Little Bit of Truth

Awkward was a word that Eliza always sought to rid from her daily vocabulary. If a moment appeared to be awkward, Eliza would devise a method to make it, at the very least, enjoyable. Dinner with Helen was awkward. Eliza had a gut feeling that the fork in Helen’s hand would soon find its way onto some part of Eliza. Noah sat beside Eliza, oblivious to the livid red-head sitting diagonally from his pretend girlfriend.

Helen did not like Eliza. What did she have that Helen did not? Helen was taller, prettier, and not American. Yet, Noah was with Eliza and not Helen. Well, in Helen’s mind that was a mere slip in conscience on Noah’s part, nothing a little convincing could not cure. She sat there, thinking of ways to get her Noah back.

Eliza did not like Helen. Something about her reminded her of Elena Marshall and that was a problem. While Helen thought of ways to get rid of the American pest, Eliza thought of ways to anger Helen. She reached for Noah’s hand underneath the table and brought their laced fingers to the top of the table for all to see, well Helen was the only one Eliza thought of.

Nonetheless, the pairs laced fingers caught the eyes of people that were not Helen, including Rose.

“Noah, why don’t you introduce us to your friend?” Helen’s mother Claire asked.

“This is Eliza. She’s my girlfriend.”

“Oh dear, you two look so good together. Eliza dear, you are stunning. It’s a surprise you have the patience for someone like Noah.” Claire gushed. Claire always treated Noah like the son she never had.

“Well, my mother always said patience was a virtue.” Eliza said.

“Did your mother ever tell you to drink milk? I’ve heard it does wonders for the vertically challenged.” Helen said with venom.

“That was not a very nice thing to say.” Eliza said with mock innocence and hurt.

“Apologize to Eliza.” Claire said to her own daughter.

“No, it is quite alright. She need not be forced to say anything she does not mean. I would not want her to feel uncomfortable.” Eliza said with the faintest smile.

Noah turned to Eliza with a look of incredulity painted onto his face. Since when was Eliza nice to those that were mean to her? If this had been Noah, Eliza would have surely bitten his head off by now. Eliza merely continued to look at Helen and Claire while she gave Noah’s hand a light squeeze.

Quite suddenly, it dawned on Noah. Eliza was a smart girl who would never do something so out of character unless there was an underlying benefit to it. What was the benefit in taking Helen’s remarks with wide-eyes? It was making Helen look bad amongst a variety of guests while Eliza looked like the innocent lass who was being mistreated.

Noah smiled to himself as he once again thought of how amazing this girl was. However, Noah did not know Eliza. He was merely infatuated with the Eliza he had met over their past few encounters. He made a note to himself to ask her to hang out with him some day. He wanted to know the mysterious Eliza Barnes that had walked into their lives and changed everything.

Following dinner, Eliza insisted on helping Rose clean up and Claire volunteered Helen to do the same so it should have been no surprise when the two girls ended up alone in the kitchen with the air so thick with tension that it could be sliced with a knife.

Eliza tiptoed to Helen and whispered “Did you appreciate being known as the bitch among the dinner guests?”

Helen turned around to glare at a smirking Eliza. “You horrid bitch! Noah is mine. I want you to stay away from him.” She spat.

“What you want if of no importance to me. Noah is yours? Really?” Eliza said pretending to ponder the notion for a moment. “I’m quite sure it wasn’t your name he was moaning in bed last night. So, I think you should get the silly idea of Noah being “yours” out of your head.”

“You… you…” Helen sputtered.

“Whore? Strumpet? Slag, as you English people say? I quite like slag actually.” Eliza sarcastically said.

Eliza locked eyes with Helen and said in a calm, low voice “Noah and I are together. We love each other, a great deal, mind you. I suggest you stay away from the two of us or it’ll be more than your reputation among a few guests that you’ll have to worry about.”

Helen let out a cry of frustration before throwing the fine china in her hands onto the floor.

“Tut, tut Helen. Now Rose will be quite upset with you. Look what you’ve gone and done.”

As those words left Eliza’s mouth Rose and Claire and a Mrs. Riley rushed into the kitchen.

“What on earth is going on here?” Rose exclaimed.

“I apologize, Rose. It’s my fault. I walked up to Helen and startled her and she dropped the dishes. I’ll pay for another set, after all, it is my fault.”

“It’s fine Eliza dear. Not a problem. “

“No need to lie. That was fine china, Rose. I’ll pay for another set. Where do you keep your broom? Allow me to sweep up the mess we have made.”

Rose and Claire and Mrs. Riley watched the American girl with awe while Helen seethed quietly. She was too prefect. She was polite, pretty, intelligent and well-mannered. Was there anything that could have been wrong with this girl? If only the older women knew of Eliza’s past. If only…

At eleven at night, Noah drove Eliza home. While they wound through the roads of London, Noah thought of ways to ask Eliza out. She would surely say no to a proper date so what could be said? As he parked in front of her flat, he turned to her.

“Thank you. You were a lot more convincing than I thought you would be.”

“Well, ye of little faith, I am quite a talented actress, aren’t I?”

“Very actually. Even my own mother thinks we’re together.”

“I don’t like lying to your mother.”

“It’s not lying per se, more like evading the truth.”

“I’m quite sure that falls under lying Noah.”

The two of them laughed and before Noah could stop himself, he heard the words coming out of his mouth.

“Do you want to just go out sometime?”

“What?”

“Well, you’ve been in London for so long and I’m sure Ivy has only taken you shopping. Perhaps I could show you around. Think of it as my thank you.”

“You’re coming to my brother’s wedding. That’s enough of a thank you.”

“Well, I want to show you around town. So I’ll see you in two days bright and early. Be ready to be a proper tourist for a day.”

“Good night Noah.” Eliza said as she exited the car shaking her head.

Noah drove home thinking of the brown-haired girl and of how excited he was for their day together. Monday could not come any sooner.