White Lies (Book 1)

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Angelica had left a package on my doorstep this morning. As it turns out, Nathan had received one too. Attached was the following note:

Apologies for such delay – these should have been in your possessions since the beginning. Only communicate exclusively via new device from now on. Become untraceable.

"What do you think could be inside?" I asked him, jiggling the box close to my ear. It made a heavy thumping sound.

"I don't know," Nathan shrugged, looking terribly relaxed on my tattered sofa. Ever since we'd been paired up for this investigation, Nathan had made it his responsibility to drive me to and from school. This wasn't a necessity by any means, but Nathan insisted that it made our relationship status a little more believable if we entered the school grounds together each day.

Part of me wondered if Nathan just wanted to spend a little extra time with me. And to be perfectly fair, that was something I wanted too. When it came to us, and to all of this, I wasn't even lying anymore.

For me, this was very, very real.

And having never remotely been in any sort of romantic entanglement, I had no idea how to go about it all. So my only course of action was... no action.

Not yet.

What did Nathan want?

My mother chose at that second to walk right past the living room, fully clothed for work, heading towards the front door. She slammed it shut behind her. I winced. Ever since our little fallout, she had been giving me the silent treatment. She always left too early in the morning for work, and left dinner in the microwave for me every evening. And for most of the time, she stayed hidden in her room with the television turned off. No more news coverage – no seeing my face around every corner she turned.

I still didn't know how to reach out. How to say sorry.

I heard Nathan sigh. "She's still angry with you, isn't she?" he asked.

I stayed silent. Sometimes it felt like he could read my mind.

"Look," he continued. "I know I'm not your mom's favorite person either, but even I know she's upset. You guys can't keep ignoring each other forever. Sit down with her one afternoon, and apologize for being such a..."

"Bitch?"

"... pain in the ass," he finished, smiling.

I lightly smacked him over the head. "Watch it," I warned playfully.

"Just saying," he caught my hand and laced our fingers together affectionately. I tried to ignore how my heart skipped a beat. His brilliant blue eyes, just a few shades lighter than my own, turned thoughtful.

"I only say that in jest. Look, to be honest, you haven't even been that much of a pain in the ass. Not like usual."

"What do you mean?" I asked, leaning into his side. I was drawn to his warmth like a moth to a flame.

He turned his head so he fully faced me. "Think about it," he said. "When I first met you, you would lie and deceive anything that moved about every little thing your mind and ego could mold. Yeah, it was irritating for everyone who knew you, but I eventually became used to it. And now, after this whole shit-show of an investigation ..." he shrugged. "You just don't lie so much."

I stared at him for a few seconds. What?

"It's like you've changed," he continued, still holding my gaze. "Like seeing this terrible side of life, and of people, made you do some inner work with yourself. Do some slight adjusting." He smiled. "I think it's nice."