The Perfect Lies

One

Buzzzz. Buzzzzz. Buzzzzzzzzz.

A pale, slender hand reached out from under the blanket and pressed the snooze button as Elizabeth sleepily turned her head away from the sunlight.

"Elizabeth!" The voice rang through the house as her mother's, Sharon, steps rang up the staircase. "It's time to wake up."

"I know mother," Elizabeth grumbled as she sat up straight in bed. She blearily blinked the sleep from her hazel eyes, as her mother opened the door, peeking her head in as her straight, black hair fell around the doorframe.

"You're starting junior year today. Why aren't you more excited?" Sharon questioned as her eyes swept over the neatly stacked and labeled boxes in the room, from clothes to shoes to accessories. 

"It's just another year of college," Elizabeth muttered as she moved off the bed, tucking in and pressing down her comforter. "I'll be down in a sec." 

"Hmm," her mother nodded and left, just as Elizabeth's alarm went off again.

'Just two more years left of college.' Elizabeth thought as she sat down at her dresser. The sunlight shone gently on her wavy, brunette hair as she applied mascara and eyeliner.

She glanced critically at her reflection before nodding sharply in approval. At least one thing looked like it was perfect today.

As she packed away the last remnants of her life at home, she glanced at the polaroids of friends and flowers immersed in between on the way. Time to go back to college and be perfect. 

As she glided downstairs, she heard the talking of her family in the dining room. Elizabeth pressed on a smile firmly to her face as she walked in. 

"Morning, big boy," Elizabeth smiled as she ruffled Cameron's, her younger brother's, hair.

"Stop it. I'm thirteen now," he grumbled as he shook his head and whacked her hand away.

"You'll always be my younger brother," Elizabeth said affectionately as she walked over to press a kiss onto Dan's, her father's, cheek. "Morning dad."

"Morning sweetheart. You all packed?" He raised his eyebrows as if it was even a real question as Elizabeth moved over to help her mom bring all the dishes over.

"You know I am. I'm just waiting for Simon to come over to help me move all the boxes." Elizabeth said as she sat down across from Cam.

"How's he doing? We haven't seen him ever since he graduated last May," he questioned.

"He's good. Just busy with the new job," Elizabeth answered as she moved to slip a piece of bacon to the dog.

"Elizabeth. You're going to make Theo fat," Sharon scolded, as the dog's tail thumped under the table.

"Mommm, it's my last day at home. Let me spoil Theo a bit." Sharon chuckled at that, nodding her head along. 

Ringgg. Ringgg. Ringgg. The doorbell went. 

"That must be Simon," her dad remarked, as Elizabeth pushed back her chair to go open the door. 

"Simon!" Elizabeth cried as she swung her arms around a 6'2" brown-haired, green eyed man.

"Morning, princess." Simon smiled as he grabbed her into a gentle kiss. He pulled her in by the waist and into a gentle hug before lowering her back to the ground, and moving into the house.