Crooked Young
Stirring Lies
KARINA’S POV
"Are you dating Owen?"
"Wait, oh my god! It’s you?"
"Oh, you’re dating Sullivan, right?"
Folding my arms, I scooted my seat closer to the desk and hunched over it, blocking everyone out. When people asked a question, I would reply, but I wasn’t being particularly warm about it. I was angry that Owen had told people I was his girlfriend, when I wasn’t, and how he didn’t even confront me about it. In fact, he didn’t confront me about anything. I hadn’t seen him at all that day.
Mr Carbonell, a random substitute teacher who had been drafted in to watch over our English class, shot me a warning glare from his spot at the front of the class. Curling round the desk more, I scratched at it with my pen until I’d carved the word ‘LIAR’. It wasn’t an attempt to be poetic or anything, I just needed a way to let out my anger.
Hearing the two girls behind me whisper about how ugly someone named ‘Charlotte’ looked, I stabbed my pen into the table and tried to ignore them. Despite my efforts, their whiny voices stung my ears relentlessly.
"Did you see her hair?"
"She’ll never get a boyfriend, I can’t believe she thought she had a chance with him."
"And that lipstick. I mean, seriously?"
"She’s not going to last the night at Sophie’s."
"Sir," I blurted, my hand shooting up. "May I be excused to the restroom?"
Mr Carbonell nodded briskly, holding the hall pass up in the air. I rose from my seat, finally escaping the awful bubble of gossip I’d accidentally been sucked into, and prayed for poor Charlotte as I grabbed the hall pass and exited the room.
Walking down the empty hall, I decided to take a little detour and walk off my anger. I wanted to scream at Owen, but I couldn’t. I guess he was right in avoiding me, because I felt as though I was on the verge of exploding since I arrived at school.
That day, the world seemed particularly horrid. Everything was more annoying, and it seemed as though everyone's flaws were tacked to their heads in Comic Sans. I just wanted to break free: to spend a day alone and not have to care about anything.
Feeling my phone buzz in my pocket, I pulled it out to see that I had one new text from an unknown number.
Why are you wandering about? - T
Assuming that it was Tony, and that he had finally decided text me, I felt a slight ping of excitement. I saved his number into my contacts - biting my lips as my thumbs anxiously danced over the keyboard.
To: Tony
Why not?
He replied almost instantly.
From: Tony
Turn around, asshole.
Stopping dead in my tracks, I locked my phone and then spun around, the deserted hall staring back at me. If the hall had a face, it would be laughing at me right now.
All of a sudden, a hand came round me from behind, covering my mouth. I squealed in shock, trying to fight the person off. Another hand came round, this time far more gently, and an arm moved around the front of my body, pulling me closer to the person.
"Did I scare you?" Whispered Tony in a deep voice.
Almost fainting from relief, and that fact I was so tightly wrapped in his embrace, I exhaled. He removed his hand, giggling to himself, and let me go.
"You little shit!" I whispered, pinging him in the chest.
"I seen you walking this way and couldn’t resist," he explained. His eyes moved down my body, stopping at the hall pass partially bent around my phone. "Ohh, did someone tell a lie to get out of class?"
"At least that’s all I lie about," I grumbled, clenching my fist and crumpling the pass even more.
"Owen?" He questioned, sincerity clear in his voice. I could do nothing more than nod, for I feared that I’d snap at Tony if I let my words run loose. “It’ll blow over in a few days,” he said in a soft tone, eyes welcoming and comforting. When I didn’t answer, he looked down at his shoes, making his long brown eyelashes more obvious.
"I better head back," I said, breaking the silence. Tony’s eyes lifted again, and they locked with mine almost instantly. Something about the way he looked at me made it seem as though he wanted to rewind, and for the moment that had now past to come rushing back. But it doesn’t work that way, I thought.
"Yeah," he nodded, scratching the back of his neck. "I’ll see you around."
I repeated his words, backing away and waving with a shy smile. Tony just broke out in one of his adorable goofy grins as he walked off, turning away and flicking his hair to the side. I smiled inwardly and rushed back to class.
"So what’s the deal?" Asked Elise, popping a grape in her mouth. "Who is this ‘TP’ guy?"
"He goes to our school," pointed out Meg, a rather proud smile on her face. I swore under my breathe for letting her get that information out of me.
Taking a sip of my milkshake, I glanced around the cafe, trying to escape the conversation. Elise knew exactly what I was doing, which resulted in my shin getting a rough beating under the table.
"Please just tell us, we won’t do anything crazy," Meg promised, waving her clasped hands on front of me. Laughing, I pushed her back.
"Okay, fine. But just- Just don’t tell anyone, okay?" The both hummed in agreement. "It’s, um, it’s Tony Perry.”
There was a moment of silence.
"Is that the guy with the facial piercing?"
"I heard he had a tattoo done illegally."
"Is he the guy, Kat?"
"I’m not sure about the tattoo thing, considering I’ve seen half of his body and there was no tattoo in sight, but yeah. It’s him."
There was another moment of silence.
"Oh God, I’m so fucking stupid," I moaned, burying my face in my hands. The girls told me I wasn’t, but that it was called a ‘crush’ for a reason, and that I should remember that. “He doesn’t even date,” I mumbled into my palms.
"Maybe he’ll change his mind for you," said Elise in a suggestive manor, causing me to smile against my skin. I dropped my hands, sighing, and shook my head at her.
Taking another sip of my milkshake, I fought the image of Tony in my head. I can’t fall for him. He is just a distraction. He’ll get bored of me quickly. He’ll leave me. I can’t fall for him.
”You know what?” Elise exclaimed, slapping her hands down on the table. “Fuck him, we’ll find you a much hotter guy.”
I forced a smile, but the the truth was, I really didn’t want another guy.
TONY’S POV
Lifting Lucia on to the counter, I kissed her forehead before turning my attention to the packet of noodles on front of me. I’d already fed everyone - Lucia, Bertie and the dogs - so now it was time to make my own dinner.
"Tony’s making noodles, Tony’s making noodles!" Lucia sang in her sweet little voice, swaying from side to side. I let a smile come across my face as I ripped open the packet and dropped the block of noodles into the pan filled with boiling water.
As I prodded the noodles, I let my mind wander back to Karina. My stirring quickly became more vigorous as I thought about Owen, and how he lied, and how much of an asshole he was, and how much I hated him for-
"You know in school today we made a poster out of macaroni and I made your guitar because Mrs Andrews said to make it about something we love and I love you so much and you love the guitar so I do too. And you know what else?"
I rushed to fathom her splurge of words, raising my eyebrows at her as I poked the noodles with a wooden spoon. She tucked some hair behind her ear, batting her massive eyelashes at me.
"I told Mrs Andrews that you were going to be famous one day but she doesn’t believe but I know you will be because you are the best at the guitar and you are the best magician-"
"Musician, you mean?" I chortled, biting the tip of my tongue as I looked at her.
In true Lucia fashion, she let out a loud giggle. I pecked her cheek before lifting the pan off the hob. Lucia hummed a tune, most likely from one of the songs she sang at the school assembly, and watched the fan whirl around as I drained the noodles. I poured them into a bowl, adding a little seasoning, and then grabbed a spoon.
"Come on," I strained, sliding her off the worktop and resting her on my left hip, the hot bowl in my other hand.
Walking into the living room, I let Lucia slide down my side and plop on to the couch. I sat down next to her, with my bowl in my lap, and began to eat my dinner to the sound of her humming.
"Tony?" She questioned in a small voice, drawing random shapes on to the couch with her little pinky finger.
"Mhmm?" I mumbled, swallowing my food.
She raised her head, looking out of the window and taking in the nice sunset. "Mikey told me about your princess."
Thankful I didn't have anything in my mouth to choke on, I repositioned myself on the couch and cleared my throat. "Um, what do you mean?"
Her head dropped, the sun casting a warm glow on her dark hair. "I'm not your princess anymore, am I? Mikey said that you found your Cinderella and that you two were going to get married and do the se-"
"Shh," I rushed. "No, no, Lucia. Don't say that word, it's very naughty."
"But do you have a new princess?" She asked, her eyes filled with hurt.
Trying to push back my smile, I shook my head fiercely. "Not at all," I ensured her sternly. "There's only room in the castle for one!"
"Are you dating Owen?"
"Wait, oh my god! It’s you?"
"Oh, you’re dating Sullivan, right?"
Folding my arms, I scooted my seat closer to the desk and hunched over it, blocking everyone out. When people asked a question, I would reply, but I wasn’t being particularly warm about it. I was angry that Owen had told people I was his girlfriend, when I wasn’t, and how he didn’t even confront me about it. In fact, he didn’t confront me about anything. I hadn’t seen him at all that day.
Mr Carbonell, a random substitute teacher who had been drafted in to watch over our English class, shot me a warning glare from his spot at the front of the class. Curling round the desk more, I scratched at it with my pen until I’d carved the word ‘LIAR’. It wasn’t an attempt to be poetic or anything, I just needed a way to let out my anger.
Hearing the two girls behind me whisper about how ugly someone named ‘Charlotte’ looked, I stabbed my pen into the table and tried to ignore them. Despite my efforts, their whiny voices stung my ears relentlessly.
"Did you see her hair?"
"She’ll never get a boyfriend, I can’t believe she thought she had a chance with him."
"And that lipstick. I mean, seriously?"
"She’s not going to last the night at Sophie’s."
"Sir," I blurted, my hand shooting up. "May I be excused to the restroom?"
Mr Carbonell nodded briskly, holding the hall pass up in the air. I rose from my seat, finally escaping the awful bubble of gossip I’d accidentally been sucked into, and prayed for poor Charlotte as I grabbed the hall pass and exited the room.
Walking down the empty hall, I decided to take a little detour and walk off my anger. I wanted to scream at Owen, but I couldn’t. I guess he was right in avoiding me, because I felt as though I was on the verge of exploding since I arrived at school.
That day, the world seemed particularly horrid. Everything was more annoying, and it seemed as though everyone's flaws were tacked to their heads in Comic Sans. I just wanted to break free: to spend a day alone and not have to care about anything.
Feeling my phone buzz in my pocket, I pulled it out to see that I had one new text from an unknown number.
Why are you wandering about? - T
Assuming that it was Tony, and that he had finally decided text me, I felt a slight ping of excitement. I saved his number into my contacts - biting my lips as my thumbs anxiously danced over the keyboard.
To: Tony
Why not?
He replied almost instantly.
From: Tony
Turn around, asshole.
Stopping dead in my tracks, I locked my phone and then spun around, the deserted hall staring back at me. If the hall had a face, it would be laughing at me right now.
All of a sudden, a hand came round me from behind, covering my mouth. I squealed in shock, trying to fight the person off. Another hand came round, this time far more gently, and an arm moved around the front of my body, pulling me closer to the person.
"Did I scare you?" Whispered Tony in a deep voice.
Almost fainting from relief, and that fact I was so tightly wrapped in his embrace, I exhaled. He removed his hand, giggling to himself, and let me go.
"You little shit!" I whispered, pinging him in the chest.
"I seen you walking this way and couldn’t resist," he explained. His eyes moved down my body, stopping at the hall pass partially bent around my phone. "Ohh, did someone tell a lie to get out of class?"
"At least that’s all I lie about," I grumbled, clenching my fist and crumpling the pass even more.
"Owen?" He questioned, sincerity clear in his voice. I could do nothing more than nod, for I feared that I’d snap at Tony if I let my words run loose. “It’ll blow over in a few days,” he said in a soft tone, eyes welcoming and comforting. When I didn’t answer, he looked down at his shoes, making his long brown eyelashes more obvious.
"I better head back," I said, breaking the silence. Tony’s eyes lifted again, and they locked with mine almost instantly. Something about the way he looked at me made it seem as though he wanted to rewind, and for the moment that had now past to come rushing back. But it doesn’t work that way, I thought.
"Yeah," he nodded, scratching the back of his neck. "I’ll see you around."
I repeated his words, backing away and waving with a shy smile. Tony just broke out in one of his adorable goofy grins as he walked off, turning away and flicking his hair to the side. I smiled inwardly and rushed back to class.
"So what’s the deal?" Asked Elise, popping a grape in her mouth. "Who is this ‘TP’ guy?"
"He goes to our school," pointed out Meg, a rather proud smile on her face. I swore under my breathe for letting her get that information out of me.
Taking a sip of my milkshake, I glanced around the cafe, trying to escape the conversation. Elise knew exactly what I was doing, which resulted in my shin getting a rough beating under the table.
"Please just tell us, we won’t do anything crazy," Meg promised, waving her clasped hands on front of me. Laughing, I pushed her back.
"Okay, fine. But just- Just don’t tell anyone, okay?" The both hummed in agreement. "It’s, um, it’s Tony Perry.”
There was a moment of silence.
"Is that the guy with the facial piercing?"
"I heard he had a tattoo done illegally."
"Is he the guy, Kat?"
"I’m not sure about the tattoo thing, considering I’ve seen half of his body and there was no tattoo in sight, but yeah. It’s him."
There was another moment of silence.
"Oh God, I’m so fucking stupid," I moaned, burying my face in my hands. The girls told me I wasn’t, but that it was called a ‘crush’ for a reason, and that I should remember that. “He doesn’t even date,” I mumbled into my palms.
"Maybe he’ll change his mind for you," said Elise in a suggestive manor, causing me to smile against my skin. I dropped my hands, sighing, and shook my head at her.
Taking another sip of my milkshake, I fought the image of Tony in my head. I can’t fall for him. He is just a distraction. He’ll get bored of me quickly. He’ll leave me. I can’t fall for him.
”You know what?” Elise exclaimed, slapping her hands down on the table. “Fuck him, we’ll find you a much hotter guy.”
I forced a smile, but the the truth was, I really didn’t want another guy.
TONY’S POV
Lifting Lucia on to the counter, I kissed her forehead before turning my attention to the packet of noodles on front of me. I’d already fed everyone - Lucia, Bertie and the dogs - so now it was time to make my own dinner.
"Tony’s making noodles, Tony’s making noodles!" Lucia sang in her sweet little voice, swaying from side to side. I let a smile come across my face as I ripped open the packet and dropped the block of noodles into the pan filled with boiling water.
As I prodded the noodles, I let my mind wander back to Karina. My stirring quickly became more vigorous as I thought about Owen, and how he lied, and how much of an asshole he was, and how much I hated him for-
"You know in school today we made a poster out of macaroni and I made your guitar because Mrs Andrews said to make it about something we love and I love you so much and you love the guitar so I do too. And you know what else?"
I rushed to fathom her splurge of words, raising my eyebrows at her as I poked the noodles with a wooden spoon. She tucked some hair behind her ear, batting her massive eyelashes at me.
"I told Mrs Andrews that you were going to be famous one day but she doesn’t believe but I know you will be because you are the best at the guitar and you are the best magician-"
"Musician, you mean?" I chortled, biting the tip of my tongue as I looked at her.
In true Lucia fashion, she let out a loud giggle. I pecked her cheek before lifting the pan off the hob. Lucia hummed a tune, most likely from one of the songs she sang at the school assembly, and watched the fan whirl around as I drained the noodles. I poured them into a bowl, adding a little seasoning, and then grabbed a spoon.
"Come on," I strained, sliding her off the worktop and resting her on my left hip, the hot bowl in my other hand.
Walking into the living room, I let Lucia slide down my side and plop on to the couch. I sat down next to her, with my bowl in my lap, and began to eat my dinner to the sound of her humming.
"Tony?" She questioned in a small voice, drawing random shapes on to the couch with her little pinky finger.
"Mhmm?" I mumbled, swallowing my food.
She raised her head, looking out of the window and taking in the nice sunset. "Mikey told me about your princess."
Thankful I didn't have anything in my mouth to choke on, I repositioned myself on the couch and cleared my throat. "Um, what do you mean?"
Her head dropped, the sun casting a warm glow on her dark hair. "I'm not your princess anymore, am I? Mikey said that you found your Cinderella and that you two were going to get married and do the se-"
"Shh," I rushed. "No, no, Lucia. Don't say that word, it's very naughty."
"But do you have a new princess?" She asked, her eyes filled with hurt.
Trying to push back my smile, I shook my head fiercely. "Not at all," I ensured her sternly. "There's only room in the castle for one!"
Notes
IM BACK. SUP. YOU. ALOHA.
so school really decided to fucking pile on the work, but i survived! (like 6 weeks until the big exams, aah).
I KNOW THIS IS A SUCKY FILLER BUT THE NXT CHAPTER IS WONDERFUL OK PLS DONT ABANDON BC THIS IS SO SHITTY.
love you all, peace out.
OMFG <3
7/6/15