LIAR, LIAR: High School Bully Romance (Season One | Episode One) Read online

  Sometimes I wished my own family was that observant.

  I park in front of the separate garage and take a deep breath before climbing out. Sycilly taps her L.L Bean booted foot waiting before throwing her hands in the air and walking back inside. I watch her perfect ass as she does hoping to spark any kind of feeling within, but all I find is stoic resolve.

  When she’s gone, I lean against the hood of my bimmer and try to decide how to let her go without causing a big fucking scene. Brax finds me there a few minutes later.

  “Wanna help me with the wood?”

  “Sure,” I say pushing off the hood. I follow him across the yard and through the gate that leads to the pasture out back. Of course, Sycilly didn’t bother to have the pit ready. She assumed like she does every year that one of us guys would handle it and once again we are forced to.

  I load my arms with logs and drop them on the ground before arranging them in the fire pit and then stack the arm full Brax drops as well for easy access later.

  With that done we head back to the garage and grab the chairs and cooler. I don’t know why Sycilly’s family has this pasture. They don’t have any livestock or pet animals, but someone comes often and trims the grass down and feeds the fish in the pond. It’s seems trivial, but what do I know about being an adult. I guess some people have so much money they don’t know what to do with it, so they spend it on things that don’t really matter.

  For some reason this bothers me. I don’t know why, but even when I try to think of something else the thought keeps returning.

  “Why the hell do they have this pasture? What’s the point of it?” I ask Brax.

  “It came with the house I think and Sycilly went through a stage around eight or nine when she wanted a horse. By the time they got this place fixed up for one she had moved on to another obsession.”

  “Why not sell it then?” Brax looks at me with a strange look on his face like he can’t figure out why I would ask this.

  “Well now they keep it so she can have these little parties out here.”

  “They keep all this just so princess can throw a party?”

  “Yeah pretty cool right.”

  I glance at him to see if he’s serious or just pulling my leg. He catches my gaze, expectant.

  “Yeah, real cool,” I mumble.

  I don’t really have any room to talk. Hell, my dad bought me a BMW i8 for my sixteenth birthday. Sixteen.

  I never thought a thing about it until Calliope moved in and told me what had happened to her Mustang. None of this shit really matters, but it’s the way of life.

  Come to think of it I remember being a sullen ass when I found out I got a BMW and not the Ferrari I had been dropping hints for.

  Funny how one girl can change the way you see shit.

  I hear cars pull in the drove followed by loud shouts. “Sounds like the boys are here.”

  “Let’s go see if they brought the alcohol.”

  Chapter Seven

  A lie gets halfway around the truth before the truth

  has a chance to get it’s pants on.

  - Winston Churchill

  Calliope

  When we pull in the area is already full of cars so Murphy backs out and parks on the side of the driveway so everyone else will still be able to get out. I flip the sun visor down and check my face, rubbing my finger under my eyes and then add a little more lip gloss from my pocket.

  “Can I borrow that?” I pass the tube to Murphy and glance around the area. Several guys are hanging out, red solo cups in hand, laughing and cutting up with each other. I don’t see Kiah, even though his car is closest to ours, but I spot Brax almost immediately.

  He stumbles, unsteady on his feet then rights himself and makes a bee line for Murphy’s door. I pull the handle and climb out but not before catching the way his eyes narrow when he spots me.

  “Hanging out with the trash, Murphy? How noble of you.” He smirks easing the blow of his harsh words.

  She slaps his chest but doesn’t berate him. “Oh hush, Brax and give me a sip of that.”

  Brax passes his cup to her and then catches me staring at him. I turn my head quick.

  “Come on let’s get you your own drink.” Brax takes the cup back and grabs Murphy’s hand and tugs. She holds out her other hand for me, but I don’t take it. Instead I follow behind them trying to avoid everyone else’s gaze.

  The sun is well over halfway past the horizon decent, but streaks of pink and blue hold tight to the sky. It will be dark soon. It’s always dark early in August.

  Brax leads us inside to the kitchen and fills a cup with some red liquid from a giant pitcher on the counter. Murphy passes it to me and then clears her throat holding out a hand for another. He fills it reluctantly scowling in my direction every chance he gets.

  “Thanks babe, you’re the best,” Murphy says pressing a kiss to his lips. I don’t understand how someone as sweet and innocent can be with someone as hateful and cruel as Brax. It goes against all logic.

  Kiah walks in the kitchen, clearing a path between everyone else like Moses when he parted the Red Sea. People respect him, fear him, adore him. My own breath catches in my throat when I see him. His green eyes, a storm of emotion. He’s wearing the same hoodie he wore the night we almost…

  Hell, I don’t know what we almost did. I do know in that moment I wanted to give him every piece of me, heart and soul and would have if I hadn’t seen the message pop up on his phone.

  You don’t make out with one girl, seducing her with sweet kisses and gentle caresses while having another girl send boob pics. At least not if you’re a good guy.

  Of course, now I know he’s not one of the good guys. His behavior toward me this week proved that. Drilled it home with a dagger to my heart. And yet, I still want him.

  On second thought maybe Murphy isn’t the only delusional girl in this room.

  “Hey. I see you’ve made yourself at home.” Kiah nods toward the cup in my hand with a smirk.

  “Nah. Your friend was kind enough to make me a drink. Too bad you couldn’t bother being as accommodating,” I say gesturing with my cup toward Brax and Murphy who are tongue tied…literally together right now.

  Kiah frowns at the cup and opens his mouth to say something but thinks better of it.

  “I’m glad you’re here.” My heart jumps when he says it. I curse the stupid organ silently.

  “You’re riding home with me tonight. I’ll be damned if I get cornered by our mothers alone again.”

  “We’ll see.” With that I leave him in the middle of the kitchen surrounded by his adoring subjects.

  It’s less noisy outside away from the crowd. I sit on the steps leading into the house and watch the sun lose its battle to the moon. Crickets chirp all around and for a second I’m lulled into a sense of safety. But like all good things in life even this must end.

  About fifteen minutes later people start emerging from inside. I stand and move to the side so they can pass until I see Murphy searching the crowd for me. Then I leave my hiding spot and join her, linking our hands and following the group through a small gate into the what I thought was the back yard.

  It’s hard to see anything back here, but a few people hold up their phones to shine a light on the path. In more time than I thought it should take we find ourselves positioned around a pile of wood. Kiah brings a lighter and strikes it against a piece of paper before tossing it onto the presoaked wood. It goes up in a roar of flames.

  Someone links their phone to a set of speakers and soon the whole area is filled with sounds of bass and guitars. I smile. It feels like the first smile that has graced my face in ages. For a second I wonder if I’ve forgotten how.

  I watch Kiah from across the flames knowing that for once even if he can feel my gaze, he can’t see it. There’s a freedom in that in a way. My body absorbs the music, my hips twitching to the beat. It feels good.

  Until I see her.

  Chapter Eight


  All truth is simple… is that double a lie?

  - Freidrich Nietzsche

  Kiah

  She thinks I can’t see her. That I can’t see the way her lips tug up involuntarily. The way her hips sway without thought.

  But I do.

  I see it all. I want to go to her. I want to take her in my arms and press my lips to that sensitive spot behind her ear. I want to whisper things in her ear that will make her blush and laugh at the same time, but I can’t.

  Every time I think about taking a step toward her, I see that night flash before my eyes. I see her laying across the chair beside the pool in nothing but a bikini bottom. Her face flushed with passion that I know is mirrored in my own.

  I see her push me away.

  And then… then I see nothing but red.

  Sycilly pulls my thoughts from Calliope with a firm grip on my crotch. I glance down at her, and she takes the opportunity to press her mouth to mine.

  “I’ve missed you.”

  I don’t reply. I don’t have anything to say to that, especially not anything she would want to hear, but I do pull her hand away and wrap my arm around her shoulder.

  “Let’s go back inside. I learned a new trick this summer and I’ve been dying to show you.” I have no doubt she’s talking about a new sexual trick, and last year I would have followed her across the pasture and back to her room, but that was before Calli. I lift my head, my gaze immediately finding her across the fire.

  She’s seen Sycilly now. I can tell because the smile has been wiped off her face and in its place is a frown that tugs at my heart strings.

  “Is it her? Do you want her now?” Sycilly says following my line of sight.

  “Oh stop. She’s a friend of the family, that’s all.”

  “A friend?”

  “Yes. A friend. You’ve heard of those right?”

  “Have you fucked her?” I used to like Sycilly’s boldness. The way she said exactly what she was thinking, but now it irritates the hell out of me.

  “No and I don’t plan to.”

  My answer appeases her a little. “Why don’t you grab me a refill, beautiful?” I ask pressing a kiss to the top of her head. I watch Calliope across the flames to see how she reacts and am satisfied when her lips purse together. She turns to Murphy and says something to her, but I’m too far away to hear it.

  “Sure. Blue or red?” Sycilly asks.

  “Red.”

  I watch her saunter off before returning my attention to Calliope. Murphy is gone now. I take a step toward her, but Brax appears out of nowhere slapping a hand to my shoulder.

  “Having fun?” He asks. I shrug and glance back at Calliope.

  “Could be better.”

  “Hell, yeah. Go get you some fresh tonight. Sycilly will get over it. God knows she sleeps with anything that walks.”

  “What?” I ask sure I misunderstood him.

  “The new girl,” he says holding his arm up and pointing toward her, “God that ass. I’d like to bury myself balls deep in that sweet cunt.”

  “Brax?” We both spin around so fast Brax cup spills over the side and all over his arm and the ground around us.

  “Murf. Hey babe.”

  “Don’t hey babe me. What the hell do you mean you want to bury yourself balls deep in her? You want to fuck other people?”

  “No babe. It’s just a saying. I didn’t mean it.”

  Oh yeah? Is that why you’ve got a semi right now? Fuck you, Brax.” Her eyes light with anger, and my best friend just looks at her, calculating a response that might make this shit show he just created disappear. “Actually, no. Fuck whoever you want. I’m done,” she says before storming off the house passing Sycilly on her way. Brax takes off after her, although I don’t have high hopes he will ever catch her.

  For every step he takes forward he takes two to the left or the right.

  “What’s that about?” Sycilly asks passing me my refilled cup.

  “You know Brax, he gets lit and then can’t keep his mouth shut. He said something about fucking another girl and Murphy overheard him.”

  “Damn. He doesn’t look too sober.”

  “He’s not.”

  “I better go make sure he makes it back to the house okay.”

  “Such a good hostess,” I say smacking her on the ass as she turns. She tosses a grin over her shoulder.

  I wait for Sycilly to leave the pasture and then make my way around the fire to Calli.

  “Murphy left, so I guess you will be riding back with me.”

  “Murphy left? Why?”

  “I don't know. Her and Brax took off.”

  “Oh.”

  “Come on, don’t act like its such a hardship to share a ride with me.”

  “Well, normally I wouldn’t mind, but who’s to say when you’ll decide to stop and put me out again. I’d rather take my chances walking.”

  “Suit yourself, but its twenty-six miles that way.” I point and then leave her standing there alone. Fuck her. If she doesn’t want to take my offer, then I’ll be damned if I spend any more time in her company than necessary.

  I stare into the fire wondering how the hell my life got so fucked up. One day I was sitting on top of the world and then…

  Calliope Warren walked in the door, long legged and skin bronzed from the sun. She tilted her sunglasses down and smiled.

  I pull my lighter out of my pocket and flick it over and over. It’s a compulsion thing that usually calms my nerves and helps me think. “Hey.” Sycilly wraps her arms around my waist. I didn’t even hear her come back.

  “What’s up?”

  “Wanna have some fun?” I turn my head to look at her. She lifts her brows and glances pointedly at the lighter in my hand.

  “What do you have in mind?”

  She jerks her head toward the fire. “Toss it and watch them run.”

  I stare at her for a second, a grin crossing my face and toss the lighter into the fire. Sycilly grabs my hand a second before she screams, “Run, run, run.”

  We all take off away from the blaze. A few seconds later a small explosion sounds followed by a burst in flames. Sycilly falls against me, out of breath and giggling then she presses her mouth to mine.

  Chapter Nine

  The lie is a condition of life.

  - Friedrich Nietzsche

  Calliope

  “Run, run, run.”

  Everyone takes off, leaving the well-lit area around the fire. I stumble back a few steps before turning and running from the pit.

  I don’t know how far I’ve gone when I slip, my legs widen to catch my balance, my arms winding around and around and then I fall.

  Water rushes over my head. I reach out and grab the first thing my hand reaches. A limb I think and pull myself up. Sucking in a gulping breath of air I look around, trying to figure out what I slipped into, but I can’t see anything.

  I pull at the branch, clawing at the slimy mud on the bank. Every time I almost pull myself out, the muddy water sucks me back in.

  “Help,” I call out into the darkness. Within moments a crowd swarms, phones out, flashlights on.

  “Oh look, someone took the trash out.” I don’t know who says it. I don’t care. I just want out of the water.

  “Oh fuck off, Tucker,” the girl who was kissing Kiah earlier says followed by, “Move.” Then she leans down and takes my hand pulling me from the water.

  “Thank you,” I mumble searching the crowd.

  “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up,” she says tugging on my hand. “I’m Sycilly, by the way.” I let her help me up too stunned and shaken to think about why she is offering to help.

  “Calliope, but I’m sure you already knew that.” My teeth chatter, clinking together when I speak, but not from the cold. It’s warm out still, but the adrenaline from falling in a dark body of water hasn’t worn off yet.

  “I think the whole school knows your name. It’s not often we get a new student.” I don’t know what to
say to that, so I keep my mouth shut and follow her back to the house, thankful for her help.

  She makes small talk the whole walk and I listen, nodding when it’s appropriate until we reach her house. I still don’t know why she is helping me. From what I can tell no one from this place is a decent person, except maybe Murphy. I haven’t quite made up my mind about her, but she seems sweet and she hasn’t given me a reason to not trust her except for the fact that she abandoned me tonight in exchange for a rendezvous with her asshole boyfriend.

  “Wait here. I’m going to grab you a towel.”

  I stand on her doorstep dripping wet, waiting for her to return. Thankfully she doesn’t take too long. She holds open a white bath sheet and gestures for me to undress.

  “I’m sorry. I’d let you in like that, but my mother would kill me.”

  “It’s fine,” I tell her pulling my shirt over my head. She turns her head so she can’t see me, not that it matters. After years of cheer and volleyball, I’ve gotten used to changing in front of other girls, but I’m grateful for the moment if only to school my features. After I step out of my shoes and jeans, she passes the towel to me. I wrap it tight around my body and follow her inside.

  “My room is the third door on the left. Grab whatever you want out of the dresser. It should fit, but I have leggings in the third drawer. I follow her to the hall and then pass her to get to the door.

  The room is pitch black. I feel along the wall for a light switch but don’t find one. I reach for my phone to use for light only to remember I left it laying on top of my soaking wet clothes at the front door. I step back to ask Sycilly and then I’m shoved into the room from behind.

  I stumble forward tripping over my own feet and fall onto something soft in the bed. Light floods the space. I blink adjusting my eyes and find a half-naked man beneath me. Not any man, but Brax.