White Liar by T.J. Sin

did happen.   And now my friend is in that hospital, fighting for his life all because of what,     a prank....... a freaking prank !   The best thing that you can do right now is just go home.”
          She felt like there were so many words on the tip of her tongue that she wanted to say but when she tried to open her mouth and say them, not one of them wanted to come out.   Chloe stared at his back, willing herself to speak, but still…nothing came out.  Not even a single syllable.
          “Did you hear what I said Chloe?” This time Justin yelled and did turn around to face her.   Even in the blackness of the night, she could see the clear worry in his eyes for his best friend.
          Feeling completely defeated, Chloe dropped her head and bobbled it in a nodding gesture.   “Yes.”   The one word response wasn’t much more than a squeak but she had heard him, loud and clear. And she knew that she was the last person he wanted to see right now.   Staring down at the concrete parking lot up under her feet, Chloe absently mumbled. "Yes I understand, I'm not wanted here but I had to come.  Not only for him, but for me, too."
          Unable to meet his eyes any longer, Chloe quickly spun around on her heel and headed back towards her own car.   She didn’t know where she was going just yet.  All she knew was that she didn’t want to go home and that she didn’t want to see Erica- but there was really no where else to go.  
     
          Opening the door to her car, Chloe slid in the driver’s seat and slammed it closed behind her.   The pain that she was feeling burned deep in her chest.   She hadn’t hurt this bad since the horrific incident with Craig Conner back in Greensboro.  
          Chloe just didn’t have the energy to go anywhere right now.   Leaning her head forward so that it rested on the steering wheel, she squeezed her eyes closed and did the one thing that she hadn’t done in over two years … she prayed.   She prayed long, hard and with every ounce of her very being.
     
                                                                                                                          *****************
       
       
      “Where in the hell have you been?”   Erica asked in a fierce whisper.   She had been sitting in Chloe's room for several hours now, in the dark waiting for her to return.  
          “Out!” Chloe bristled, not willing to give up anymore information than that.   Erica was the last person that she wanted to talk to right now.   If truth be told, all she really wanted was to be alone.
          Erica stood up and leaned over to cut the lamp on by the bed.   Chloe immediately raised her hand to shield her eyes from the brightness of the light.   “Don’t give me that Chloe.   You went with him, didn’t you?   You went out with Justin even after I told you what he did to me.  Even after everything he has done to you.”  
     
          Erica's face contorted into an angry scowl and if Chloe hadn’t been so drained and exhausted, she would have been more than happy to give her the argument that she was instigating.   But the fact was, she was too tired and Chloe had about all that she could handle for one night.
          Brushing by her, Chloe sat down on the edge of the bed and started removing her clothes, not caring in the least that Erica was still standing there.   Realizing that she wasn't leaving, Chloe sighed.   "Erica, it‘s three o‘clock in the morning and I‘m tired.   We will talk about this later.   Right now all I want to do is go to bed!"
          Chloe tiredly pulled off her top and blindly reached behind her to draw the covers down, settling herself between them.   She was leaning over to cut the lamp on the night stand off when Erica spoke again.  
          “I bet you even let him kiss you and touch you, too.”