The Day Hope was Murdered

17. Literally Blueprints

// Chapter 17: Literally Blueprints\\

Back when I was eight, the lies to my mom started.

The first instance involved makeup. You see, Hope had taken my mother's makeup and dolled herself all up for school. My mom didn't notice the artful splatter on her face due to the fact that back in those days, we would walk to school when the weather was nice. And that day, the weather couldn't have been nicer. The sun was shining brightly, with not a cloud in sight.

As luck would have it, Hope had to stay for something after school. So after Six Crappy Hours Of Our Lives, I started the trek home. Alone.

My mom was waiting in the doorway with her blush in one hand and her mascara in the other. As I approached her, I noticed the angry look on her face.

Not wanting to endure her wrath, I directed my gaze away from the crumpled blush and bent mascara wand. I forced my cheeks into a smile and greeted her.

She didn't buy it.

Instead, in that tone of hers she uses whenever she's lecturing me, she asked me if I knew anything about this. This being the makeup. I shook my head no, despite the fact that I was standing right in the bathroom when Hope was covering her face in it.

Then, my mother led me further into the house. Sitting on the kitchen table was much more of her makeup: brushes, foundation, eyeliner, and eyelash curler. 'I found these in your bathroom,' she said.

I shrugged and remained tight-lipped. Sometimes, I wonder why I didn't just hang Hope out for the picking, but then I remember our oath when we were both six-years-old. An oath that now required me to lie for her sake.

Over the years after that, I constantly found myself lying to cover Hope's face. She went out for a party? My mom thought she was with Amanda. Who ate the ice-cream cake? Oh yeah, definitely not Hope.

At one point, I mustered up the courage to approach Hope about it. 'I really don't feel comfortable lying to mom about you all the time.'

She just reminded me of the oath and the consequences that resulted from breaking it. I conceded as I always do and continued to lie for her.

I'm reminded of all of this now, as my mom enters the room just as I finally get the chance to examine the blue writing. And I know deep in my gut that I'm about to add another lie to that list of endless lies to my mom.

"I just came to--" Sensing something fishy, my mom changes her path. "What are you two doing?"

"Nothing." I snatch the notebook from Amanda and tuck it underneath my leg.

My mom notices. "You have your old blacklight out and you and Amanda were leaning over something. Then, right when I come in, you covered it up . . ." she trails off in suspicion. "That's definitely not nothing."

I need to come up with something. Quick. "We were just . . . we were, um--" Aha! "We were planning a surprise for dad. With him taking on an extra job and all, he hasn't had much time for fun and I wanted to remedy that." I force a grin as I continue, "when you came in, I was kinda afraid it was him."

Amanda nods, adamantly agreeing to what I was saying.

My mom buys it and shortly after that, leaves the room.

"Phew. That was close," I say as I pull out my journal from underneath my leg.

"You do realize that we're going to have to plan something for your dad now, right?"

I groan and chuck a pillow at my best friend.

"You're helping me with it."

She raises her hands in surrender.