This Is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore

Author:Gabriella Lepore
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-08-04T14:32:54+00:00

* * *

It’s kind of weird seeing them sitting at our lunch table, but I suppose I should be used to it by now.

Imogen, Brianna, and Colleen, all flocking around Serena and occupying most of our former stomping grounds.

“Should we even go over there?” Hollie nudges me with her elbow, her lunch tray balanced in her hands. “We could sit somewhere else. There’s an empty table at the back.”

My gaze wanders across the cafeteria to Hollie’s proposed table. Right next to the garbage cans. Fabulous.

“No. We should sit at our table. Just because the cheer girls are there doesn’t mean we can’t be there too.”

Hollie gives me a dubious look.

“There are two free seats. And Serena is still our friend.” I head across the crowded lunchroom, and Hollie trails behind me. I’m pretty sure I can hear her cussing at me under her breath.

I set my tray down on the table. The cheer girls stop their conversation and stare at me like I’m an alien invading.

There’s a beat of silence as Hollie and I take our seats.

“Hi!” Serena says, brightly.

“Hi,” Imogen echoes.

Colleen flips her blond ponytail over her shoulder. “Oh, you got the meatloaf.” Her baby-blue eyes stray over our lunch trays. “Brave. Remind me not to sit near you in Math. That rotten meat reeks.”

Brianna giggles.

And just like that, their conversation resumes.

Hollie and I exchange a look.

“So, Friday,” Imogen says, her eyes fixed on Serena, “I’m telling my mom that I’m sleeping over at Bri’s house, and Bri is telling her mom that she’s at mine.”

Serena nods, evidently taking this very seriously. “I’ll tell my mom I’m going to Bri’s. She won’t question it.”

Colleen smirks at them. “It’s so cute that you guys still have curfews.”

There’s a sudden tension in Serena’s mouth. She throws Brianna a look and rolls her eyes. It’s subtle enough to go unnoticed by Colleen.

But I notice.

Hollie joins the conversation. “What are you guys doing on Friday? Another Rook party?”

Serena takes a sip of soda before responding. “Yeah. You can come, if you want?” Her question is directed at both of us, though the glance in my direction is surely just a courtesy.

I’ve been to a total of two Rook parties and have zero intention of increasing that number. Hollie’s been to a few more, but even she’s losing interest.

Personally, I miss the Friday nights on the pier with Serena and Hollie. I miss the simpler days when it was just the three of us, hanging out at each other’s houses and ordering takeout.

Hollie and I go through the motions of thanking her for the invite and telling her we’ll think about it. Our words bounce off them, and the cheer girls jump into recounting tales of parties gone by.

“Ohmygod,” Brianna laughs in a breath, “Scotch was so funny last weekend! Did you see him with that fire extinguisher?”

The others splutter with laughter at the seemingly hilarious anecdote.

“But Max’s response was the best,” Colleen says. “With the hose! He’s such a chill guy. Seriously.”

Imogen grins. “Max is so funny.

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