Bad Apple [Twilight Fan Fiction]

16. Lies

16. Lies

Bella’s POV

The sky was eerie when I arrived home. I barely paid attention to the night darkness surrounding me. I felt hollow inside as it seemed the darkness was consuming me completely. The entire drive home had been silent, the radio turned off, and the windows sealed tightly. I had even turned off all a/c and heating so that I could just either concentrate on the sweat or the coldness enveloping me.

Edward’s face was in the forefront of my mind. I hated lying to him. It was almost impossible to even lie to him. I had almost told him the complete truth before I ever left the school. I probably should have told him where I was going. Yeah, have him laugh in my face because I thought there was something wrong about his family. That was the reason they were antisocial before I ever showed up.

I probably could have invited him along and gone to the store on my own. I could have told him I was going somewhere alone and we’d meet up. I wouldn’t even be in this mess right now. Mike wouldn’t have found me once again, and I wouldn’t have to lie again to my own father. The night was sort of scary tonight considering Mike’s arrival back into my life once again.

Charlie’s cruiser was in the driveway by the time I arrived. I could only assume the incoming argument that was to come once I stepped inside that house. I never missed my mom more than I missed her now. She might be harebrained sometimes but she still cared about me and she could figure out anything. Unlike Charlie, Renee was the type of parent that hovered and wanted to know everything that was going on. The moment I started dating Mike, mom wanted to know every single detail about our relationship. Charlie wanted as little information about our relationship as possible. I could tell something was always bugging Charlie about Mike but he kept quiet because in reality he didn’t really want to know too much information.

I cut the engine to my truck sitting quietly in the cab of the truck. My eyes stared straight ahead at the house in front of me and I had the sudden urge to turn the truck back on and leave in the opposite direction. To put as many miles between Forks and myself as possible was the sudden urge. Mike wouldn’t bother me then but even that brought a slight twinge to my heart. Just the idea of not seeing Edward or any of the Cullens really brought immediate sadness to my entire core.

It was in that moment that I realized I truly cared about them no matter what I really discovered. I was in this despite everything and nothing was going to change my mind. In the back of my mind, I knew if what I thought was true, maybe all of my problems were solved. If it were true, what I thought, I could tell them the truth, and they’d protect me. Then again, they would expose themselves in the process and I don’t believe that was something they wanted to happen. They stuck together as a family against everyone else in school so they obviously didn’t want to run and tell a single soul about what they were.

I shook my head dispelling any thoughts as I reached over grabbing my bag. Lying had never been easy for me and while dating Mike I had to try twice as hard as a regular person to lie to Charlie. Lying to my mother was easier since it was over the phone or through an email. She believed anything I said so easily, it wasn’t difficult. It was times with Edward and Alice that reminded me just how bad of a liar I truly was.

Charlie probably knew I was lying whenever I lied to him but he never said a word because he didn’t want to know too much. With Charlie, too little information was always best, and too much information, just got you killed.

I shoved the door of my truck open and held onto the strap of my backpack my heart beginning to beat erratically. I was so lucky that Charlie didn’t have supersonic hearing so he couldn’t hear my fast beating heart when I constantly lied to him. I delicately closed the door of my truck knowing that any moment the truck just might collapse.