Read Online Lies My Girlfriend Told Me by Julie Anne Peters - Free Book Online Page B

nothing else. I approach and she lifts her head slowly. Her face looks drained and her eyes are red.
    I slide in across from her and she hides her face again.
    This is going to be a waste if she’s not even going to talk to me. Suddenly, she twists her head so her cheek is resting on her knee and says, “When did you know?”
    Know what? Oh. “The day she… it… happened.”
    Liana’s eyelashes are wet and she wipes a tear from under one eye. Blinking up at me, she says, “Why would she tell meher name was Swanelle Delaney and that she went to Cherry Creek High?”
    I don’t want to touch that. “Why does—did—Swan do anything?”
    Liana doesn’t seem to register the remark. She looks off, out the window. “I called her Swan, too.”
    Oh, God. I fight for control over my emotions.
    “Did she even live in Greenwood Village?”
    “No,” I say. “She lived in Arvada and went to Arvada High.” My stomach rumbles and I say, “I need something to eat or drink.”
    Liana shoves her Coke across the table. “Take mine. I haven’t touched it. I’ll buy you something if you’re hungry. And pay for your gas, since I made you come.”
    “That’s okay. You didn’t make me.” It’s nice of her to offer. I don’t want her to be nice. I want her to be a stalker. And a bitch. But I do accept the Coke.
    The cold, fizzy liquid feels soothing to my dry throat as I sip from the straw. She watches me intently with her big brown eyes and says, “Joss always hated me. Swan said she was prejudiced against Mexicans. But it goes beyond prejudice to text me for two weeks and make me think Swan was still alive. That’s just cruel.”
    I choke. Set the cup down.
    I’ve never known Joss to be racially biased. She pretty much loathes people across the board.
    I open my mouth to tell Liana it was me, and I’m sorry, and I don’t know why I did it except I wasn’t in my right mind at the time.
    “I didn’t even get to say a rosary for her.” Liana swallows hard. “Did she have a service?”
    I nod. “More like a party.”
    Liana frowns. “Why would you have a party when someone passes?”
    My question exactly. “Jewell and Asher wanted to celebrate her life.”
    “Who are they?”
    Is she serious? “Swanee’s parents.”
    Her eyes widen. “You know them?”
    “Yeah. They’re cool.”
    She just looks at me. “I don’t get any of this. Swan lies about her name and where she lives and goes to school. She tells me her parents don’t know she’s gay—”
    I laugh a little. Liana’s eyes harden. “They knew,” I say. “She’s the outtest person in the world.”
    Liana’s head drops back against the seat. I swirl the straw in the Coke and look at her. She’s beautiful, even though she’s wrung out. Liana lifts her head. “It says on your Facebook profile that you were in a relationship with her.”
    I can’t hold her eyes. “I was.”
    “For how long?”
    “Since Christmas break.” I should’ve cherished every moment like it was our last. You never think… “How long were you with her?”
    Liana watches me draw Coke from her straw. “The twentieth of February would’ve been our six-month anniversary. We were planning to get married after graduation.”
    I cough and Coke comes up my nose. “Joss said she broke up with you.”
    “Joss is a liar, in case you haven’t figured that out by now.” In a murmur she adds, “A heartless liar with no soul.” She pauses. “I assume you found out about me through her. She must’ve been jumping with joy to let you know Swan was cheating on you.”
    The statement strikes me like a blow to the chest.
    I say, “It wasn’t like that. I found clues. Stuff in Swan’s room. Your poetry book and your CD. I had to drag it out of Joss.”
    “Right,” she says, like she doesn’t believe me.
    Our eyes meet again.
    Liana’s well with tears. “I can’t do this.” She slides out of the booth, racing to the exit.
    I’m paralyzed. Not only was Swanee dating