Masquerade of Lies Read Online Free PDF Page A

beach. The music began to fade and I wondered if I would ever find them. I was about to turn around when I noticed two people arguing by a couple of palm trees. I crept towards them and realized it was Brooke and Mark. Brooke stood firm and wagged a finger in Mark’s face. He grabbed her arm and his nostrils were flared. I tiptoed away and sprinted back to the bonfire before they saw me.
    About five minutes later Brooke returned and sat down next to me.
    “Where’d you go?” I asked.
    “Oh…I had to find a place to pee,” she said laughing it off.
    A few minutes later, Mark came back too. “Hey, did you miss me?”
    “Where’ve you been? You just disappeared.”
    “I went to get another drink.” I looked down at his hands and they were empty.
    “Where is it?”
    “I started shooting the shit with a buddy of mine and finished it.”
    “Oh.”
    “Is everything okay?”
    “Yeah….I guess.” Why did they lie to me?
    The next day at school, Mark caught up to me in the hall and asked me for my number. I figured he was cute and single, so I gave it to him.
    After school, I went outside to wait for my mother and ran into Brooke. She was sitting on the steps biting her nails, like she was nervous about something. As soon as she saw me she stood up. “Hey Hanna!”
    “Hey!”
    She ran her hands through her long black hair. She then looked around and came close to me so our shoulders touched. “This is going to sound totally random, but I need you to meet me tonight at the bleachers behind the school,” she said in a hushed tone.
    “Oookaay...why?”
    “I need to tell you something.”
    “Well, why don’t I just meet you at your house?”
    “My mom’s going out of town for the night, and I have to drive her to the airport. I’ll swing by the bleachers after I drop her off.”
    “Or you can just drive to my house if you want.”
    “I’d feel more comfortable if we were alone.”
    “Oh, okay. What time?”
    “About eight o’clock?”
    “Okay, I’ll be there,” I replied as my mother’s Corolla pulled up.
    ***
    I went into the living room, where my mother was watching television.
    “Uh oh,” said my mother.
    “What?”
    “You always have that look on your face when you’re about to ask me for something. So...what is it?”
    “Can I please borrow the car?”
    “Where are you going?”
    “I have to meet Brooke.”
    “I don’t know. You know what happened the last time I let you borrow the car.”
    “Mom. That was a long time ago. I wasn’t myself, but I’m better now.”  She looked at me reluctantly. “Pleeeease,” I begged with my hands folded like I was praying.
    “This isn’t about a boy, right?”
    “No! I swear!” My mom was still freaked out about the Simon thing.
    “Fine. You have two hours.” I gave her a hug and kissed her on the cheek.
    “Thanks, Mom!”
    “Just don’t make me regret my decision!” she bellowed as I grabbed the car keys off the hall table and left.
    ***
    Minutes later, I pulled into a space in the school parking lot and cut the engine. The sun had gone down, but the outside lights radiated over the lot. I could see the bleachers from where I was positioned. I pulled the keys from the ignition and got out of the car. Once outside, I locked the door remotely with a beep. The school looked so different at night. There were no teachers. No students. No cars zooming by on the road. Just me.
    The night was still, and leaves crunched under my shoes as I walked across the field. I climbed a few bleachers and sat down. I looked at my Motorola, and the time was 8:07 PM . I sent Brooke a text: I’m here. I then pressed the Facebook icon and started reading status updates while I waited for her to respond; only, she didn’t. Soon, it was 8:25 PM. I sent her another text:  where are you? I have to b home by 10. Nothing. Finally, I sent her one more text:  Where are you? I’m coming to your house.
    I jumped down the bleachers and marched to my car. Suddenly,