MASQUERADES AND LIES

Ava's slap came faster th

pen, and I glared hard at Ava, who was getting up beside me, throwing the comforter away

ked her, not believing that Ava was get

I could be on a Monday so, wa

ned to give me a nasty glare, " I don't get i

eyes. Ava was

long in my mind because som

ll is it so b

va, my eyes wide, " Why t

as pulling her clothes off her body as s

from the bed, my eyes even wider than earlier, "

Ava's face as she said," Um...

ave me. I'm go

me better than anyone else, so she kne

running immediately, dashing for the

ng after her. I was her best friend so I alrea

en she woke to chance. She would always say, " It's a psychological thing, Liv. My brain already

lved me and when it involved us getting up early to go to work, but

d to teach h

Who am I

I was. She was even a faster runn

nning after her, hot on her heels. As she exited the

had to snap the door open

oom. I dashed towards the bathroom but by the time I reached the bathroom door,

the door with my fist,

ggling, " I'm

ou're always d

going to wake earlier

you would have learned that by now...Bro, just hurry up so we won't be late. We hav

can you help me with something?" Ava c

d, "What,

eft the room in a hurry

you problem," I said to Ava and w

d up for school. She was looking at me like she couldn't believe I was her e

ng." Norah said to me, a o

e that smile that showe

y raised her after our junkie mom neglected us for so

d smile, "Yeah, good morni

up late." S

o why you woke and saw I was still

not get into it

kfast yet?"

Not

work my ass off just to get a silly pay and even more silly tips, and then come back

en, I heard Norah say to Ava," I

garrrrr.." Ava

erator and noticed how em

as a damn waitress at a job that required more padding and push-up th

Norah had a room to herself. I wanted Norah to be so comfortable and never experience what I experienced at her

o one of the stools. She noticed the way I kept s

t worry, Liv. I'll hav

u're lactose

days, I'm not. Let's hope toda

job to provide for Norah and somet

I'll try to stock up

rah kicked in. I could so

ng you're gonna be real sorry for is when you get

t had barely 20 minutes now to s

d that bitch, Ava to g

ne as she said, "You know Ava is a cheetah. Sh

t-mindedly while noting in mind what we h

iam is on the front pages of magazines again. Th

was smiling broadly at the

"Li

osed to know

phone but only to give me a bewild

ctually know him. I rolled my eyes at her," And wh

He's only the hottest, riche

e not alike. I didn't care much for social media and other people'

care about what you Gen Z care about.

nnoying. Always acting like you're ol

uld be just 23 but I sure as hell wasn't 23 at heart. Norah woul

er," Yeah, I lov

called out loud

she was

er a little too tightly," Bye, love.

one by the time I go

r tightly at times," Sure will." She struggled out of my emb

that, I gave her a slo

disgust as she pushed me a

and walked a

definitely

, gues

ot the da

And

s off to a grea