The Mishap

Chapters Three

Did I lie? Me? Out of all people!
What was I thinking?
The stupid lie that fell out of my mouth rings constantly in my ear as I lay across my bed.
(No! I traveled all the way here to be with my new girlfriend. We’ve been secretly seeing each other behind your back.)
My new girlfriend…
My new girlfriend…
My girlfriend!
I must've completely lost my mind when I said that. Though there's no denying that the torturous look on April's face wasn't priceless. 
That's the only part that makes it feel worth it, but a part of me wishes that I had just slapped the taste out of her mouth instead. Even so, I'm not a violent person and before last night I wasn't a liar either. Hopefully, I'll never see little miss April again and my words will just blow over. There's absolutely nothing to stress or lose any more sleep over, right? Taking a glance at my retro alarm clock, I realize that it's already past six in the morning. Mom will probably be knocking on my door at any moment now to tell me that she cooked breakfast. Maybe my mom's homemade pancakes will wash away the bad lies. 
Knock...knock
"Right on cue."
I mumble to myself.
"Who is it?"
"It's your mother, dear, just wanted to let you know that there's breakfast downstairs."
Springing up from the bed, I do a yawn-stretch combo and yell,
"I'll be right down!"
Not bothering to wash my face or brush my teeth, I make my way downstairs in my kitten pajamas.
“Goodmorning!”
I say to my parents.
Dad is sitting at the table with his daily paper and mom is standing at the stove fixing our plates.
“How was your night with Brandi?”
Mom asks while passing me my plate and I graciously take it. Nothing is quite like my mother's cooking so I will revel in it as much as possible while i'm here.
“Uh, we had fun, had a few drinks and talked.”
And I told one of the biggest, dumbest lies for the first time in my life.
Out of all the things I could have said, that's what my idiot brain chose to say to help my bestfriend.
“Are you okay, dear?
My mother asks, knocking me out of my thoughts.
“Huh, yeah...Why do you ask?”
“Um, because you're just standing here staring at your plate instead of sitting down.”
I must've really been lost in my thoughts because I really am just standing by the stove with my plate in hand.
“Oh...sorry.”
Laughing nervously, I make my way to the table and take a seat beside my dad.
He removes the paper from his face and looks at me with concern etched on his face.
“Are you absolutely sure that you are okay? You look as if someone just kicked your puppy.”
“I’m-I’m good...so good...I’m fine.”
He furrows his eyebrows and looks as though he’s about to say something but his phone begins to ring.
I start stuffing my face as my dad answers.
Glancing up from my plate, there's his phone, wiggling in my face.
“It’s for you.”
I stare at him in confusion as I take the phone from him.
“Uh, hello?”
“Thank god! I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all morning!”
Brandi sounds like she has just run a few laps from the sound of her heavy breathing on the other line.
“My phone is upstairs. What’s going on?”
“Can you head over to my apartment soon? We-We uh...have a problem.”
….
After shoving the rest of my breakfast down my throat and taking the world's quickest shower, I find myself in front of Brandi’s apartment door.
She wouldn’t tell me what was going on over the phone but I'm definitely concerned. I knock a few times and...nothing. Pulling out my phone, I attempt to call her but no answer.
“Really, Brandi?”
 Brandi has been living in this apartment for years now. Having been here a gazillion times, it dawns on me where she usually keeps her spare key. Reaching under the welcome rug, I grab the spare and unlock the door.
“Bran! Bran!”
I yell as I walk into her apartment closing the door behind me.
“Brandi!”
I yell again until I hear ruffling in the kitchen.
“Brandi?”
“She stepped out for a second. She said that she’ll be back soon.”
A deep familiar voice says as I round the corner to the kitchen.
“Case?”
“The one and only.”
He says with a half smile, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.
I'm assuming that he just got out of the shower as water clings to his abs.
Case is Brandi’s twin brother. He was one of those long time crushes that I was never brave enough to do anything about, even though Brandi knew and told me to go for it a long time ago. He is the spitting image of Brandi, but a lot taller and his eyes are a green-hazel vs Brandi's light brown. I could just die for eyes like that. With him standing in front of me now, I'm starting to wonder how it’s possible that he seems to have gotten even better looking with age.
“Uh, what are you doing here?”
“I live here now. Did Bran not tell you that?”
“No, she didn’t. I thought you were in Florida?”
“I was but..I uh-I just wasn’t happy there anymore so I moved back about six months ago.”
He reaches in the fridge, pulling out a carton of milk and takes a few sips.
I can’t help but stare as his adam's apple jumps with each gulp. He’s always been one of those rare guys who has an awesome personality with the looks to match. Case places the top back on the carton and puts it back in the fridge.
“You look great by the way, Liza. Well, you always look great. It's too bad that you play for the same team. We should definitely hang out sometime and catch up.”
“Yeah, we should ...Wait, what?”
Did he just say that it's too bad that I play for the same team?
Before I can ask, I hear Brandi walk in the kitchen.
“Thank god you're here! You're not going to believe what happened!”
She stalks toward me with frantic eyes.
Case looks between the two of us with an expression that I can’t quite decipher.
“I guess I’ll go get dressed and head to work. You guys enjoy each other.”
I watch him as he walks away. When he is out of sight I turn to Brandi with my eyebrows furrowed. 
Brandi plays with her fingers nervously.
“Brandi, why does your brother think that we are together?”
With a sigh, she looks up at me.
“Ummm...There’s been a bit of a mishap.”
“What do you mean...a mishap?”
I ask in exasperation.
“So your lie last night caused a bit of a ripple effect.”
“How so?”
She runs her fingers through her curly blonde locs.
“I never told you how April and I met. Our families run in the same circles and apparently she told her mom. Her mom called my mom last night and ironically they got into an argument about me having an affair with you behind April’s back. Like she has the nerve. My mom then of course told my dad and I'm sorry, Liza, but I just didn’t have it in me to correct them when they sounded so happy about us.”
Panic. Full on panic is all that I feel right now and I start pacing the kitchen floor.
“Who-Who told Case?”
Why is that the first question that comes out when I should be more worried about this lie spiraling out of control?
“I’m not sure, but it was most likely one of my parents. Look I know that this is a lot to ask of you, but do you think that we could go along with this? At least for a little while?”
Is she serious right now? She wants me to lie even more?
“Brandi, I don’t know if I can. I’m not big on lying and you know that. I was simply trying to help you last night because I didn’t expect April to be so mean and...it was the first thing to come to mind. I'm sorry.”
She looks slightly disappointed but nods in understanding.
“I understand, I’m not even sure why I asked. That was selfish of me.”
“It’s okay.”
“My parents are actually cooking out tomorrow because they were excited to see the new couple. So maybe we can set them straight there, if you like?”
“Sounds good to me, Bran.”
Case appears back in the kitchen dressed for work. He works in construction and oh mylanta! He looks so hot.
“I’m off to work ladies, and congrats by the way, for finally making it official. You two look really great together. Brandi you are one lucky girl. Bye guys.”
I cannot wait to end this lie tomorrow…