The Truth About Lying

drinking with the patrons while waiting for the rain to let up. They exchanged s

med to have made quite an impression on her boss as they were lost in their little world talking an

e recorded it. The constant beat of the drum that accompanied his guitar beat along with his throbbing head, in a way, punished him

he urge to stay in bed and not go to work; the last time was when he was in his senior year, and he was in the middle of college applications

nnoyed him most was that it wasn't his alarm that woke him but the

l, fate had its plan and came in the form of an English woman, wearing a spaghetti-strapped top and loos

n he went to the bathroom in the hal

hears her from under t

nother thing to ponder later. Seeing he didn't dismiss her, July braved e

; you need to rehydrate, so I got you that." She explained, "I al

in still failing to work; the pain inflicted by his grandmother y

e girl with a messy bun exposing her shoulders and neck from her usual curtain of hair; her extremely short drawstring shorts showed off h

realized he liked the c

you don't mind me sl

his bare torso and the bed cov

ed out of her and embarrassed the man sitting half-

still doesn't understand, earning a sigh from the wo

ons, remembering their arrangement and he

loset, and you can call dibs on the bathroom too; I don't

ticed that his room w

use I can keep th

here, besides...." He glanced at the window, it was perfectly adjacent t

nion, every layer looked the same, but there was more to it, and each had reason to fall into tears.

know." Sebastian turned to him. "T

ys, "and under grandma's car

free to cash in anytime." She beamed him ano

says, a nice sweet girl is not welcome in his home; she's dressed in sheep's wool, waiting

e doesn't help w

ay, I don't know if it's tru

y you get t

; I don't have a hang

, "What were you doing

o the nearest place serving food." She sat at Sebasti

having fun, though," he mu

with the big man, "He was telling me a few things about the town, wha

t when he was in middle school. "Whatever he said, don't

ledictorian despite having to wo

compliments; he instead is recognized for his accomplishments as much as the next man;

I know anyone who could do what you did, especially wi

ce burn before forcin

me, get your butt out of bed." She says, walking out

ng he advised her to go to one on her se

had his boxers on; thank the lord, he looked around to

ut an hour ago; it's probably done now; y

have to wash

sort of threw up last night an

on his knees, his face behind his h

ere distracted about something and that you hardly drank; despite him being glad that yo

e's so gon

imon means well; he seems to believ

do you

hem he did retell with disgust as if not believing the very

lone. He later on, opened a pub; he used to be a bartender in the city after all, and brought more life and people from towns ov

u into the car and le

imon we liv

mbered everything you told me when you dropped me off at

t what I m

Or the one who quickly walked from one table to another, taking orders and cleaning tables. Eac

ave no intention of taking over your home. I know the importance of a family and everything that c

c thanks as he forced himself to look up at the strong woman standing by h

at was all he c

on, the food's

't in their shared house. Still, as much as she loved the house, she had no intention of buying it and won't need properties under her name in a foreign land. At the

embered the times he and his dad had in that small man cave of theirs. Given that manly was the last thing

here, the same comic books his dad used to teach him to read while he d

hears July fr

s reminiscing, opened the d

d finished her coffee when Sebasti

him, "I thought you got lost

cket. July's eyes widened as she snatched his red

ld have be

isted with

ment eating her up. "I must have missed

I've never had a

dity written all over it." She shook her head and pushed

it's

your work shirts, and I was the wank

at her surprise

ha

ry, it's

what

huckled again, "you

h, a

er means at your end of the

e, and July made a qu

st don't use t

me what

u s

with authority an

o masturbates... usu

ha

ah.

the room with Sebastian on her

mi

ld me it meant stu

u can call him

sually out of sorts, and I rarel

stick to the basic, l

laughing. "I feel like a school

of the wr

en, "I'll stick to the basics or

ecision ever; kept me out

the kitchen and grabbed th

N

agic pocket was in her bra or top and dropped it in the

ha

you'll have to toss a dollar in th

if I

of one

f I paid or not if yo

me to put surveillance cameras a

the potty

Potty Mouth Pot, and yes, j

pulled out from in

w I was livin

you aren't t

's the only clothi

grinned, "Ok, a do

so here's your breakfast, car keys are on the bowl by the door, and I suggest you ge

the time and ran off

with a sandwich and ran back out with

ed my shi

ent with Sebastian that morning; childish as it may have

work, she t

was w

rank all night to make him see the cons of having her in his house, but after that first joke, all the thinking went down

needed her out of the house, Sarah's birthday is coming soon, and he planned on movin

at the half-eaten club sandwich on his dashboard, he had half the mind of throwing it outs

ry stood behind the bar watching him with amusement. Kirsten, the voice of reason amongst his co-work

breath and running to the bac

s all flab looking at him. He is a guy who spends half the day wo

ere making bets that you would be late

ith his mind ticking off his to-do l

bar watching him, "I said you'd be l

d to the two, who had a k

n with the litt

ed to the task, "If you want to

now." Harry asks, "I mean, I could; marr

ere." Moe rolled his eyes, "I just want

"She went around the neighborhood introducing herself like she was obligated to do it, ev

nswers, spraying soap on th

Harry groaned, "I'd probably have my

g the English slang lesson si

en boy?" Harry asks, catching the

s and continues cleanin

ve

t girl, please do it in your own time and not in the

girl!" Moe shouts and hu

his eyes and smirked at Sebastian, "Finally found

ing," Sebastian says, tired

since we were kids, I

aked in my mind means I'm gay; Grand

in at the Road Side with three men she picked up from Buckmead for an orgy. He wouldn't know because his brain decided to block

ne in the local gossip vine, and every man had congratulate

no background surely means trouble." Mrs. Howards says,

place anyway," Sebastian says,

new customer, giving him a reason to leave the snob woman to

be right with you," Mo

m here for

the café f

e looks around

ray of used plates and gla

She g

voice dropped into a whisper, k

is off." She pulls out

and sees Moe and Harry from the

e in during rush hour; she looked around and noticed that everyone's eyes were on

s is a cute place." She looked around and smiled at some people,

ue. Sebastian chuckles; if only he weren't in the middle of their scruti

s, fighting th

ry time."

have you

e." She nodded, "Oh, by the

n asks, surprised, v

you after the knic

late, and pots and pans seemed to have fallen off their hooks from th

ut wrong..."

an smiled, "mediu

turned to leave, but tw

Harry Anderson.

, shaking his h

ht now." The big child squealed

, the owner. Ig

s if silently asking for help, who sh

I can make you anythi

you, I'

erday...." Harry cut

man." July smiled, "D

thanks; we had it this morning; it was amazi

elf, hearing Harry's attem

you give the

over the counter, hands on

places in the kitchen while the woman

ound here turn dumb r

"If I'd known, I would ha

ncing at their customers before extending her h

me." More shots

d shook her han

st you in food? Despite his appearan

nks,

ppearance," Se

nch, and I'm going to shop

r; I can go with you." Kir

came in."

led over her shoulder and tossed his apro

owner is

t July as she walked around the bar. "I'll be home

en; I'm washing the dishes; how

our jobs."

phone company to hook up the internet this morning, but they didn't arrive, and

or you." Seb

hank you, I'll see you home! It was nice to m

nk y

rry waves at the woman who is outsi

n Green Valley she managed to escape until her father died; she knew what it was like to be gossiped

ame cloth, this girl was being sewn in with them

same for Harry, and knowing the boy, he would use July to torment Sebastian, w

y and break into whispers th

ntire life, not even after receiving good news

stian enters the kitchen with a tray full of dirty dishes, "There

of the gutter Harry

n, just

" Sebastian snapped, "Give

ising a brow before returning to the kitche

and sighed; I need to get r

of what the woman did at the diner; the disapproving looks at her customers; July had no idea what made the woman angry, th

nd what

nd some new kitchenware that would fit the house; grandma's

he remembered her o

f preschool, she looked like Jacky O with her hair and clothes; fathers would p

hat." July laughs, "She'

with the

et the baby sister." she grinned, "I offered Sebastian the guest

astian levels out the eccentricity of my husband and Harry; he does the same at home. Someti

have run out of the house, fuming mad. He didn't like that I was there, I didn't want to anger hi

bed and breakfasts

u seen the house? It's breathtaking; I f

mber th

orn down when it wasn't. It feels like memor

ard of people falling in love with the town, with the weather, and commonly with a person

e girl had to know more about the house than its facade; it wasn't just a home they shared or w

e been a bri

"His wife drove him out of their house a

h.

ea

July excitedly says as she reaches for a colorful set of knives, the

unknown to the English girl

g Kirsten an apologetic smile before pu

ake this." She s

ake out a pillbox. With the accuracy of a practiced move, she popped two pill

cation, she packed her pillbox and water b

?" Kirs

u know... sched

look before takin

he reached for July's hand, "you can tell

perience of receiving before. Maybe it was the moment or the melancholy feel that her eyes radiated toward July, t

st person who extended a hand to

t that la