RECAPITULATE: Did you know that people judge a person within the first 15 seconds of meeting them? We live in this vicious cycle of perceived reality that only feeds on the minds that have yet to follow. And so we lie.
We lie about what a favorite band is, we lie about our hair color, we lie about our age we lie about our weight, we lie about our cup size, and we ALL lie about how we're really feeling.

But me, I lie about my whole life…

CHAPTER 1

HALEY'S POV

Do you remember how in kindergarten we all used boast about this new toy our mothers gave to us on our birthday, or how cool your dad's new job was? Now do you remember not being one of those kids but wishing you were? How you wished so hard and that when it never came you felt so dejected. So the next day, when you went to school, in the spur of the moment, while everyone else was talking about their families, you say your dad was dead. You don't know why you did it, but you did. Maybe it's because you want people's attention. Maybe it's because you want people's sympathy. Maybe it's because he never there, he might as well be dead. Whatever that reason, do you remembered that you lied?

The good thing about it is that it's kindergarten. No one ever remembers what you say or didn't say.

But now I'm older. I have to remember every lie I've told. Every excuse I've made. I have to remember every thing I have said and who I said it to. Because if I slip up, this intricate web of lies I call my life, will fall apart. But at least now I can start again.

To most people moving houses is a daunting task. Having to leave all your friends behind and try to make new ones. Being dropped off in some unfamiliar land and expected to find your way around. Having to go to a new school where you are either ahead of the work or behind it.

To me it's a way to wipe the slate clean…

To forget about all the old lies that surrounded my life

…And to make new ones.

NATHAN"S POV

Did you know that the average person lies three times per ten minutes of conversation? Now that's humanity for you, not saying that I'm much better. As a matter of fact, I'm probably up there with the best of them, lying away.

If you don't believe me, why don't we count? Here's Lucas now.

"Hey Nate, how are you?"

"Yeah, I'm alright." That's one

"You ready for the game tomorrow?"

"Course I am." That's two

"Hey, are you okay? You seem a little spacey today."

"I'm Fine." That's three

Wow, what do you know? That's three lies in 22 seconds. Can't help but wonder how 10 minutes would have faired out.

HALEY'S POV

The first day as a senior is always a thrilling one, or so I've been told. All of my brothers and sisters go on and on about how senior year was the time of their lives (save for their marriages and the birth of their children). It's a time where you celebrate your accomplishments and bask in the fact that you are now the big fish in a small pond.

But that only applies if you've gone to the same school all your high school life. You know everybody and everybody knows you. With said senior year comes a certain degree of enhanced popularity, whether you had some from the beginning or not. Teachers actually like you. Their masks of distaste disappear. You are the epitome of what high school life should be like every year.

But like I said, this only applies if you have gone to the same school for the entirety of your high school life.

What if you're the new kid?

It doesn't matter what grade you're in, you are always treated like an outsider. A side show freak to ogle at. It's like you're a freshman all over again, except when you're a freshman you have 100 other people in the same situation like you. You're like a singular krill in a large pond filled with carps.

Now that doesn't seem so bad. At some point a carp will go out of their way and become friends with the little krill. You may even be lucky and befriend a majestic Koi.

But when you move into a small town where everybody knows everybody's business, then it's a whole other ball game.

Now you are a lone krill in a large ocean filled with baleen whales. At the exact moment you make yourself known, they'll come at you like a northern bullet, eating you alive.

But if you lay low, if you don't bring attention to yourself, you can almost make them believe you don't even exist. You live your life in hiding, almost not living at all. But if you are pro-active, you can make one believe you are just like the rest of them, soon the whole ocean believes you're a whale.

That is until your lies catch up to you, and you're a little krill again.

But you never know. I can be lucky and some passing whale will bring me back down. Then I'm in the big pond again and now everybody is a majestic Koi.

But this is real life.

Nothing ever goes my way.

So I lay low, and I lie.