A Beautiful Lie
Chapter 1
Boston, MA
5 January 1994
Matt’s House
11:45pm
Matt kissed his girlfriend softly on the cheek and went to turn the music down. Everyone shouted their disapproval when Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway To Heaven’ cut out, but the protests turned to cheers as Matt stepped up onto a wooden chair in front of him. He shouted for quiet and slowly the babble faded.
“Firstly,” Matt said loudly, “thanks everyone for coming. I’m not gonna bore you all with a speech or anything, don’t worry. I just wanted to say, you’re all awesome, and this is the best f*cking birthday EVER!”
The crowd in the small back yard roared their agreement as Matt jumped down and the music started blasting again.
Matt’s three best friends, Tomo, Shannon, and Shannon’s brother Jared, all ran through the mass of bodies towards him, thumping him on the back and jumping on him.
“This party’s f*cking awesome!” Tomo shouted above all the noise.
“Yea, I wish my eighteenth was this good,” yelled Jared, taking a long swig of beer. Everyone at the party was drinking, even the minors. “When are your parents getting back?”
“About midday,” Matt said, accepting the bottle Shannon offered. “Don’t worry, they’ll have no idea.”
Jared’s girlfriend, Tamara and Tomo’s girlfriend, Celia, joined the group of boys. Tamara let Jared slide a long arm around her waist, then told the group, “My mum’s gonna be here soon, she said twelve. Celia’s coming with me, she’s gonna sleep over at my place tonight.”
“Ok then,” said Jared. “Do you wanna go inside and we can get your stuff?”
“Can you get mine too?” Celia asked. Tomo was standing behind the short brunette, arms around her skinny frame and his chin resting on her shoulder.
“Yep,” Jared answered, and followed Tamara through the frenzy and into the living room.
Against the wall were everyone’s bags, and Tamara started in the direction of her backpack, but Jared gently pulled her back, out of the view of everyone outside. He gazed into her radiant green eyes, and ran his fingers through her smooth, shiny red hair, before leaning forward and gently touching her lips with his own. Soon, they were passionately kissing, Tamara’s fingers tangled in Jared’s long black hair, Jared’s arms wrapped tightly around her. After a while Jared pulled away, saying, “We’d better go back out, or they’ll come looking for us.” He leant over and whispered into her ear, “I love you.”
Tamara smiled and whispered back, “I love you too.”
“Where have you two been? It can’t have taken that long to get the bags.” Matt looked at Jared and Tamara, a grin forming on his lips.
“Yea, I forgot where I put my bag, it took a while to find it,” Tamara replied innocently. Jared had to marvel at her talent for lying.
Still, Matt wasn’t convinced. “Of course you did,” he said sarcastically. Jared punched his arm jokingly, and then looked around as he saw Tomo and Celia walking back into the yard through the side gate. He suspected that he and Tamara weren’t the only ones to have wanted some privacy.
“Hey Tam, we’ve gotta go, your mum’s here,” Celia called.
After Tamara and Celia had left, Jared’s good friend Dominic found him in amongst everyone else at the party, dancing to A-ha’s ‘Take On Me’.
“Hey Dom.”
“Hey, I’ve gotta go, man. My folks will kill me if I’m not back soon.” As Dominic was the designated driver in their group, if he had to leave the others had to go with him.
Jared sighed, “Fine.” The two of them rounded up Tomo, Shannon, and Shannon’s girlfriend Penelope, and then they all said their goodbyes and made for Dom’s car, which was parked down the street.
When they reached the old yellow station wagon, Dom turned to his friends with a slightly guilty look on his face. “Guys,” he said slowly, “just so you know, I kind of forgot that I was designated driver tonight, and…”
“You’re pissed.” Jared rolled his eyes and scratched his head. “Great. This is just f*cking great. Ok, do we have enough money for a cab?” There was a frantic rustling as bags, wallets and pockets were checked for spare change. Only a few dollars were found between them.
“I didn’t drink that much.” Dom looked around anxiously. They all seemed to come to the same conclusion simultaneously.
“Well, come on then,” Shannon sighed, opening the back door and letting Penelope into the car first before jumping in himself. Tomo followed Shannon into the back and closed the door, Jared took the front passenger seat and Dom got behind the wheel. The engine spluttered into life and they were off, driving away into the night.
5 January 1994
Matt’s House
11:45pm
Matt kissed his girlfriend softly on the cheek and went to turn the music down. Everyone shouted their disapproval when Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway To Heaven’ cut out, but the protests turned to cheers as Matt stepped up onto a wooden chair in front of him. He shouted for quiet and slowly the babble faded.
“Firstly,” Matt said loudly, “thanks everyone for coming. I’m not gonna bore you all with a speech or anything, don’t worry. I just wanted to say, you’re all awesome, and this is the best f*cking birthday EVER!”
The crowd in the small back yard roared their agreement as Matt jumped down and the music started blasting again.
Matt’s three best friends, Tomo, Shannon, and Shannon’s brother Jared, all ran through the mass of bodies towards him, thumping him on the back and jumping on him.
“This party’s f*cking awesome!” Tomo shouted above all the noise.
“Yea, I wish my eighteenth was this good,” yelled Jared, taking a long swig of beer. Everyone at the party was drinking, even the minors. “When are your parents getting back?”
“About midday,” Matt said, accepting the bottle Shannon offered. “Don’t worry, they’ll have no idea.”
Jared’s girlfriend, Tamara and Tomo’s girlfriend, Celia, joined the group of boys. Tamara let Jared slide a long arm around her waist, then told the group, “My mum’s gonna be here soon, she said twelve. Celia’s coming with me, she’s gonna sleep over at my place tonight.”
“Ok then,” said Jared. “Do you wanna go inside and we can get your stuff?”
“Can you get mine too?” Celia asked. Tomo was standing behind the short brunette, arms around her skinny frame and his chin resting on her shoulder.
“Yep,” Jared answered, and followed Tamara through the frenzy and into the living room.
Against the wall were everyone’s bags, and Tamara started in the direction of her backpack, but Jared gently pulled her back, out of the view of everyone outside. He gazed into her radiant green eyes, and ran his fingers through her smooth, shiny red hair, before leaning forward and gently touching her lips with his own. Soon, they were passionately kissing, Tamara’s fingers tangled in Jared’s long black hair, Jared’s arms wrapped tightly around her. After a while Jared pulled away, saying, “We’d better go back out, or they’ll come looking for us.” He leant over and whispered into her ear, “I love you.”
Tamara smiled and whispered back, “I love you too.”
“Where have you two been? It can’t have taken that long to get the bags.” Matt looked at Jared and Tamara, a grin forming on his lips.
“Yea, I forgot where I put my bag, it took a while to find it,” Tamara replied innocently. Jared had to marvel at her talent for lying.
Still, Matt wasn’t convinced. “Of course you did,” he said sarcastically. Jared punched his arm jokingly, and then looked around as he saw Tomo and Celia walking back into the yard through the side gate. He suspected that he and Tamara weren’t the only ones to have wanted some privacy.
“Hey Tam, we’ve gotta go, your mum’s here,” Celia called.
After Tamara and Celia had left, Jared’s good friend Dominic found him in amongst everyone else at the party, dancing to A-ha’s ‘Take On Me’.
“Hey Dom.”
“Hey, I’ve gotta go, man. My folks will kill me if I’m not back soon.” As Dominic was the designated driver in their group, if he had to leave the others had to go with him.
Jared sighed, “Fine.” The two of them rounded up Tomo, Shannon, and Shannon’s girlfriend Penelope, and then they all said their goodbyes and made for Dom’s car, which was parked down the street.
When they reached the old yellow station wagon, Dom turned to his friends with a slightly guilty look on his face. “Guys,” he said slowly, “just so you know, I kind of forgot that I was designated driver tonight, and…”
“You’re pissed.” Jared rolled his eyes and scratched his head. “Great. This is just f*cking great. Ok, do we have enough money for a cab?” There was a frantic rustling as bags, wallets and pockets were checked for spare change. Only a few dollars were found between them.
“I didn’t drink that much.” Dom looked around anxiously. They all seemed to come to the same conclusion simultaneously.
“Well, come on then,” Shannon sighed, opening the back door and letting Penelope into the car first before jumping in himself. Tomo followed Shannon into the back and closed the door, Jared took the front passenger seat and Dom got behind the wheel. The engine spluttered into life and they were off, driving away into the night.