LIARS

No one forgets the truth; they just get better at lying.

– Patrick Ness

I walked out of the chapel, chest tight as I said my last goodbye to my best friend, Eli.

His mother called for me, but I didn’t look back. If I stayed long enough, I’d find myself crying at the realization that today was the last time I was ever going to see his face.

Yet, a minute hasn’t even passed, and I have already forgotten.

What did your smile look like?

Your laugh, how did it sound like?

The day before you died, our conversation was quiet. It was too quiet, but I never questioned it. You told me your college plans and the organizations you were excited to join. You told me you were looking forward to attending parties that we never really dared to try back in high school.

You told me you’d miss me…

And I laughed.

“Why?” I had asked him. “We could call each other. I’d message you every day.”

“You promise?” he asked back, eyes staring at the ground as we sat on the hood of my car.

“Of course,” I had answered. “I promise.”

And then your mother called the next day.

And then she was crying.

And then you were gone.

And then…

And then…

And then…

DAVID

I didn’t have time to change my clothes.

I climbed up the treehouse—our secret place—and knocked to a tune to signal you that it was me waiting outside.

You were no longer there when I opened the door. There were comic books, candy wrappers, and a notebook you never showed me, but there were no signs of you.

I felt suffocated. Even after I removed my necktie, I still couldn’t breathe. It was never quiet here, even when you said nothing. Your presence was loud enough. It was always enough. And I should have told you that when I had the chance.

I sat on the floor, the same spot you always took. You said it was your spot because the light coming from the window shone perfectly on the comics you used to read. I hate how you were right.

“Eli,” I called, expecting your answer. “Why did you lie to me?”

I hold onto my tears, clutching my chest. You were the crybaby between us. You always knew how to express your hurt, so why? Why did you leave? Why didn’t you tell me anything the night we were together?

I could have stopped you.

Me.

I could have.

I should have.

But it’s impossible now, isn’t it?

“You lied,” I said to myself because I’m the only one who could hear my voice now.

I picked up your comics, and then at the notebook you never let me see. You would have hated me for this, but that no longer mattered. You weren’t here to hate me.

I opened your notebook, expecting to see doodles you used to draw on mine.

But it wasn’t doodles.

It was words.

Your words.

Words I probably heard but never fully listened to.

Words I was ready to understand now.

ENTRY 1

May 25

David accidentally fell down the stairs after graduation. It was hilarious!

He was always clumsy, but today he was extra stupid.

Rebecca finally spoke to him after the ceremony because she learned they were attending the same university. He was smiling like an idiot.

He’s such an IDIOT.

I heard her friends say they wanted to invite him to her graduation after-party, but they were hesitant because they didn’t want me to come.

David is always with Elijah. He’ll definitely bring him to the party. That’s what they said.

David had been in love with Rebecca since the 5th grade. I should tell him that I’m busy tomorrow. If she ends up asking him to go to the party, he wouldn’t have a reason to tag me along.

I’m so nice.

I’m SOOOOOOOO nice.

E.

ENTRY 2

MAY 26

David went to the stupid party without me.

I know I said I wanted him to go. And I told him I was busy. But I didn’t expect him to actually go without me.

HE’S SUCH AN IDIOT! 

The certified clown,

Elijah.

ENTRY 3

MAY 28

Dad saw me crying in my room and checked on me. I told him I was upset about David, and he laughed, saying David had a life of his own and I shouldn’t be upset about petty things.

He told me I should stop acting like a girl.

I told him I wasn’t acting like a girl.

I told him I was gay.

Dad got up and slammed the door.

ENTRY 4

6/4

Dad got mad at me again for what happened yesterday. I didn’t mean to forget about the cake, but he was making such a big deal out of it.

He’s not supposed to blame me for it, anyway. Why does Jessica need a birthday party when she’s only five months old? They probably don’t even remember that my birthday’s next week.

Last year, they definitely didn’t.

Dad was busy at work. Mom was busy with Jessica.

I hate them.

     I HATE THEM

I HATE THEM.

I HATE THEM

ENTRY 5

June 11

David said he bought me a cake!

He actually remembered!

I knew he wouldn’t let me down. David was always the person I could count on.

He told me he planned something for us. He said it was a surprise.

I can’t wait!

E.

ENTRY 6

June 12th

David is an idiot.

He promised we’d go out yesterday. He said he planned something for my birthday, but he didn’t show up. He said Rebecca got hurt after her volleyball practice and called him. He said he couldn’t leave her until her parents came to pick her up.

When did they even get close???

He said that when Mr. and Mrs. Benning came, they insisted on taking him out for dinner to thank him for taking care of their daughter.

He said he couldn’t leave.

He said we could celebrate next time.

He said

He said

He said.

ENTRY 7

One last summer before college starts.

I can’t wait to…

|| The rest of the entry is torn off ||

ENTRY 8

JUNE 21

I haven’t talked to David for days now. He hasn’t called me yet.

I haven’t told him about Mom and Dad. They’ve been fighting more, and I think Dad almost tried hitting Mom. I had to take care of Jessica because Mom stormed out the other night, and Dad didn’t want to hold her since she was crying too much.

After the fight, my aunt went by yesterday and told me that they were planning to file for divorce, and since I was turning 18, I didn’t have to worry about choosing who I wanted to stay with.

She also told me that they couldn’t afford college anymore because of the split. I had to figure that out myself now.

I already told everyone that I’m leaving by the end of this month to check on the campus. What do I tell them now? I’m going to be a laughing stock.

I want to talk to David.

I know he wouldn’t laugh at me.

I’m sure of it.

The son of now divorced parents,

E.

ENTRY 9

6 – 27

David finally called. He apologized and told me he’d been busy. He told me that he and Rebecca are together now. I told him I was happy for him. I told him that they’re meant for each other. I told him about the divorce.

He ended the call.

ENTRY 10

July 9

Mom took Jessica to stay at Grandma’s house.

I was left to stay with my dad.

Dad told me he was giving me till next year. Once I turned 18, I had to leave.

David called.

I didn’t answer him.

ENTRY 11

JULY 11

David was in front of my house when I woke up.

We went to the treehouse and talked. I told him everything, and David said he was sorry.

He didn’t need to apologize, though. He had nothing to do with it.

But I lied about college. I couldn’t tell him that I wasn’t going anymore. We’ve been talking about it since we were kids. At least when he leaves, he wouldn’t have to worry.

He stayed for a while until Rebecca called, asking him to pick her up since her shift at the pet shop ended. I told him to go.

And he did.

ELIJAH.

ENTRY 12

Why does it feel so suffocating?

My body feels heavy.

I find myself staring at nothing.

When I look in the mirror, I don’t recognize myself. It’s always quiet, but my head is filled with so much noise that I couldn’t think. But when I’m alone, and when there’s nothing to distract me, my thoughts lead me to places that I shouldn’t. They lead me to possibilities that scare me more than they should.

I feel lost, and there’s no one I can ask for directions to.

Each moment, every second I take a breath, I feel my life getting taken away from me. I wonder when it’s going to feel normal again. I hope it goes back to the days when I feel like myself again. I pray that when I open my eyes, I don’t feel miserable again.

But nothing changes.

My sighs grow heavier. My heart aches unimaginably.

I let the tears fall, but it only empties my already hollow body.

I can’t breathe.

I feel so lonely.

I’m scared of being alone.

ENTRY 13

July 19

David is leaving next week with Rebecca.

He called and told me he wanted to hang out, so I agreed.

He picked me up, and we bought burgers. We stayed at the parking lot and talked, and I told him I was excited that we were one step closer to our dreams. He was going to be an engineer, and I was going to be a journalist.

I told him I was excited for the future.

I told him I was going to miss him.

He laughed.

I told him I liked him.

Rebecca called.

And then I was alone again.

E.

ENTRY 14

I shouldn’t have lied to David that I was busy that day. I should have gone to the party with him.

I shouldn’t have forgotten about the cake.

I should have told my mom that I wanted to go with her. I shouldn’t have told my dad I was gay.

I should have told David I liked him more clearly. I should have made sure that he heard me.

I shouldn’t have been alone.

But I am.

MILES

I stayed around till the funeral was over.

I’ve only known Elijah for a year, but I wanted to say goodbye for one last time.

I was a transferee, and I got partnered with Elijah for a Science project. As soon as I sat beside him, he apologized and said he wasn’t going to be much of a help. He sucked at science and hated dissecting frogs, which was funny because the project had nothing to do with animals.

He was quiet most of the time, but when I saw him with David, he had the brightest smile I’ve ever seen.

It was cute.

And I was jealous.

He doesn’t smile at me like that.

After getting partnered with him, Elijah asked me if I wanted to continue the project at their house. I agreed, and we stayed in his room.

Elijah liked a lot of things. He liked reading comic books. He liked watching horror movies, but was too afraid to watch them with two eyes open. And he liked writing. He was obsessed with it. He said he wanted to be a journalist, and I believed him because I couldn’t see him being anything else.

David came to visit that day, too. And I had to leave.

After the project, we got a C+

I thought he was going to be mad, but he ended up laughing, saying we both sucked at science after all. The sound of his laughter and the dimples that appeared when he smiled made the unrequited love worth it.

We had no other reason to meet with each other, so that day, I wanted to confess to him.

I wanted to tell him that I liked him, but David appeared again, and Elijah smiled again. And I knew right then that the smile he showed me was always different whenever he was with him.

I knew Elijah liked David.

I’ve known since the beginning.

I knew David knew it, too.

And I’ve also known that since the beginning.

I think David just assumed he was a good liar.

He wasn’t.

REBECCA

He’s cute.

That’s what I thought when I saw David.

I haven’t noticed him before—I was always busy with school and volleyball. But when my friend Dana said we were going to the same university, I took the chance to talk to him. I didn’t want to go to college by myself, and David looked like the friendly type.

Dana told me that I should ask him to go to the party I was planning after graduation so I could get to know him better. I agreed, and David asked if he could bring his friend, Elijah.

I knew Elijah. He was the quiet one in class.

I didn’t really mind him tagging with David, as long as David was coming. But the night at the party, David told me he couldn’t make it because Elijah was busy. I furrowed my brows at the answer. Why would he care if Elijah was busy? I only invited him, after all.

At the party, Dana said David liked me, and I should call him again.

I called him again and told him I wanted him at the party, and David finally agreed to go.

He stayed only for a while, but I got to know him enough.

David liked playing basketball.

He was good at math, too, which was why he wanted to become an engineer.

He liked going out.

He liked long drives.

He hated horror movies.

He’s cute.

During summer break, I took every chance to be with him. He was fun to be around, and he had a way of making me laugh. He took good care of me, too. Liking him was inevitable.

When I confessed my feelings, the answer was obvious. Dana told me he liked me too, so there was no way he’d reject me.

He didn’t. 

And I was relieved.

We started dating.

I got to know him better during our dates, and that’s when I realized something that I should have known before.

He liked going out…with Elijah.

He liked long drives…with Elijah.

He hated horror movies…but Elijah liked them.

He liked Elijah .

He wouldn’t stop talking about him. It was the only thing he really talked about when we were together. After a while, I got fed up and confronted him. I asked him if he was gay, and David laughed, saying I was being ridiculous.

David is such a liar.

We were leaving for college next week.

So I broke up with him.

INTERVIEW

KEI :

Hello, this is Kei, a junior editor of Polaris High School’s Newspaper club. Elijah has been my mentor, and his loss has devastated us all. I know how much this club meant to him, so to celebrate his life, I want to ask people who Elijah was for them.

|Transition|

KEI : What can you say about Elijah?

FINNICK : I don’t know much about Elijah, but he’s always with David. I think you should ask him instead.

KEI : But weren’t you classmates with him for two years?

FINNICK : We never talked.

|Abrupt cut|

MILES : Elijah had so much to say, and I think he was able to do that when he was in this club. He always knew how to listen to others, too, and he never judged anyone because of their identity or anything like that. He’s kind. He’s funny. He could have ruled the world.

It’s really heartbreaking.

I…I don’t…

KEI : You don’t have to continue.

MILES : Are you going to put this in the paper?

KEI : We could cut your part out if you want.

MILES : No, it’s fine. Keep it.

|Transition|

KEI : I’ve been trying to find David, but I couldn’t. It would be great to hear from a best friend, but I think it might not be a good idea either. After all, this is a bit of a sensitive topic for him.

CAMERAMAN : Then we should stop now.

KEI : You think?

CAMERAMAN : How many have we interviewed now?

KEI : Seven, and two of those can’t be used. I should talk to the other teachers and ask them about Elijah. I’m sure they have more to say about him.

|Interview ends|

HERBERT

Elijah told me he was gay.

I’ve known that for a while now.

David was a friend he had in kindergarten. They were inseparable, and I saw nothing wrong with it. He was like his brother. David took care of Elijah, which I appreciated because Elijah was a quiet kid. I didn’t have to worry about him anymore.

And maybe I should have.

When Elijah told me he was gay, I tried to ignore the fact. I pretended like I didn’t hear what he said and moved on. He was still young. He was going to meet new people, and find someone he could spend his life with.

I wanted him to have no regrets.

I wanted him to be normal.

That was all I was asking for.

DAVID

“I like you,” Eli had told me the night I was supposed to tell him about my breakup with Rebecca.

I heard him.

That night, I heard him.

But when the words were laid out loud, my heart almost dropped. Fear consumed me more than it should, and the only thing I could do was pretend that Rebecca called. It was my only way to escape the situation.

I’m not gay.

I didn’t even know Elijah was gay.

I had no idea he liked me.

So when he confessed to me, I couldn’t find the right words to say. I didn’t know how to react.

But if I had just known that that was going to be the last time I was ever going to see him, then maybe I should have listened to what he was about to say. Maybe I should have given him a chance to explain.

“David,” someone called, and I dropped the notebook.

My vision blurred, but I kept the tears in. When I looked out the window, I found Miles waiting for me outside. He was still in his suit. The funeral must have ended.

“So this is where you’ve been hiding,” he said as I climbed down the ladder.

“What are you doing here?”

“Mrs. Patricia was looking for you. She already went home with your siblings,” he answered.

I avoided eye contact, looking at my feet instead as Miles walked closer. “Did you find Elijah there?” he asked, the question suddenly triggering something in me. Before I could stop myself, I grabbed Miles by the collar and slammed him against the tree.

Miles didn’t react. Instead, he stared at me knowingly.

“Do you regret it now, David?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Bullshit.”

I gritted my teeth and pushed Miles harder.

“You don’t know my relationship with Elijah,” I told him, and Miles scoffed.

“I don’t? I think you’re the one who doesn’t know, David.”

My knuckles itched. I wanted to throw a punch, but I couldn’t.

I let Miles go.

Miles shoved me off him, and his expression changed.

“You’re a real one, aren’t you, David?” he said, his anger growing. “You were beside him all the time. He followed you around. He trusted you. He smiled at you…”

I took a step back as I watched a tear fall from his eyes.

“He fucking smiles at you, David. Do you know how jealous I was? You took that for granted. I wanted him to look at me like that, but he never did. He only gave that version of him to you, and you turned away. You lied.”

“I didn’t—”

“And you know why you lied? You lied because you’re a coward. You didn’t know what to do with his feelings, but you were too scared of letting him leave you. You’re a coward, and you’re selfish. If it wasn’t for you, Elijah would still be…” his words trailed off, hands trembling.

“He would still be alive, David,” he cried, and I cried with him.

I didn’t lie.

I would never lie to Elijah.

He was my best friend. He understood me before anyone else could. Why would I lie to him? That’s not what I did. I would never hurt him.

“You’re a liar,” Miles’s voice echoed.

“I’m not,” I told him.

And then I ran, afraid to look back and see the face Miles would have made if I did.

JAIME

Herbert has been coming home late for the past week.

Ever since I had Jessica, he had been distant.

I never wanted another kid—Elijah was perfect. He smiled when I called him. He laughed when I made jokes. He hugged me every morning. He looked like Herbert.

Herbert was the love of my life. I quit everything for him because I wanted to make sure he had no complaints about our marriage. After all, his mother already didn’t like me. I had to prove to them that I was the perfect choice.

But then he started getting mad at Elijah. I don’t know why, but he became strict. Critical. Every move Elijah made was open for him to judge.

I thought he was getting tired of us, so I suggested we make another. Elijah was leaving for college, and maybe having a child would brighten up the house.

He agreed.

We had Jessica.

I…

I didn’t know having her would cost me another.

Maybe I should have paid more attention.

Elijah smiled when I called him. He laughed when I made jokes. He hugged me every morning. Nothing was wrong with him.

But when Herbert asked me for a divorce, I couldn’t bring him with me.

He smiled when I called him. He laughed when I made jokes. He hugged me every morning…He looked like Herbert.

He looked exactly like Herbert.

Maybe I should have paid more attention.

MRS. WILSON

Miles was blushing every time he sat next to Elijah. Elijah was always with David, so for a Science project, I made Miles and Elijah partners instead.

Elijah needed to mingle with others, and Miles obviously had a crush on him.

Youth is beautiful.

Whenever we had to work on the project, I used to pay extra attention to them. Elijah was the quiet one. Miles was the transferee who openly admitted he was gay during his introduction. The entire class erupted in laughter when he told them the truth.

Elijah didn’t.

When my eyes fell on him, I saw him holding his tears back. I knew instantly what those meant, but I didn’t want to meddle. They’re kids. They’re supposed to discover themselves by themselves.

Elijah was a sweet kid. I’m just sad he and Miles never grew closer.

Miles kept his distance.

I hope he didn’t.

I don’t remember anything else about them. But I do remember one other thing when Miles introduced himself to the class and told everyone he was gay.

David was laughing, too.

And maybe that was the reason why Elijah looked utterly devastated.

MILES

I watched as David ran.

He’s still a coward, but that’s nothing new.

I didn’t come here to find something I’ve already discovered long ago.

“ I left you something at our treehouse.“ That was the message Elijah left me before he died.

I looked up at the treehouse and held my chest. With trembling hands, I climbed and got inside.

It was a mess, but it was perfect. I could imagine Elijah sitting there, reading the same comics he used to talk about whenever we were together. All I could do now is imagine. I wasn’t allowed to come here without David’s permission. He always seemed protective of it.

“There’s a box under a pile of pillows. You won’t miss it.”

I found the box just as Elijah instructed. It was a shoebox, and it was lighter than I expected. When I opened it, I was surprised to find a letter.

I stared at it a little longer than I should have.

It was folded four times. And on the front were the words: To my lab partner

I stared at the words again.

And again.

And again.

And how I wished there was a reason for me not to read this.

Because it meant that these would be the last words you’ve given me before you decided to leave forever.

LETTER

To my lab partner,

“Hi, I’m Miles. I transferred here because my dad had to move us for his work. I like baseball. I like watching it more than playing it. I kinda like studying. And I’m gay. Nice to meet you all.”

I remember every word of your introduction like a record I constantly played in my head.

You have no idea how jealous I am of you.

How could you be so brave?

I think you know what I’m talking about. I’m sure you’ve figured it out before anyone else.

I don’t want to be sentimental. I just wanted to thank you for being there when I needed someone. I think we could have been great friends. I should have invited you out more, but I didn’t want you to think I was using you to spite David.

David’s not good at showing his emotions. He’s always been like that when we were kids.

When you see him, can you tell him that I’m fine now and I want him to be happy with Rebecca? I don’t have the heart to write to him. I’m too much of a coward. I’m not like you.

I wish I were like you.

The guy scared of frogs,

Elijah.

PS: When you get partnered with someone else in the future, I hope he smiles at you the way you hope I did. I’m sorry, Miles. For being selfish. I’m sorry.

MILES

I crumpled the letter.

And left the treehouse.

DAVID

I stood in front of Rebecca’s house.

After a couple of knocks, she opened the door, surprised to find me standing there, eyes bloodshot after crying so much.

“David? What the hell are you doing here?” she asked, and I said nothing and grabbed her.

She stiffened, but then she wrapped her arms around me and patted my back.

“Come on. Let’s go to my room.”

We walked up to her bedroom. I’ve been there a total of three times during the summer break. The first time was during her party. The second time was when we had sex. The third time was when she broke up with me.

“Is the funeral over?” she asked as I sat on the edge of her bed.

I didn’t answer, and Rebecca sighed, sitting beside me.

The two of us said nothing for a while until Rebecca could no longer hold it in.

“What are you doing here, David?”

“Do you think I was in love with Elijah?” I asked, lifting my head to look at her.

She wasn’t surprised by the question. That reaction alone answered what I needed to know.

“What are you really doing here, David?” she asked me again.

“I’m not gay, Rebecca,” I told her instead.

Rebecca said nothing for a while, but then she grabbed my arm and forced me to stand. “Out,” she demanded as she started pushing me out of her room. “Get the fuck out!” she yelled this time, tears suddenly forming in her eyes.

“I’m fucking sorry for him. I pity him so much!”

“What the hell are you saying?!”

“You’re a bastard, David. You could have just admitted it. You could have just admitted it instead of constantly denying what everyone else already knew. You should have told him the truth,” she said, her strength leaving her. I turned back and embraced her, and Rebecca started beating my chest, sobbing.

“I didn’t lie,” I tried to tell her.

“No, you didn’t,” she said as she calmed down.

She wiped her tears away and shook her head in disappointment.

“You never do. And that’s the problem.”

ELIJAH

I stare at my reflection, my eyes empty and lifeless.

No one is home. Not my dad. Not my mom. Not Jessica.

My body is numb, and I no longer feel the pain that’s been trapping me in the cage I’ve locked myself in.

I look down and find my saving grace. The sharpness did not scare me. It did not intimidate me. Not anymore.

I reach out to it until the phone in my pocket buzzes.

I read the message.

It’s David.

“I’m glad we finally talked,” he wrote. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

I stare at my phone and type my reply.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I lied.

LIE

I didn’t attend the burial ceremony.

I couldn’t.

I locked myself in my room until I fell asleep. Mom had to wake me the next day to tell me that I had to get my things ready. I almost forgot that I was supposed to leave for college. Back then, that felt like a huge step I was excited to take. Now, it felt like a choice I was forced to make.

Elijah was gone, and everyone and everything seemed to go back to normal.

My best friend died, and all they were worried about was if I packed everything I needed.

Was I supposed to move on now?

Or maybe they didn’t want me to be associated with someone who killed himself?

They couldn’t stomach it.

It’s a topic no one really wants to talk about, especially when it actually happens. It’s easy to brush it off when they’re spoken. Reality is far more tragic.

“Hey, David, breakfast is ready,” my brother said as he opened the door to my room, watching as I sat on my bed in a daze.

“You haven’t even changed your clothes,” he added, staring for a few more seconds before disappearing.

When I finally got the strength to move, I walked down the stairs and found everyone in the dining room. Dad was reading his newspaper as usual. Mom was making his coffee. My brother, Luke, was already munching on his cereal while my youngest sister, Elizabeth, was busy putting on makeup for school.

“Oh, David, you haven’t even changed your clothes yet?” Mom said, looking at me worried as she placed Dad’s mug in front of him.

Dad slightly lowered the newspaper to look at me, but he said nothing. I knew he didn’t want to deal with whatever it was I was going through.

“Gosh, you stink, David,” Elizabeth complained.

“Elizabeth, be sensitive,” Mom scolded her, but Elizabeth acted indifferent.

“Alright, have some breakfast first and then wash up.” Mom pulled my chair out for me, and I took a seat.

All of us sat at the table and had breakfast. However, I stared at my plate and refused to move.

I could hear kids playing outside. I could hear Luke and Elizabeth arguing. Mom was telling Dad to put the newspaper down, but he wouldn’t listen. Our neighbor’s dog started barking again. The television plays in the background. Noise. Chaos.

I slammed my hands on the table.

Everything instantly got quiet.

“David?” Mom looked at me, surprised.

A tear dropped on my plate.

“Honey, are you okay?” she asked, reaching out to my hand, but I pushed her away.

“Elijah is dead,” I reminded them. “We just attended his funeral yesterday. The soil that buried his coffin is probably still wet. Have you all forgotten?”

“David, what has gotten into you?” Dad finally put his newspaper down. “We know that you two were close, but life moves on. You’re going to college next week. You can go ahead and grieve and cry, but at the end of the day, you need to know how to man up for once.”

“Man…up?”

I wiped the tears on my cheek and looked straight at my father.

Everyone held their breath.

My heart began to race.

“How long have you known?” I asked him, and Dad furrowed his brows, not understanding the question.

“What are you talking about?”

I clenched my fist. “How long have you known that I was in love with Elijah?”

The moment the question landed, Mom gasped and covered her mouth in shock. Luke stared at me, eyes and mouth agape. Elizabeth even dropped her spoon.

“Have you lost your mind?” Father asked as he slowly got up from his seat, his face fuming in anger.

“I’m gay, aren’t I?” I continued to ask. “Aren’t I?”

No one answered. But then father reached out and hit my cheek so hard it almost knocked me off my seat.

“Hector!” Mom shouted, pushing Dad away and rushing to my side to hold me. “What have you done?!”

My ears began to ring as my siblings stared in horror. My chest rises and falls, my heart aching more than the place where my father’s punch had landed. Mom was saying something to me, but I could no longer hear her.

My vision darkened, and I gasped for breath.

When I blinked, I was back to the night when I last saw you. You sat beside me on the hood of my car. I could feel your warmth. I could smell the shampoo you always used. And I saw the dimples on your cheek as you smiled at the thought of the future we were both excited to have.

And then you told me you missed me.

And I laughed.

And then you told me you liked me.

And then…

And then…

And then…

FROM AUTHOR

Hello readers,

Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈

Liars Don’t Lie is my official entry for this year’s Pride Awards. It’s been a while since I’ve written for contests or events, so I thought creating one this year would be extra special.

I’ve always been a part of the LGBTQ+ community. I grew up surrounded by members of the community, especially my uncle, who raised my two sisters and me (Happy Father’s Day, Uncle!). And even now, I work in a salon with amazing, beautiful, and talented people who I grew up with from when I was a literal baby. 

Throughout my years as a BL writer, I’ve read countless messages from readers who felt seen with the characters and worlds I’ve created. That alone has made this writing journey worth it. And that’s one of the reasons why I continue to write.

Liars Don’t Lie is a short story I wrote in five hours in a coffee shop. This wasn’t the first story I was supposed to submit for the Pride Awards. I had an entirely different story planned out, and I  actually had three chapters already drafted. However, while I was lying in bed during my day off, this story suddenly came to me out of nowhere. So, the writer in me scrapped the first story, went to a coffee shop by myself, and wrote this as if my life depended on it.

The theme given to us was love is love. You might be confused about how that translates to the story, right? Especially since it seems so tragic.

But that’s what I want my readers to know. This isn’t a tragic story. This is a book with characters who hurt deeply because they loved deeply. I don’t want to give a full analysis with this book because that’s for the reader’s interpretation, but I want to leave you with one last question before I end this…

“Who really is the liar in the story?” 

That sounds like a simple question, doesn’t it? But believe me, it’s not.

Liars Don’t Lie is a story for members of the community who never had the chance to explore their identities and were too afraid to find out who they really were, so they chose what everyone deemed normal.

It’s for those who are afraid to love deeply, and also for those who love openly.

This is a book for everyone. 

I hope you enjoyed it till the end.

This has been your author,

N 💙