Lies Inside (2 page)

Lucy and her twin brother, Jack, had spent the Christmas holiday with their late mother’s parents in Florida. Since their mother passed away when they were only seven, their dad never really got into the Christmas spirit. Hence, their once a year visits to the South became an escape from the harsh New York winters.

They flew back to New York the night before their last semester of high school started. They were anxiously planning to go on to NYU together in the fall. Jack was the biggest thorn in Lucy’s side, and she was his, but they would throw themselves in front of a bus for each other. It was an unspoken kind of love that only twins shared.

Lucy never imagined that cold day in January would change the course of her life forever.

“Guess you’re kind of excited to get to school early?” Their dad, Lane, kissed her on the forehead as she shoved a spoonful of cereal in her mouth.

“Not weally. Why?” Lucy had a bad habit of talking with her mouth full.

“Close the trap door, Luce.” Jack threw his backpack on the floor before plopping down in the kitchen chair next to her. His footballer’s physique made the chair groan beneath him. He fiddled with the unruly dark-auburn mess that lay on top of his head before grabbing a box of cereal and making his own breakfast instead of Lucy doing it for him as she was prone to do.

Lucy twisted the ends of her long auburn hair as she tried to decide whether to pull it up or not. At the same time, Jack messed with his floppy locks that hung down in his eyes. Both of them rubbed their gray-blue eyes in unison as they fixed their cereal. Their twin habits were apparent when they dug into their cereal and took a bite at the same time.

“You haven’t talked to Rylan?” Lane asked as he opened up his morning paper.

Lucy swallowed. “She’s been busy getting in practices over the holiday. She takes being cheer captain very serious. Last night was the first time I talked to her in days and that was only for five minutes.”

Lane shrugged his shoulders with a smirk as he sat down and picked up his paper. “I thought you’d be meeting Finn on his first day back.”

Jack and Lucy both spit bits of cereal across the table.

“Finn’s back!” Lucy yelled.

Lane lowered his paper, shaking off the cereal spit. “I thought Rylan might have called or texted or whatever you kids do.”

Lucy punched Jack hard in the shoulder. “Did you know about this?”

“Shit, Luce. No.” Their father glared at Jack. Their eyes mirroring each other as Jack rubbed his injured arm. “Sorry, Dad.”

“Let me know how it all turns out. Finn didn’t look very good the other day when I saw him. Maybe seeing you will cheer him up. I guess I shouldn’t expect you for dinner?”

“I’ve got a workout, and I’m going to study with Rylan after that.”

“Sure, study.” Jack shot her a glare.

Lucy knew that her brother and his girlfriend never studied. Most of the time, she heard what they were doing. Rylan was also one of Lucy’s best friends, which made things awkward at times. Jack couldn’t help himself, though. He’d been smitten with Rylan since the day he knocked over her sandcastle and she kicked him in the shin. Now they seemed to have their faces locked together, and Lucy knew hearing her only brother moan like that should be illegal.

“I’ve got court this afternoon, so I won’t be home until late anyway. Just call so I know you’re not in a ditch.”

Lucy knew her father’s job as the county district attorney was demanding, but he always made time for Jack and her. He was always going to be the overprotective father, which only made Lucy love him even more.

“I always do, Dad.” She kissed her father on the cheek.

Lucy and Jack drove to school in their Toyota Four Runner they affectionately called the Four. As Jack drove, Lucy decided the short drive was not nearly long enough to let the fact sink in.

Finn was home.

After five years, Lucy felt she would finally get her best friend back. Rylan was a good friend to her, but nothing could fill that place in her heart the way Finn had. For years, she felt a part of herself was missing. Lucy, Jack, Finn, and Rylan had been inseparable since the day they all met in a Mommy and Me class when they were four.

The last five years, Lucy had been living with an emptiness in her heart. She had only heard from Finn a few times a year since he left. Most of her information came from Rylan. She began imagining what kind of man Finn had become.

Lucy jumped when Rylan tapped on her window. Lucy slowly composed herself and got out of the vehicle where a long overdue hug greeted her.

Rylan was a slim sandy blonde with deep brown eyes. It was helpful to Lucy that she didn’t look at all like Finn, being adopted. It didn’t hurt so much to look at her.

“Ry. Just tell me. Is it true?”

She let go of Lucy just long enough to let her close the door. Then Rylan laced her arm with Lucy’s as they started walking from the parking lot.

“Yes. He’s in the office getting his schedule right now.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lucy smacked Rylan’s hand. “I know he’s been back at least a couple of days, and I talked to you last night.”

“I just wanted you to be surprised, but now I’m thinking it might have not been such a good idea. He’s changed...I mean a lot.”

“What do you mean by a lot?”

Lucy was sure he was much taller, his body a little more defined. Lucy thought if he looked anything like his father, she wouldn’t mind.

She knew his eyes wouldn’t have changed. That beautiful, deep cerulean blue she had always loved.

“He’s barely said three words since he’s been home. Mom did Christmas up big, being his first time home in like forever. He hardly cracked a smile when Mom gave him a new laptop. She said he’d need it for school since his one from Two Roads got destroyed somehow on the flight home. If he’s not playing his guitar or blowing that damn sax, he has those ear buds in and is either eating or sleeping. Yes, he has the freaking things in even when he’s sleeping.”

Lucy felt how torn Rylan must have been feeling. Happy to have Finn home, but sad that she felt he was broken somehow.

“What do you think happened?” They walked through the front doors of the school and into the commons area.

“I have no idea. Dad got a call from the principal telling him how Finn wasn’t going to class. When Dad finally got him to talk about it, he just begged to come home.”

“He only had one semester left. What could have been so bad?”

Lucy never imagined Finn having any trouble at school. He was always brilliant in every subject. He even had a full-ride waiting for him at UCLA. Lucy had a little trouble herself in calculus. Since her study buddy had been gone for so long, she had turned to Dave Walters her freshman year. Their study sessions slowly turned into a two-year relationship that went back to just study sessions by the middle of their junior year. Dave never really got over Lucy’s rejection and became slightly obsessed with trying to make her jealous. He failed miserably.

When Lucy saw her future, it was always just her and Finn. Their parents had always said what a cute couple they were and how they’d have gorgeous kids someday. That was when they were six. Lucy wondered if there was any way that could actually happen.

“There he is.” Rylan released Lucy’s arm only to lace their fingers together.

Lucy looked up and saw hardly any of the boy she once knew, walking toward her. The Finn before her was all man. He was much taller—at least six foot three. He had that same messy hairstyle that Jack had, except it was a milk chocolate brown with scattered strands of blond peeking through. His long-sleeved, black, t-shirt clung to his torso, accentuating the outline of his lean six-pack abs. His dark jeans hung low on his v-shaped hips where he had a blue, plaid, flannel shirt tied around them. He was adjusting a black leather backpack on his shoulder and stuffing his iPod in his pocket when he finally stopped in front of the girls.

“You get your schedule okay?” asked Rylan as Lucy released her hand and met Finn’s eyes.

“Hey, Finn.” His eyes were still the same brilliant shade of blue. Something was missing, though. No sparkle. They were hollowed and tired. If he hadn’t been squinting, Lucy might not have ever known that there was someone alive behind them.

It took Finn a moment to recognize the person standing next to his sister. At about five foot eight, she was just a bit taller than Rylan. She appeared slim under the several layers of winter clothing she wore. Faded blue jeans hugged her thighs perfectly. A navy t-shirt peeked out from underneath her waist-length, black, down jacket. The waves of auburn silk cascaded down her back and in front of her shoulders. The eyes that were somewhere between blue and gray tugged at his memory. Then he looked down and saw a pair of chunky black boots on her feet. He knew it had to be her. What stood before him was not his twelve-year-old girlfriend, but a gorgeous seventeen-year-old woman.

“Lucy?” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he attempted to swallow the dryness in his throat.

“Yep.” She bit her lower lip, her international signal for a vague attempt at flirting. Unfortunately, Rylan picked up on it and tried to move things along.

“Come on, Finn. Don’t be rude. Give your old friend a hug.” Rylan pushed the two of them together.

Lucy slipped her arms around his waist as his hands rested on her back. It seemed like forever to Lucy, but she finally felt his hands clasp behind her and pull her in closer. A familiar comfort invaded her senses as he finally relaxed into her.

“Lucy,” Finn whispered as she felt his nose rubbing through her hair.

She lifted her head so her lips were dangerously close to his ear. “I’m glad you’re home.” She left a soft kiss on his jaw.

She felt the light scruff on his jaw scratch along her cheek as he spoke. “It’s good to know someone missed me.”

The bell signaling five minutes until first period rang. Finn released Lucy and adjusted the strap at his shoulder as she nervously ran her fingers through her hair.

Rylan grabbed Finn’s class schedule as he was pulling it out.

“It looks like we won’t see you this morning. Oh, but you’ve got calc with me after lunch, then you’re in Lucy’s English class.”

“Great!” Lucy was suddenly excited that they would have at least one class together.

“Can you find your first class?”

Finn held up the map of the school that came with his class schedule.

“‘Kay. Lucy and I will see you later then.” Rylan gave Finn a pat on the stomach as she pulled Lucy away and down the hall.

Once they were around the corner, Rylan began her interrogation.

“So, what did he say?”

“He just said he was glad that someone missed him.” Lucy could feel the heat rise to her cheeks as she remembered the feeling of his breath against her cheek.

“That’s more than I got out of him. Who knows? You might be the one to bring him back to us, Lucy Butler.”

The rest of the day went agonizingly slow. Lucy finally made her way to English where she found Finn waiting outside for her. She felt his hand on the small of her back as she made her way through the door. Finn let out a deep sigh when he realized he had to pull his hand away.

“Miss Butler, since you seem to be acquainted with Mr. O’Malley, would you mind sharing your copy of the book for today’s lecture?”

“Sure.”