Chapter 15
Love, Lies and Spies
"You should stay here, I'll go to see who is it. You don't say anything. Like you're not here," I instructed Maura before I go and check who was back home. "And don't get out of the room no matter what, okay?"
She nodded in agreement and I went out of my room. I still hoped that it was Frankie who came back home but my hopes went down the drain when I saw my mother and Tommy who were standing in the living room. They were back and I was screwed.
"Ma, what are you doing here so early?" I asked nervously, trying to look like normal and sound pretty nonchalant about it even though I was freaking out inwardly.
"Well, your little brother said he was tired and wanted to come back home."
At that moment I wished I could kill someone. Perhaps my brother. He should have stayed out a bit longer. Would it have killed him to stay a few hours longer! I was so frustrated.
"And what were you doing in your room?" asked my mother. "Isn't there a baseball game you could watch on tv or something?"
"Uhm... I... I was... I was studying."
"You were studying!?" My mother was obviously shocked. Honestly, it wasn't the best option that I could chose to say but I had no other ideas. "On Saturday!" She exclaimed and looked at me with disbelieve.
"Yep."
It wasn't a lie, at least not all of it - there was a teacher in my room so that must count for something. Right? Except that we weren't studying.
At that time Frankie got home, too. He shut the door behind him and came in the living room. Great! Now all I need is my dad to come back home and we all could all go to my room together. And greet Maura. Which reminds me - I really hope she got dressed already and stay there without making a sound.
"I am going to my room," I announced loudly, trying not to gain any suspicion. I needed to check on Mura and think of something immediately before my mother suspected something. "I'll just pick up my phone and come back real quick."
"I'll come with you," my mother said, following me.
"What? No! Uhm... I mean, why?"
"I want to take the phone charger. My battery died," she explained while we reached my room. If she just opened the door, entered there and see Maura then I was screwed. And she was so close to that door. I needed to do something! To stop her!
"No, Ma. I'll bring it to you."
"I can take it by myself, Jane. What's the matter with you today? You seem nervous."
"I-I am not. I am not nervous. Nope." I tried to look clam in front of my mother thought it was really hard when I was so panicked. "You stay here, I'll go and get it for you."
"Why?"
My mother just couldn't let it go. I knew she would start with the interrogation. Maybe she suspected something or perhaps she knew something was off because of my behavior. I needed to calm down and act like nothing was happening.
"Because I haven't made my bed and I know how much you hate it when I do that," I answered calmly, trying to look as usual.
"Didn't you say you were studying?"
"Well, yeah. Of course. Why would I lie?! Ha!" I was getting more and more nervous with every lie that I had to say. She was close to the door and I had no idea what I was talking about. Probably nonsense.
"But you know how these lessons go. They are kind of boring so sometimes I doze off. And I had to use the bed sheet to cover myself in case I fall asleep. I don't wanna catch a cold. See, I always listen to you."
"Alright," she finally gave up. "I'll wait here, just give it to me when you are ready."
I entered in my room and closed the door behind me real quick because mother was still waiting outside. Maura was already dressed and she seemed nervous when she saw me.
"Maura, you need to hide," I whispered really quietly, hoping that my mother wouldn't come in or hear us from outside. We needed to act quickly in case my mother entered in my room and we didn't have much time. "Quickly, hide under the bed."
"With that skirt? Are you crazy? I can't bent down with it."
"And yet, for some reason, you are wearing it."
"Now is not the time to question my choice of clothing," Maura whispered back, rolling her eyes at me.
"Alright. Then go in the closet."
She listened to me and hid there in case my mother came in my room. I made my bed quickly and looked around my room in a rush. My mother was waiting for the phone charger outside and I haven't even looked for it yet. I saw Maura's shoes and kicked them under the bed and then I looked around once again to make sure that the coast was clear.
What the hell am I going to do now?! My mother was outside my room and Maura was hiding so what the hell was I supposed to do? I had no idea. How do I get out of that bad situation? I needed to make a plan. To calm down and think of something. A plan to get Maura out of the house without anyone noticing us. For nothing in the world my mother should know about Maura's presence. I started to think for a plan. Maybe I could hide Maura in a bag and get her out of the house like a corpse. Frankie could help me with that. Yeah, like I won't make an impression at my mother, carrying a heavy bag out of the house. I needed something reasonable. I tried to think of something else.
In that moment I felt like a spy. It was so exciting and scary at the same time. My heart was pounding in my ears and I couldn't think straight. My mission was to get Maura out of the house without anyone noticing. Frankie was my only fellow - I knew he would help me out if I ask him. My enemies were my mother and Tommy. They were the one who shouldn't suspect anything. My first plan was mission impossible - Maura was too heavy for that purpose even for both of us. I made a reminder note to myself: "Never share that thought with Maura." And plus, my mother was too curious and she would demand to know what's in the bag. If I and Frankie walked out of my room, carrying a huge bag, my mother would most probably suspect something. I needed something else.
Maybe Maura and I could sneak out of the house without anyone seeing us. Mother soon would go to cook something or she could go in her room, or whatever - I didn't know for sure. And then we could attack. We could sneak out silently behind my mother's back while she isn't looking. Whenever she turned around we would quickly run and hide. But what about the stupid door? She would hear the door if we opened it. Then maybe I could distract my mother while Maura snaked out of the house but the door was still an obstacle. Stupid door! Ugh! In movies everything looks so easy. Maybe I've seen too much movies. My mind was proceeding a hundred ideas at the same time but all of them were crazy or stupid or both.
The only thing that I could see clearly was that I needed some help. And maybe Frankie could help me. That idea was really good I just had to develop it. I need not think of something. Some plan that is not so insane.
"Jane, what's taking you so long?" I heard my mother to knock at the door, tapping her foot impatiently. She startled me out of my thoughts and I began to panic once again.
"I can't find it, Ma." I yelled through the closed door, quickly looking around. I hoped everything was fine and I hadn't left anything that could give away Maura's presence in my room.
My mother entered my room without my permission.
"What is going on here?" she asked, bursting in my room.
"Nothing," I turned around to face her. "Found it," I said, taking the phone charger but then I noticed my mother was looking around my room suspiciously and more specific under the bed.
She immediately spotted Maura's shoes under the bed. How did she find them so fast! She was like a detective. It was good that at least Maura haven't left her bra on my bed because that would be impossible to explain. But even the shoes were kind of hard to explain. I needed a lie. A good one. And I needed it really fast.
My mother bent down and took the shoes, looking at them with curiosity and asked:
"What are these?"
"Shoes," I tried to go with joke, feeling really nervous. I had to make something up quickly and I already ran out of ideas. And out of lies, too.
"I see it's shoes. What are they doing in your room? Are they yours?" She started with the interrogation and I had no idea what to do.
"Pfftt," I made a sound, stalling while I could think of a something. "Don't be ridiculous, of course they are mine," I lied, still not knowing what to say. How to explain. "I ordered them online. After the dress you made me wear... I thought why not."
"But they are not even your size," she looked at them, curious about what I was going to say and explain to her. But even I didn't know just yet.
"Duh." I snorted. "I know. But I didn't know what size to order."
"And why did you order them, Jane? Tell me the truth."
"Aright. You just ruined the surprise. I was going to dress up - like wear a dress and high heels just as you wanted me to. And go on a date."
"With a boy? Oh, no. I mean with a girl," she exclaimed, looking surprised. "You have a date with a girl?"
"Not yet. But I'll ask her out... sooner or later."
"But you can't walk with these. I am not saying this to offend you but you are clumsy, Jane. You are going to kill yourself if you wear these high heels. They are way too high for you." My mother told me and I felt bad for saying those ridicules lies to her. "Why didn't you tell me that you want high heels? We could have bought you one for your size and mostly, one that you could walk with."
"I just... I didn't want to jinx it."
"They look pretty expensive. How much did they cost?" my mother kept asking me questions that I had no idea how to answer back.
"Oh, but they are not." I said and took them away from her hands. "It's just an imitation, that's all."
I haven't lied that much in my entire life. I told my mom so many lies that I even lost the count on them. I felt so bad. Like the worst person in the whole world. I didn't like to lie her. I just hated it. But I had no choice. I just couldn't tell her the truth. What was I supposed to say: "Hey, Ma, just so you know, Maura is hiding in the closet, and we were about to have sex but then you interrupted us." That wasn't any better than my lies.
In that moment Frankie entered my room which was already open.
"Is there a gathering or something?" he asked, looking at us both.
"Yeah. Come in, we were just waiting for you. We'd love to join us," I answered defensively but then it hit me.
I pulled out my phone and I texted Frankie. "Help! Get mother out of the house. ASAP." I hit send, hoping he would understand me and wouldn't ask further questions just do what I say.
"Hey, I got a text massage from you," Frankie said and my mother looked at me with such a curiosity. How could he be so stupid!
"From me? I think you're mistaken. It's not from me," I said and gave him one of my death glares while my mother wasn't looking. He knew them well enough by now.
"Oh, you're right. It's from a friend," he quickly understood me and I hoped he would help me out.
"Why?" he texted back, shrugging his shoulders when I looked at him.
"I'll explain later. Please." I sent him another message.
"What are you doing?" mother asked, watching both of us. Frankie and I were making hints at each other and perhaps she noticed. "It's rude to watch your phone while we are talking."
"Hey, Ma. I wanted to buy some new clothes. Would you come with me at the mall to help me pick up something?" Frankie asked my mother and I sighed with relief. He would help me, I knew that I could count on him.
"Okay, Frankie. Tomorrow we'll go out."
"No. I want to go now. It's so early," he insisted.
"Alright," my mother agreed. "Jane, we are going out but you should watch over your brother."
"Okay. Bye."
I quickly closed the door after they went out of my room. I felt such a relief that my mother didn't even suspect anything.
Soon I got a text message from Frankie. "You owe me big." That meant the coast was clear.
I opened the closet after I was a hundred percent sure that my mother was out of the house and Maura get out of it. I knew I needed to hurry up because knowing Frankie, he wouldn't last much spending time with my mother.
"The coast is clear, Maura, you can go now. I'll go and distract Tommy while you get out of here."
"Alright, Jane," she said taking her shoes. "I am sorry," she apologized and kissed me on the cheek for a goodbye.
AN: Please tell me what you like and don't like about this chapter. Do you find it funny or interesting and what tips you can give me to improve my writing?
