Deception

"Will you be fine? Should I come along to explain?" Matt asked while gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"I don't think it is an ideal time for self introductions. And I had been a bother to you since last night, I don't want to impose on you anymore."

"It's not a big deal and I am pretty sure you would have done the same if it was me last night instead of you. Most importantly, I am not a stranger to you, I am your senior. I have a responsibility towards my juniors as a senior."

"Thank you senior for last night and for the lift. I am sorry that I couldn't invite you for breakfast but I will invite you next time." I unbuckled myself from the seat and opened the car door to step out.

"See you tomorrow, Junior." Matt said while switching the ignition on.

"See you tomorrow, Seniorrrr." I held on the door, bending over to look at him face to face. I smiled at him before closing the door. He waved at me before driving past me.

"Who was he?" A voice called me out from behind.

"My senior. Why did you pop out in my house early morning?" I said to John who was looking at the corner where Matt just drove off.

"I had to, even though I was unwilling. My mom sent me here to look out for your mother whom you left without giving a heads-up."

"Ah!"

"What Ah? Where the hell did you go and why was your phone switched off? Do you even realize how tensed we were? Your dad was going to file a missing report in the police station."

"You didn't have to go so far..." I said feeling a bit guilty.

"Really?" He scoffed.

"Fine, fine. Will you do all the talking at the door? Let me eat something first."

"Still hungry after vanishing in thin air last night?"

"Stop with those snarky comments. Will you?"

"Emmy you came! Where did you go last night? John let her come inside first, it's going to rain soon." My mom called me in before John could say anything else.

I was invited inside the courtroom as my parents were judge and John was the prosecutor. I sat on the chair placed on the podium, waiting for my verdict. My lawyer and witness just drove off. This verdict won't be on my favor, that I am sure off.

A bowl of soup was provided to me. I think it's going to be the last meal I will ever have. They kept an eye on me whenever I brought the spoon in my mouth. They were waiting for me to explain but none showed the eagerness. I took my own leisure time to delay the explanations and to save myself to get an earful. But, how long could I drag? When I picked up the spoon for the last time, John grabbed the bowl and kept it aside.

"Now will you speak, Emmy?" John said, while my parents folded their arms to listen.

What on earth did I offend God to get a best friend like him? A devil in reincarnation.

"Where shall I start?" I looked above the ceiling and pretended to be in deep thoughts, but actually my mind was still in haze and I don't remember anything clearly. A few pieces from Matt's theory and a few from my own memory.

"From the time when you sneaked outside the house." John exclaimed.

Darn that devil.

"Yeah.. let's start from that part. I was feeling a bit stuffy inside so I thought of taking a short walk…"

"By going out from the backdoor of the house?" John cut me mid sentence.

"Will it hurt to keep your damn mouth shut for a while, John?" I suggested.

"Explain then, properly." He huffed.

"I was feeling a bit stuffy so I went for a short walk but you guys were in the hall room and I didn't want to interrupt you guys so I casually went through the backdoors, but while I was walking I met my Senior who is also my study partner and a local here, and we talked for a while and decided to grab a drink. I got drunk and he didn't know my address so he took me to a hotel and allowed me to stay there. I woke up this morning and I found out how low my alcohol tolerance have become." I said this all in one breath.

I don't know what shocked them more, my rate of speech or my staying in a hotel room with a guy whole night. Probably the later.

"So you were with a guy whole night."

"The guy you are talking about is my highly respected Senior. He is such a caring senior. I puked on his shirt but he didn't throw me away. If it were John, he would have just thrown me outside the window and yelled at me for ruining his shirt. And most importantly, he didn't take advantage on my drunken state, he even gave me a lift back home. He even wanted to explain things on my behalf but I stopped him." Honey dripping from my mouth was helping as I could see my mother getting moved by my description about the senior. John is likely to be as suspicious as my father who isn't going to be swayed so easily.

"That doesn't make you less wrong, young lady." My dad said.

"That's right." John jumped into agreement.

So much for helping, dear John.

After much negotiation and repeating do's and dont's , my parents finally gave their verdict.

"No going out for fun and no alcohol for 1 month." Both of them said.

And that's how I got myself into trouble, my dear friends.

Later, that evening I and John packed our bags to go back to our condo. Our classes were due tomorrow so we decided to go back in the evening. John helped me with my bags while I was wishing our parents goodbye.

"We are going to miss you both." His parents sobbed.

"You were the ones who asked us to move out, remember?" John said.

"It's good for both of you. You need to explore out of the protective bubble of your parents."

"Then, why am I grounded? I was exploring too." I frowned.

"That isn't exploring, honey. That's misuse of freedom. You know how tensed we were?" My mother explained.

I nodded. John's mother looked at me with a keen interest and a grin on her face. I smiled back, not sure of her reaction.

"So...", she questioned, "was he just your senior and nothing else?"

"My study partner too." I answered.

"And anything else?"

"Such as?" I asked still confused as to where her train of thoughts are moving.

"You know, like boyfriend, crush, seeing each other, dating, not official yet, I don't know but he makes my heart flutter- like these?"

I was shocked hearing so many options from her. Is it just my imagination, or she is getting way too fast with the trends?

"Who's gonna date a girl like her, Mom?" laughed John.

"Shut up John. Our Emmy has all the qualities of being an ideal partner." Aunt replied.

"Mom, you need to check your eyesight." John chuckled.

I swear I wanted to punch that mouth of his, but I reminded myself to keep calm. I chose this guy to fall in love and this idiot still take me as a child. I need to keep calm and not get affected by his comments.

"John, I think you need to check your eyesight. Just because you can't see, doesn't mean the whole world is blind." I replied, "and Aunt, Matt is just my senior and nothing else. If there is something, you will be the first to know, I promise."

"And me?" My mom asked.

"You too."

After all that talk and giving final goodbyes, I sat next to the driver's seat. John closed the door after waving back to his parents and put on the seatbelt.

"Are we ready?"

"Yes, we are."

The car passed by our house but then after some distance he pulled over.

"What's wrong?" I asked, looking around if we got a flat tire or something.

"Nothing, just want to say goodbye to someone."

"Who?" before he could answer, his head was already outside the glass window. He was greeting someone who was standing next to his door. I bend over to look at the person he was talking to. And there I saw my nightmare, Leo.

"What the F@@K?"

"Oh, hey Emmy! I heard you went a little wild last night. Not often could we see a drunk Emmy." Leo grinned.

The audacity of this creep to greet me. But why is he here and why is John talking with him? Aren't they over? And how did he know my whereabouts? Did he stalk me again?

"What's going on, John? Care to explain?" I said completely ignoring Leo.

"Well, Emmy, I wanted to tell you last night but you disappeared suddenly. Actually, Leo heard about our university and so he decided to transfer to our college next week." John explained.

One night am out and so many things happen behind my back. This airhead doesn't even realize that Leo has been trying to come between us from the very beginning. Why are people so blind in love? What did he actually see, to fall for this guy? It's good that they have broken up or else he would have ruined our lives with his art of deceiving.

"Yes, I will be joining you two from next week." Leo concluded.

"Finally got the marks to get admission in our college, Leo?" I replied. I could see his smile dropping with my remark and I seriously loved it.

"That's mean, Emmy." John sided with Leo.

"Whose side are you John? Remember this guy cheated on you?" I shouted.

"Of course, I remember. But he has changed and it was all in the past. We need to move on Emmy. We need to forgive people. He feels guilty and that's enough for one's punishment." John rebuked.

"Forgive, not forget ones doing, John." I reproached.

"Okay, that's enough now. You guys should head back home. John don't scream at your best friend for me, I seriously don't like that. And Emmy, let's start over again."

John nodded while looking at me. I was angry at him. I turned my head to avoid looking at them. John sighed, and with a final goodbye, he drove off the place. The entire drive was in silence. We didn't speak to each other for the whole drive. I fidgeted with my phone and looked over various posts and all. John focused on the road and we both were giving each other the cold shoulder.

The seeds of discomfort sown by Leo, were silently rooting inside our hearts. This silence was the warning bell for the upcoming storm in our way.