Since He Left ✓

07: True Lies

"Truth exists; Only lies are invented." - Georges Braque

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One knock on the door and I walked in. Maman and Joseph's bedroom was huge. High ceilings, gold comforts, and diamond chandeliers were the kind of luxury the room contained. They were both sprawled on the king sized bed, Joseph on the computer and Maman reading. I walked over to Joseph's side, he looked up at me.

"Hey, Kiddo. What's up?" Joseph laughed, examining my unusual calm face.

"Well, I have this overnight field trip tomorrow. I know it's short notice, I totally forgot to tell you guys about it," I lied, "it's mandatory."

"Short notice, that's for sure. Where are you going?" Maman spoke up, laying her book on the nightstand. I hadn't thought about that, how stupid of me.

"Uhh... Yeah, we're going to Notre-Dame de Paris. For a night," I said. Joseph was about to answer when he saw Nick.

No, no, no. Nick, go away!

"Hey, Nick! Done with practice?" Joseph asked Nick, who was dressed in a sweatshirt. Nick looked energized, his team had probably won their game. I needed him to go, though. He knew that we weren't going to any overnight trip, he was in the same year as me!

"Nick, you're going to that trip, too?" Maman turned to Nick who was standing at the doorway. I discreetly nodded at him, my eyes telling him what he needed to know. Lie.

"Oh, yeah. That trip to, uh—" Nick walked over to my side.

"Notre-Dame," I blurted out, acting as if I was reminding him. Hell, I was going to have to explain to Nick why I lied now. Otherwise, he would have probably told on me.

"Well, okay." Joseph looked over at Maman who nodded and turned her attention back to the book.

Nick and I walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind us. He took my wrist and pulled me to the side, out of earshot.

"Isla? Why do they think we're going to Notre-Dame? I think I forgot," he chuckled sarcastically.

"I won't tell you," I said, as firm as steel. I lowered my head staring at my shoes.

"But I have to go along with it?" Nick asked, crossing his arms. He was definitely finding this conversation amusing, he was leaving me no other choice.

"I need to go somewhere." Somewhere, somewhere six hours away. Somewhere that would most likely lead me to Grayson. Somewhere he isn't coming.

"And... Where is that exactly?" Nick was acting like an overprotective father, crossing the line.

"I'm going to find Grayson. You're going to mind your own business by not telling a soul. Deal?"

"Deal. When are we leaving?"

"We? We are not going anywhere, I'm leaving," I stared at him.

Doesn't he understand?

"No. You said I mind my own business by not telling a soul. I'll come with you and I won't tell a soul. That's how it's going to work." He was negotiating with me, I didn't like that.

Why does he want to come?

Nick was always saving me for some reason, always wanted to take care of me. I didn't get the reason for that, why did he want to follow me everywhere? It's like he didn't know the role of being a brother, acting like a father instead. Was it because he was an only child before his mother passed away? Siblings teased each other, annoyed each other. That was normal here, what was normal everywhere. That was what Grayson and I did, tease but love each other. Nick didn't seem to get that. He, surprisingly, never seemed to want to annoy me. Of course, there were some advantages to that, but Nick was always taking care of me. Unable of being just a brother.