Fake Love-Byler

Mother Knows Best

TW: MENTIONS OF SUIBATING

Karen can always tell when her children or husband were fibbing.

When Ted lied about who ate the left over sweets, he wouldn't look her in the eye. When Nancy lied about where she was going, she would twirl a lock of her hair between her fingers. When Mike lied about his grades, the corners of his mouth would turn up. When Holly lied about who helped Ted eat the sweets, she would tap her hands on her legs.
As a parent it becomes easier to pick up on these things.

So that's how she knew Mike was lying about what happened with his friends.

Sure Karen enjoyed the date, but she just couldn't stop thinking. Why would Mike lie about something that's not that big of a deal? She doesn't care who he's friends with as long as they're making her son happy. She made a mental note to herself to talk to Mike about this privately when he got home from school.

So the quote on quote "big talk" finally came. He was sitting in his room reading a book when his mother came in and sat next to him. "Hey! What're you reading?"

"Oh, uh, nothing," he tossed the book under the bed, "what's up?"

"So, are your friends and Jane made up again?" She saw him flinch. Something definitely happened.

"Yeah..." he hesitated. Karen gave him a look and he continued with his story, "She apologized today and...now we're friends again."

"What did she apologize for?"

"Um..." Karen thought using her sons sensitivity to pressure was a bit immoral, but she needed to know what happened. Why would he lie if it was really no big deal?

"Mike. Come on. Tell me what's really going on."

He sighed. "You won't tell anyone I said this, right?"

"My lips are sealed," she chirped. Unless it was illegal.

"So you know that girl Nancy was talking about yesterday? It's kinda like that."

"What?"

Mike looked away from her, something he always did when he was ashamed. Karen waited for him to continue, "There's this...girl. And Jane was being unnecessarily rude to her. And now the girl won't talk to me."

Corners turned up again. She couldn't tell why.

"Well you seemed to have nothing to do with it, so why?" Karen tipped her head. Did Jane like her son? I mean...if she makes him happy then he should go for it.

"Well I deserved it, I guess. I'm a bad person."

"Woah! Where did this come from?" She put his hand on his shoulder, "what could you have possibly done to say that?"

Mike continued to avoid her gaze. The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife. "I- well..it was a joke at first! We all thought it would be funny to prank him- I mean her, but we went too far and-"

"What did you do?"

Tears were forming in his eyes, "I asked her out as a joke. And I went too far. And now he won't talk to me."

A lot to process. Who's he? Why would he even do that? And why did Jane apologize? "He...?"

"No! Her!" He stuttered. He did it again. Karen tried to piece it together. It suddenly clicked.

"Mike. Whatever is said in this room stays in this room. I won't even tell your dad. I won't judge you, and no matter what I will always love you. Please tell me everything that happened so I can help you."

"I asked this guy out as a joke but he said yes and I didn't know how to say no but I was fine with it when we kissed but Jane told him it was fake and now he won't talk to me," words spilled from Mikes mouth like a waterfall. She could practically see the weight on his shoulders lifting.

"But then Jane told him to kill himself so we all were mad at her but she just kept on making it worse and I just," he sighed, "I don't know what to do. I let him be vulnerable and I broke his heart."

Oh.

Um.

Well...she wasn't expecting that to say the least. "So you asked him-"

Mike immediately cut her off, "Im not gay or anything! I don't have a problem with it but I'm not gay!"

"Mike, I don't care what your sexuality is. You could like nobody and I wouldn't care. I only care about the fact that you lied to him."

"I'm a bad person..." he repeated.

"Well, do you feel bad?"

"Yes!"

"Do you want to make it better?"

"Of course!"

"Then you're not a bad person," she shrugged, "While I don't agree with your actions, I certainly do think that your mistakes don't define you. Yes, you messed up. But you regret it."

"That doesn't mean.. what?"

"Most people are just bullies for fun. But while you were one, and I'm a little disappointed in you for that, you felt remorse. That's more than a lot of people can say. And it seems like you didn't even know he would say yes. And you didn't tell him to off himself."

"Not telling him nobody would care if he were gone is the bare minimum."

"But you still managed to succeed. Anyways, do you have a plan on how to fix this?"

Mike shook his head, "I was thinking of giving him some space then apologizing."

"That's good," Karen smiled. She pulled her son into a tight hug, Mike eventually hugged back, "No matter what you do, I'll still love you."