Easier To Lie

It’s been a few days since Mallory and Garrett had talked. The guys could feel the tension any time they were in the same room. Pat tried to distract her and Jared would entertain her with different stories. John even apologized to her and said he didn’t mean to cause any more problems between the couple. But as for Garrett he hadn’t spoken five words to her.

Her only response was to shrug it off and give him a friendly hug to accept his apology besides it was her fault too. Although she still couldn’t figure out why Garrett was so mad, hell, he’d suggested it. She picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts.

She went past the G’s and J’s before stopping at the K’s. Mallory pressed the call button then sighed as the cell rang and rang. Finally, her brother picked up, “Hey, Mal. What’s up?”

Mal spun her keys around her fingers before rubbing her hand across her wide stomach, “Not much. Do you and Byron wanna hang out and I need some people to vent to.”

Kennedy laughed before replying, “Sure. Yeah. Byron and I are already getting lunch. You just want to come join us?”

She nodded to herself, “Yeah, In-N-Out?”

Ken replied, “Yup. Will Byr and I be getting some explanation about you and Gare?”

Mal climbed into her car and shifted her fun and started the car, “Yes, as a matter of fact. You get to my girlfriends since you two are all I have.”

He laughed and spoke in a flamboyant voice, “You got it, girl.”

She laughed loudly before reversing out of the driveway, “You do that too well. Okay I have to hang up before I crash and die.”

Ken chuckles lightly, “Alright, see ya in a few sis.”

Mallory flipped through the radio stations before settling on indie station playing Lydia; mumbling along to the lyrics. She tapped along to the rhythm and she traveled the short journey to In-N-Out. She pulled into the parking lot; next to her brother’s car.

Careful of her protruding stomach she exited the vehicle. At the same time, she thought about how she should broach the topic of Garrett and well John to her brothers. Maybe a, “Hey Ken yeah I fucked your lead singer and your bassist is pretty pissed at me.” Yeah that’d go over smooth for sure.

It wasn’t hard to spot her brothers who sat in the corner booth. They waved her over and she slide in next to Kennedy and across from Byron. They food was mostly eaten and Mal laughed as she picked a fry off Ken’s plate, “Thanks for waiting, guys.”

Byron shrugged, “You were taking too long.”

Mallory rolled her eyes, “I got here in like ten minutes, jerk.”

He mimicked her voice before taking another bite of his burger. Kennedy tossed a french-fry at him and the two younger siblings shared a laugh as Byron tried to dodge the fry after it had already hit him. After you and Kennedy composed yourselves and Byron swallowed his bite he cleared his throat, “Okay enough of this cheesy sibling movie shit. What’s up, Mal?”

Way to take things done a notch, Byr. Kennedy nodded, “Yeah, what’s been up with you and Garrett?”

Mal slowly chewed on another fry and took a sip of his drink, “Well.” She stopped then nervously drug a hand through her hair. Suddenly she blurted, “I slept with John.”

Byron choked on his next bite and Kennedy’s breath caught in his throat. They looked over at her with wide eyes and dropped jaws, “But Garrett told me to.”

The eldest brother raised an eyebrow, “Your boyfriend TOLD you to sleep with the guy you’ve already cheated on him with.”

Mal sighed, “Well not exactly like that.”

Kennedy heaved a deep breath, “Then what was it like.”

She shrugged, “Well, y’know when John and I went shopping for his mom a gift a few days. Remember? Well John kissed me and I kind of kissed back-“

Byron interrupted, “Was this before or after you fucked?”

Mal narrowed her eyes and flipped him the bird, “Before, asshole.”

Byron nodded, “Okay, so you two kissed then what?”

She picked at the placemat as she continued with her story, “Well, I mad but we talked things out. Things were settled on being just friend as long as John could control himself.”

Kennedy smirked, “Sounds like John isn’t the only one who needs controlling.”

Mal popped him in the shoulder, “God, why did I decide to tell YOU TWO this!?”

Neither brother replied so Mallory took it as a sign as to continue, “Then I decided it was only right to come clean to Garrett and I did well he was upset. But then he told me that I should just get whatever it is John and I have out my system. So, I went back to John’s house and we had sex. I’ll spare you the orgasmic details.”

The pair gagged and Kennedy placed his hands over his ears. She smiled for the first time that day and waited for the still complaining brothers to get under control, “Afterwards I realized that Garrett was the only true one for me and I was excited to tell him but after I did he was pissed that I’d slept with John even after he pretty much told me too.”

They both nodded and Kennedy broke the silence, “I understand what you’re saying, Mal. But you still slept with one his best friends and this is after you’d kissed twice before. He can’t just keep looking past it every time you fuck up. You have to understand that he does have a reason to be mad.”

As much as it was true; it wasn’t exactly what she wanted to hear, “I guess.”

Byron nodded to himself, “Yeah, maybe, you can just go see Garrett face to face and talk things out and get to an understanding.”

Kennedy’s phone rang and he answered, “Hello? Yeah, that’s me. I-. They hung up.”

She looked at him quizzically, “Who was it?”

He shook his head, “I’m not sure. They just asked if I was Mallory Trotter’s brother. Then they hung up.”

The waitress set down the check and Byron pulled out his wallet to pay the lady, “That’s strange.”

Mal nodded, “Yeah, is the number from around here?”

Kennedy shook his head and Byron bit his bottom lip, “Know what’s weird. I had an off-the-wall number call me earlier a few minutes after Ken hung up with you. Asking if Kennedy Brock was my brother.”

Fear raced down her spine but she laughed it off, “Crazy fan?”

Kennedy nodded, “It’s likely.”

Just as he spoke a text popped up on Mallory’s phone. “Better tell your family, friends, and dear old Garrett to watch out, love. Being pregnant really suits you, slut. I’ll be watching. xo”