Chapter 2: Truths and Lies

"That was so awesome!" Ian exclaimed loudly. They were exiting the theatre, now heading towards Kerry's car. Kerry couldn't help but smile down at Ian. Sometimes the little devil Ian was would at times become a perfect angel to Kerry... but only sometimes.

"Now for the best part!" Ian began to jump up and down and clap with excitement. As soon as Kerry had given the smile, it was gone just as quick. She had promised Ian that she would take him for an ice cream cone after the movie, but it was getting really late. The sun would set in thirty minutes and they could not take the cones home to eat them. The first thing out of her father's mouth would be, "You both completely ruined dinner." On the other hand, Mr. Nowicki would rather have them both safe at home before dark, rather than not know where they were. Kerry would do anything to keep her family from having a repeat of that terrible weekend.

But there was another problem. Ian had asked Kerry if they could take the ice cream to Corbett Park to sit on the swings and watch the sunset. Often, Kerry had gone there to spend some time by herself, with no prying reporters curious about her ordeal or the intrusive stares she would get even from complete strangers.

She wouldn't try to think about anything while she was there, she just wanted to be by nature, a living component in her life that seemed to bring her a measure of comfort. She would hear the gentle lapping of water in the nearby pond, sometimes the sounds of children playing in the distance, a cool breeze wisping her hair back. Although it was early November, it was warm enough outside to wear a plain sweater or light jacket.

Both Ian and Kerry were wearing jeans and while Ian was wearing his favorite dark navy blue fleece jacket, Kerry had on her most favorite button-up black sweater that was always so reliable to be warm in chilly weather but also pretty light in warm weather. Of course, Kerry still had Michel's brown leather jacket, kept safely hidden in the very back of her closet. The only reason she never could wear it was that the police and most definately her father knew that the jacket belonged to Ethan Bryne, the boy that was never found and proclaimed to be dead. Her father had thought she had gotten rid of the jacket, but she hadn't although she could never walk in public wearing a "dead" guy's jacket.

While Kerry had been at the college, a lot of her classmates knew of Kerry's dilemma. Some were sympathetic towards her, trying to be friendly. Others tried to keep away from her completely, saying that that she was insane or delusional. Since the boy that was kidnapped with her was never found, they said she had made him up, that she was only a victim of another maniac who actually that the idea of vampires was factual.

At times, she would take out Michel's jacket to feel the warmth and slight comfort the jacket could give her. She would sometimes imagine that his arms, instead of the sleeves, were around her, comforting her. Oh, she still loved him, even though she had not seen him for two years. She knew that she loved him. It was probably the harshest reality in her life... she was in love with a vampire.

She wanted Michel to come back, she wanted to see and bring the amusement back into his eyes, wanted to know that he was safe and alive (well almost if not completely). At night, she would lie awake, wondering about her decision. She knew she could never change her mind, no matter what, but she wished Michel would change his. She wondered every night if he ever thought of her, and if she would ever see him again.

"Kerry?" That little voice from the backseat shook her from her almost dream-like state. Ian was looking up at her curiously, a hint of worry on his face, in his eyes.

Kerry shook her head, almost like she was trying to wake herself up. "I'm sorry, Ian. My overimaginative head has run away again." She smiled and spoke reassuringly to her little brother. Ian, still giving her an anxious look, simply nodded and turned back to look out his window. Kerry let out on inward sigh in her mind. Ian deserved so much better than this from her. Ian needed to know that although there were bad people in the world, the love he would always receive from his family would never cease to end, that there was such tenderness in the world. He needed to be a little boy again, but ever since the kidnapping, Ian had seemed to grow up much too fast for a young boy his age.

Kerry would sacrifice anything for her little brother and her father, but ever since the night at the laundry, Kerry's outlook on life had been irrevocably screwed up. That night she had truly thought that the so called "vampire hunters" were crazy, that they were just gonna kill some poor, innocent college kid. Ethan had not in the least looked like a threat to her, exactly what he had wanted her to think.

When she had learned the truth, that Ethan was no fake, her entire world, everything that she was taught to believe in, fell completely apart. Michel had left her with a bunch of jumbled puzzle pieces of the truth and the lies that had rearranged her life forever. The trouble was, Kerry could no longer tell the difference between the truths and the lies. A lie she had once denied, had never thought to be genuine, had become the most terrifying truth she would never be able to escape from.

Hey, guys. I am so sorry it's taking so long to update chapter three, but I've re-worded/ corrected some of the things in both chapters of Where the Truth Lies and I hope to have the next chapter up in a couple of days. Thanks for all of your patience. : )