyone can notice the freckles lightly sprinkled on his cheeks. His more of the player type, all the girls frolicked over him. But he was still my best friend. On the inside he was a gooey, gentle man. His family was another perfect thing about Colton.

Both of the boys were perfect.

"We have an idea all planned out,Andy." James said.

Even though they both have imperfections.

"That's good, are you gonna let me in on it?" I asked, smiling wildly.

They're amazing.

"Nope."

And I love them both.