Perfect Lies.

Chapter-8 "Friends"

The weather was pleasant as I walked through the garden, I spotted Anna and others as I approached the empty field. I waved toward them delightfully.

"Hi, Shay" Anna greeted. I smiled and took turns to greet everyone, but as I approached Mike, he backed off.

"What?" I gave him a questioning glance.

"What! You ask me what?!" he snapped dramatically, finally turning around, his large body just in front of me as he glared at me dangerously. "I told you not to copy my homework, but you didn't listen and now, you ended up in detention".

"Don't be such a drama queen Mike" I rolled my eyes and the others giggled.

"I'm not a drama queen!"

"But I think that there would have been some other reason," Anna said. I felt a lump in my throat as I stood there, I quickly swallowed it and spoke "well... Actually... Mr. Phil caught my cheating" I decide to play the bluff as I feared telling them about the happenings, considering their aggressive reactions, especially Mike's.

"Whoa and I thought that there would be some other reason," Mike said.

"Anyways... Let's not discuss it, " I said dreamily as my Mind wandered somewhere else. Alex figured out that something was wrong with me, but he kept that for afterward as he looked towards me with a concerned expression.

"Hey, does anybody know the exact date of the prom," Alex said, quickly changing the subject.

"Oh my god! I forgot, there's hardly a week left, and I haven't even decided what to wear" Anna snapped in a panicked voice. I was suddenly reminded of that day when I had a fight with mom for my new tux and how she fell on the ground while finding her wallet which I doubted was a lie.

"But what about our dates! With whom will I go?" Jeremy said, a panicked atmosphere, forming around us.

"Chill guys," Mike said, he looked confident, guess he had picked his date already.

"Mike, who's she?" I asked.

"Who?"

"That girl whom you are taking to the prom"

"Eh...." he started, "it's Katherine"

"What? You have already picked your date?!" Jeremy said, "I was thinking of the same person"

"Better luck next time" Mike winked.

"What about you Alex?" Anna asked.

"I don't think I will enjoy this time, " he said with a sad expression on his face

"Why?" Anna asked

"Kate... I miss her a lot" ( Alex's cousin)

"Yeah, me too.." Anna nodded, her expression suddenly turning sad

"By the way, when she is coming back?" she asked, meanwhile Jeremy and Mike argued on a pointless topic.

"The trip was about one month, but due to some unexpected accidents, the whole group has to come back, they are coming back in a day or two"

"Really?" Anna's face suddenly brightened up as she jumped in excitement, catching Jeremy and Mike's attention.

"What happened?" Jeremy asked

"Kate's coming back!" Anna squeaked as she jumped. Everyone's mood lightened up a little at the mention of that name.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Jeremy spoke

"Anna?" he hesitated as he spoke.

"Yes?"

"W--will--" Mike patted on his back causing him to hurtle. Anna waited for him to speak again while Mike shook his head in disbelief.

"Anna will you come with me, to the prom, as friends?" her eyes suddenly widened at what he just asked, everyone stared at both of them in shock except for Mike.

"Jeremy..." she whispered, her gaze, fixed on him. After a short pause, she spoke.

"Yes," Jeremy jumped in shock, and happiness or say, he had mixed feelings.

"This seems nice, I will ask Kate to go with me and once we enter the place, we can group up together, but, what about you Alex?"

"Um... Denise?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied, "you should ask her".

"Okay so we will go as pair's but when we are inside the venue we will again become one group right?" Jeremy asked

"YES"

---

After wandering here and there, we finally bid our goodbyes. As I unlocked the door and entered the house, I found it in the same state in which, I left. Mom was still at her work.

I made some sandwiches for me and went into my bedroom. I picked up my phone and scrolled through my feed with a piece of half-eaten sandwich in my hand. I was so happy that Kate was coming back early, but my attention was caught when I heard some sound from outside. I kept the plate on the nightstand and left my room.

As I came out, I saw mom panting as she leaned on the umbrella-stand, all the umbrellas, scattered on the ground.

"Mom!" I yelled as I sprung forward and yanked, supporting her.

She coughed as I laid her down on the couch.

"What sort of work you do?!" I asked her, having enough of this nonsense, every other day, she would come home, exhausted, and then doze off to sleep. She ignored me and closed her eyes, as usual. She ignored me this much that I got used to it.

When she finally slept, I decided to investigate myself, so I locked my room, once again, returning to bed. I grabbed my sandwich and starting munching again as my mind wandered to find the possibilities.

'Maybe she worked secretly for the army, considering the background of my family, everyone was in the military' but I shook the thought off.

After I tried to come up with a reasonable theory but failed, I decided to ask mom all about it tomorrow.

---

The next morning, I woke up early and completed my chores, I was excited to meet Kate today as Alex texted me about her arrival. But before that, I had more important matters in hand.

I smirked as I came out of my room, I scanned the hall and found mom, still sleeping on the couch.

"Mom, wake up!" I nearly yelled as I shook her.

"What?" she asked sleepily, her eyes, still closed.

"You are getting late for your work"

"Hmm..... Wait, what!!!" she jumped from the couch, shot awake. My trick worked, I woke her up 1 hour before school, which gave me sufficient time to find out the truth.

She was about to go to her room, but I stopped her.

"Wait mom, we still have one hour," I said. She checked the time only to get disappointed.

"What do you want?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Tell me about your job."

"I don't know what are you talking about, " she spoke as she stood up, but before I could even reply, she suddenly pushed me and ran into her room, closing the door from behind. I sat on the couch and waited for her to come out.

No matter how far she runs today, I'm not going to let the topic go.