Hey guys! Did YOU submit a story to be posted here? This is where you can find'em! Anyways, thank you so much to Shannon (The Elf Girl) and Jorja (Rayfire) for their incredible pieces. I can't even put my gratitude to words!
THE LIAR
Julie stared at her locker with intensity. Her eyebrows crinkled, she fumbled to retrieve her science notebook, and flipped through it like a rocket. Still, nervousness climbed up her throat.
Where was it? She could vividly remember doing it last night.
She’d been at the kitchen table. The scientific formulas were practically a blur in front of her perspiring face, and she was concentrating so hard, she was afraid her brain would explode.
Then, suddenly, her little sister, Meg, plodded into the room.
“Julie!” she whined. “Mom wants you to help her carry the groceries. Hurry up! She doesn’t like waiting a long time.”
Guiltily relieved that she had an excuse to procrastinate on homework, she leaped up from the table, forgetting to yell at her sister for whining.
With a groan of realization, she remembered that homework assignment sitting-untouched- on the table. When her mother had asked her to clear the table for dinner, she had simply shoved her homework on the counter.
Julie’s head pulsed with frustration and anger.
If it hadn’t been for my stupid sister, she thought, I may have gotten my science worksheet done. And now…what can I do?
She sighed. There was nothing left to do. She’d simply have to tell Mrs. Byers that she had failed to complete her assignment. AND accept all of the consequences, whatever they may be.
A jolt of panic swept over her. Mrs. Byers only knew one punishment- and that was detention. Detentions in Mrs. Byers’s class were long and boring. They usually lasted until 5:30! And usually afterwards, Mrs. Byers liked to conference with the student AND her parents until quite over 7. It was a boring, strenuous process. That’s mainly the reason that everyone (even the rebellious, “bad” kids) avoided any trouble in class.
Julie suddenly realized that the big dance was tonight…the dance that Erik had finally asked her to. The dance that happened to be from 5:00 to 8:00.
There was no way she could tell Mrs. Byers the truth. On one hand, if she lied, she’d be guilty for ages. However, if she did tell the truth, she’d miss the dance. And no amount of guilt could be any worse than missing the dance of the year.
Just as Julie was pondering over this, her best friend Laurie came over to her locker.
“Oh hey, Jules! What’s up? How come you’re still at your locker? You’re going to be so, so late! Why are you looking in your notebook like that? Is something wrong?”
Laurie had this annoying habit of asking way too many questions at one time.
“No,” Julie lied unconvincingly. “Nothing’s wrong at all. I was just going over my notes…and I won’t be late. There’s about a minute left ‘till the bell.”
“Only a minute!” Laurie insisted. “That’s not enough time. Come on! You can study later. Why aren’t you coming? I think something is wrong. What is it?”
“Nothing is wrong,” Julie repeated.
“Whatever!” Laurie groaned. “Now let’s go.”
Hesitating slightly, Julie closed her locker and began to walk down the hall beside her friend.
“So,” began Laurie. “What did you think about the science homework last night? I got kind of stuck on the first few questions, but after that I kind of got it. I just hated the topic…I mean, like, ew! I don’t care about organs and all that icky stuff!”
“Um, yeah,” said Julie nervously. “I agree.”
“You do?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh,” said Laurie suspiciously.
“What’s the matter?”
“Oh nothing…” said Laurie. “I just feel like you don’t know what I’m talking about, like…”
A gasp escaped Laurie’s lips as realization struck her like a bullet.
“You didn’t do the homework!” she shouted accusingly.
“Yes I did,” persisted Julie. “I…just didn’t get it that much, that’s all.”
“You are a horrible liar!” Laurie told her shrilly. “Stop trying to act all innocent. You didn’t do it…and now everything will be ruined! The dance…what will you do about the dance? Erik asked you! And now, that’ll be gone for good. He’ll never ask you again if you don’t go and ditch him.”
“It’s not ditching him!” Julie cried. “It’s just…not going because of…er…other plans!”
“So you admit you did it and that you’re going to get detention?”
“Are you some kind of lawyer now?!”
“Look,” Laurie started. “If you tell Erik why you’re missing the dance, he’ll never like you. He’s a straight A student and NEVER gets in trouble. He’ll think you’re a bad person.”
“I’m not a bad person!” Julie insisted.
“I know,” Laurie agreed. “But he may think you are if you get in trouble right now. Anyway, if you don’t tell him, then he’ll think you ditched him and that’s horrible too.”
“So…what’s your conclusion?”
“My conclusion is that…well either way, it’s going to stink.”
“Wow. Real supportive!” Julie said sarcastically. “That helps so much.”
“I’m sorry!” Laurie said. “But I’m a lawyer-in-training, not a miracle worker!”
Julie groaned. Her attempt on keeping the secret from Laurie had not worked. Her best friend was right- she was a horrible liar. The question was, would she be able to lie to Mrs. Byers and pull it off?
“Wait,” Julie said slowly. “What if…I don’t get detention?”
“Of course you’re getting detention!” Laurie looked as if she thought Julie was nuts. “You didn’t do an assignment. Mrs. Byers is going to punish you.”
“Mrs. Byers couldn’t punish me if she didn’t know I forgot an assignment, could she?”
A stiff silence came between them.
“Do you mean,” said Laurie quietly, “that you’re going to….lie?”
“Of course not,” answered Julie. “I’m just not going to tell her anything. I won’t tell her I did it, and I won’t tell her I didn’t. So it won’t be like lying…it’ll just be like not saying anything or mentioning it.”
“What if she asks you, though?”
“I’ll come up with something. It’s no big deal.”
“But Julie…before, you said you didn’t want to lie, and that you weren’t going to. If she asks, coming up with something is lying. Why don’t you just tell her the truth?”
Julie groaned.
“Oh, haven’t we been through this enough, Laurie? Everything will be terrible if I tell her. It’s better not to.”
“But lying is wrong!” Laurie insisted. “It’s not right. And I can’t just let you do it…I have to tell if you don’t”
“No!” screamed Julie. “Don’t! You can’t tell Mrs. Byers. You can’t tell anyone. I don’t want this to spread around to Mrs. Byers…or even worse, Erik. Promise me you won’t say anything, or my whole plan will be ruined!”
“But Jules,” Laurie answered uncertainly. “Think about it. Do you really want to lie? Isn’t the truth so much easier? I mean, don’t you want to do the right thing?”
“Look,” Julie said impatiently. “I don’t need some kind of ‘moral behavior speech’. I know what I’m doing. Please, just promise.”
Interrupting the hurried conversation, the bell sounded throughout the hallways.
“I have to go,” Julie said quickly. “See you in science…and remember, don’t squeal!”
________________________________________________________________________
Julie sighed with exasperation as she plopped down into her chair. She had been worrying all day about science class, and as she entered the room, dread filled her whole body.
As much as she’d tried to convince herself otherwise, Julie knew that lying was never OK. She had been told that so many times…by parents, teachers, even her best friend. And yet, the temptation was pulling her towards that direction…the horrible direction everyone had instructed her never to go.
“Hey,” Erik said interrupting her thoughts. He sat beside her, smiling. “I can’t wait ‘till the dance tonight. It’s going to be so much fun. Don’t you think?
Julie almost choked. She almost rattled off, I can’t go to the dance…I’m such a loser that I forgot my homework. And if I say I forgot, then I’ll miss the dance and everything I’ve been looking forward to, but if I don’t then I’ll feel guilty beyond belief…either way I’ll still feel like a loser.
Fortunately, she caught herself, and forced a smile onto her sweaty face.
“Yeah,” she managed to sputter. “It’s going to be great. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me too,” said Erik. “I...”
He trailed off.
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
“What?” Julie blubbered nervously. “Wrong? Why would anything be wrong? Nothing’s wrong! I’m fine, great actually. And I am so excited for the dance…it’s amazing. I’ve never felt better! I feel great, just fantastic.”
Erik winced, confusion sweeping across his face.
“Oh,” was all he could manage to say.
As Mrs. Byers entered the room, Julie slumped down in her seat, her face a huge tomato. She’d almost blown her entire cover, and made herself look like a loony in front of Erik. This whole day seemed to be one of bad luck, and she could only hope that she’d make it through science.
“Julie, do you have your homework?”
Jolting up, Julie found herself staring into the eyes of Mrs. Byers. She was holding her clipboard, marking down the people who had forgotten assignments. Gulping with fear, Julie opened her mouth and said, “Yes.”
“Ok.”
And she moved on.
To everyone else, this event was simply a daily routine. But to Julie, it was a huge feat. She had managed to stare into Mrs. Byers eyes and tell…a….Julie cringed as she thought of the word. Lye. Even though it was a horrible deed, it still was an accomplishment of some kind….wasn’t it?
As these thoughts tumbled from her mind, a shout pierced the air.
“Julie!”
She heard her name and jolted back to reality. Just by glancing at Mrs. Byers’s face, she could tell that her name had been called multiple times.
“Yes, Mrs. Byers?”
“Can you please tell us what the answer to number 7 is?”
“What number 7?” Julie asked.
Please, she thought to herself. Please let me be able to stall, ‘till I can think of something.
“The number 7 on the homework, of course!” Mrs. Byers answered, her face displaying her frustration. “Pay attention, and answer my question.”
“Well, um…you see Mrs. Byers,” Julie began. “I was trying really, really hard to do that problem. And well, I just…was having a lot of trouble with it. It confused me a lot and so I just…left it blank.”
Mrs. Byers sighed with exasperation.
“Anyone who also had trouble with that problem, please raise your hand.”
Almost every student’s hand shot up, and Julie sighed with relief.
“Fine,” Mrs. Byers said. “You will be excused for that, since many other students did not complete the problem as well…I cannot penalize you alone when you were not the only one who didn’t complete it. Obviously, I must not have explained it well enough. Very well. I shall have to go over that lesson later.”
A collection of soft groans echoed throughout the room. Mrs. Byers had a tendency of doing things over and over again.
To Julie’s delight, the rest of the class went surprisingly smooth. Mrs. Byers did not call on her many times, and mostly, Julie did nothing the entire time. As the final bell rang, Julie scrambled up from her seat and darted out the door, the dread sliding off her back like water. All was perfect, until Laurie approached her.
“Julie, I can’t believe you!” Her voice was cold and hard like metal.
“What did I do?”
“You lied! You didn’t even attempt to tell the truth. You know, earlier today, I really believed you’d do the right thing. I thought you’d understand what a mistake you were making, and simply tell the truth. But I guess I was wrong. I watched you all through science and you never even looked guilty. I just can’t believe you…it’s just disgusting!”
“Chill,” Julie answered. “You make it sound like I killed someone.”
“You did!” she cried. “You killed your moral character! You went against all decency.”
“Just stop!” screamed Julie. “And to think, I thought you’d be happy for me.”
“Happy for you?” Laurie was appalled. “You thought I’d be happy that you lied to a teacher? That you didn’t do your homework, and then told Mrs. Byers that you did? That you didn’t even care? Didn’t even mind it at all? Well, if that’s what you thought, then you don’t even know me! And maybe…maybe I don’t want to know you!”
And with that, Laurie snatched the friendship bracelet Julie had given her off of her wrist and threw it on the ground. Then she fled, never looking back once at her shocked, and stunned ex BFF.
“Well fine!” Julie uttered defiantly. “I don’t care! I have plenty of friends…I don’t need you!”
Julie swallowed hard and turned away from the running girl. I don’t need her, she continued to try and convince herself, I don’t need anything from her. And I said it, straight to her face…
And then, as she began to go to her next class, she realized that what she had just said had been a lie.
________________________________________________________________________
“Honey, what are you wearing to the dance?”
Julie was thinking about the day’s events. This morning, she had been tired and groggy- but still happy nevertheless. She’d hopped on the bus and chatted with Laurie on the way to school, and then entered the building. She’d whipped through first and second periods- and then came the moment. That’s when Julie realized about her science homework, and began searching her locker.
If only Laurie hadn’t caught me looking, thought Julie. Then I wouldn’t have had to tell her, and I’d still have her friendship.
“Um, honey? I asked you something.”
“Oh! Uh…yeah?”
Her mother worriedly felt her forehead and observed her face.
“Are you feeling all right?” she asked.
Julie rolled her eyes with annoyance. Sometimes her mother overreacted way too much. And that resulted in truckloads of questions.
“I’m fine,” she said. “And I don’t know what I’m wearing to the dance. Maybe that nice yellow top that I got at the mall last week.”
Her mother nodded, and hesitantly left the room.
Julie sighed, stress filling her head. She was like a porcelain doll; at any moment she could break from pressure…the pressure of a lie. The truth was, Julie felt miserable. And she desperately hoped that the dance would make her feel more like herself.
________________________________________________________________________
“Are you having a good time?”
The loud tunes blasted from the large speakers, pulsing and surging through Julie’s aching head. The bright lights that were glaring from the ceiling, were making her sick. She eyed Laurie, off in a corner, silently sipping a Pepsi. She could tell that her friend was not comfortable at the dance…not after the whole event at school. Julie quickly forced a grin and answered Erik’s question.
“Yeah!” she exclaimed. “This dance is amazing!”
Erik’s eyes lit up as he smiled at her.
“I’m so glad!” Erik shouted above the music. “Today during science, you were acting kind of weird. I was afraid you didn’t want to go with me anymore.”
Julie gasped. Erik had thought she didn’t want to go with him? If only he had known, that the situation was quite the opposite.
“You know,” he continued with a laugh. “For a minute, I actually thought you were guilty about something…isn’t that silly?”
“Um…yeah,” Julie said nervously. “That is pretty silly.” She uttered a stiff giggle, as sweat trickled down her now pimply forehead. She suddenly felt extremely nauseous, inside. She knew that if she stuck around long enough, the terrible events of the day would come tumbling out. “I think I am going to get a glass of punch.”
Gulping, Julie made her way over to the punch bowl and approached her best friend.
“Laurie?”
Laurie’s head whipped around towards Julie. She inspected the girl for a moment.
“You,” was all she said.
“I was wrong,” Julie confessed quickly. “And now I think I am going to burst with guilt. I can’t stand looking at Erik. It makes me sick…Laurie please, help me. You’re the only one I’ve got left! I need help dealing with this. I need advice.”
“You don’t need me,” Laurie answered coldly. “You said so yourself.”
“But I was wrong!” Julie argued. “Just give me another chance…please.”
After a few moments of silence, Laurie took one more sip of her Pepsi, not knowing whether to trust the pleading girl in front of her….the girl who had lied. She knew in her heart that Julie had done wrong. But she also knew that Julie was her friend, and denying her the help she needed, made a pit form in her stomach.
“Fine,” she finally decided. “But I’m not lying for you. If I do anything, I’ll help you to confess to Mrs. Byers and Erik.”
Julie nodded hesitantly. “Ok. I agree….but how will we do it?”
“It won’t be too hard…there’s Erik!”
Erik had approached the two girls, a puzzled look overwhelming his face. He eyed Julie suspiciously.
“Um…Jules what’s taking so long?”
“Oh wait,” Laurie interrupted. “I think Julie has something to tell you.”
Erik turned to her, expectantly awaiting her confession. With a sigh that was almost like a sob, Julie softly began to speak, her throat almost clogging from the stress.
“Erik,” she began. “There’s something that’s causing me to feel stressed tonight. I mean…Erik, during science I said that I brought in my homework.”
Suddenly, the entire day came out in a collection of loud weeps.
“I lied!” she screamed. “I lied…I never did my homework! I lied! I lied! I lied!”
The other students turned to stare at the sobbing girl in the middle of the floor. She turned toward them, then began to run towards the doors.
“Jules!” her best friend called. “Wait! Where are you going?”
“I have to tell Mrs. Byers! I’ve just got to!”
Erik stared at Julie in shock and he scurried to catch up with her. She was hiccupping and gasping as she zoomed toward the science room, finally flinging open the door and racing up to the frazzled teacher.
“I lied!!!!” she sobbed. “I lied…”
Mrs. Byers allowed the girl to bury her face in her dress. Although she was a bit confused, the teacher tried to keep her cool.
“Now honey….what’s the matter? You lied about what?”
Realizing that Julie was too upset to speak, Mrs. Byers helplessly turned to Laurie and Erik.
“She didn’t bring in her homework,” Laurie explained.
Erik sighed. “Yup.”
“Oh is that what this is about?” exclaimed the teacher. “Oh honey, stop crying. It’s not that bad…why did you lie in the first place?”
With a hiccup and a small choking sound, Julie decided to speak.
“I don’t know…I didn’t want to be in trouble. I didn’t want to be bad…”
“But don’t you know?” asked the teacher. “Lying is even worse than forgetting homework!”
“I know!” she screamed. “I know that now…please! I just wanted to go to the dance…I wanted Erik to like me! Oh just, give me detention! Lock me away in a cell! I don’t care…just don’t let me carry around the guilt anymore!”
“But Julie!” Erik said. “I would have still liked you if you forgot a homework assignment…you’re a responsible, smart girl. I would have known it wasn’t that big a deal. You should have told me.”
And with that, he gave Julie a comforting hug, which was followed by a hug from Laurie.
“We all learned a lesson today,” announced Mrs. Byers. “From now on, let us all tell the truth in all situations.”
Julie wiped her eyes and stared admirably at Mrs. Byers. She now realized that her teacher was absolutely correct…lying did no good. It hurt other people, and it hurt the person telling the lie. Julie now realized that her life was worse when she lied, rather than better…and it felt so good to tell the truth. Grinning, Julie decided that a life of friends and truth was always the best way to live.
Tyrants have always reigned over the Empire. No one stopped them. Only the Rayfires dared to defy them. When Troy embarks on the greatest journey of his lifetime, he is blinded by a deadly rage; battle fire. It is battle fire that drove Troy to do what he did... a single thrust which changed his whole life.
And now, it seems that Troy is paying the price…