The Enemy Beside Me + The Liar Beside Me (Book 1 and 2)

Chapter 12

EIEN HAS ALREADY GONE HOME when Ally comes back from shopping. 'New clothes!' he says, smiling with his mouth open, his gums visible to me.

When I check the clothes out, I suppress my groan: they're hand-me-downs. Poor Ally. He's too skint. Mum isn't minted, but she's never had given me clothes that had been used by someone else. My middle-class arse misses her, not only because I love her, but because she gives me everything I need. The life of a sole child, as they say.

'Lovely,' I say, going back to the kitchen. I've pre-heated two cups of ramen. 'Two eggs?'

'Yep,' he answers. 'It looks like Eien has left. I wish I'd gone home earlier.'

I've also prepared two grape juices. I know ramen and grapes aren't a mega combination, but I'm too tired to care. It's either Ally eats the shit I make for him, or he makes his own.

'Yeah. Eien couldn't stay out too long. His phone kept beeping. I guess it's his QR code, ratting him out to the government.' I make a face.

Ally's face falls. I know he doesn't want to talk about it anymore. I wish I could stop, but the first time my phone beeped, everyone stared at me in the aisle of milk. Suddenly, the smiling helpers became agitated and asked me to let their machine scan my QR code from my phone. After that, they hastily gave me my purchased items and told me to leave immediately. It was a miscalculation. I hadn't stayed out far too long.

The system made a mistake—the whole system is a mistake—and all I got was a letter of apology. I was expecting the manager, or whoever was in charge, to send messages to everyone who had witnessed that stupidity and give clarification. What did they want me to do? Paste the letter on my back?

'I'm hungry,' Ally mumbles, pushing himself to be jolly again, but his zest is gone, no thanks to my sharp tongue. I am angry. Angry at my mum for lying to me. She called and apologised multiple times, but justified her decision. I was becoming a troublemaker again, and only a Zone obsessed with discipline would calm me down. It took all of my efforts not to wreck my mobile after our conversation. Angry at my uncle for cooperating with Mum and acting innocent. Angry at the system. Angry at myself. I don't know who exactly to blame. And as long as I don't know whom, my mood will change without any warning.

Ally and I eat our dinner silently. Except for his slurping, the night is quiet. I want to tell him that I'm sorry for snapping, but my tongue feels too heavy.

* * * *

Although Mum is a friendly person, she doesn't invite her friends to our flat. It's not because she's ashamed of it. She's proud! It may be just big enough for the two of us, but she always keeps it tidy. Save for my room. As per my rule, no one can go in there. I'm not naive, though. I know she sneaked in whenever I was in school. I can't count how many times I had told her that I don't take them anymore. I also can't count how many times she had told me she believed me.

One autumn morning, though, when I was about ten years old, I heard another voice coming from the living room. At first, I thought Mum was watching the telly. But it was too clear, so, like any curious child, I eavesdropped.

'...so I said, "Maybe you ought to change your hairdo."' a woman said. An unfamiliar voice. It was sweet, like a honey-glazed mango ice lolly. Don't judge me. I like it.

'That seems reasonable,' Mum said. I heard the clacking of teaspoons and teacups.

I wanted to make sure her face was as sweet as her voice, but my instinct told me to keep on hiding behind the wall.

'She must cut her long hair and settle with someone who's a...how should I say this without sounding captious?'

'A nobody,' Mum said in a tone she only uses whenever I'm being bullheaded. 'I'm sorry, but it's the only answer. She has to find a nobody, someone he wouldn't suspect.' I was getting lost in their talk. I didn't know who this woman was. I couldn't even see her, no thanks to my mum's back blocking her. It also didn't help that the woman was quite short.