little white lie

*havent really reached the pinnacle of spinning out of control - more the theme of a little white lie eating away at the main character*

“Ki, cmon,” He pinned her to the ground, laughing as she struggled to push back.

“Get off Lou,” She rolled her eyes and pushed against him, “Why do you need to know?”

“You can’t tell me there’s somebody whose caught your eye and not say who it is,” Louis chuckled, “You never tell me these things.”

“This is why,” She groaned.

“Fine,” He stopped trying to wrestle her and sat back, “Who is it?”

“You’re such a child,” Kiara stuck her tongue out at him, “Still no.”

“Cmon Ki,” He pleaded, “I’m gonna eat your ice-cream.”

“Don’t you dare,” She crossed her arms and sighed. 

He grinned like a kid in a candy shop.

“Fine,” She huffed. One little lie won’t hurt, she thought. She’ll say she’s over this random person in a week and Louis would be none the wiser. Honestly.

“This guy in my behavioural psych class, happy?” Kiara got to her feet and plopped down onto the couch.

“No name,” Louis raised an eyebrow.

She glared at him.

"Cmon give me something more," He chuckled and got to his feet from the floor.

“You don’t deserve to know anything,” She grumbled.

“Okay, okay,” He laughed and sat down next to her, “I’ll get it out of you later.”

Kiara once again, rolled her eyes but let herself sink into the couch as they resumed watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Louis leaned on her as they watched and she internally heaved, hoping he would stop asking about this mystery guy. If only he could figure out the answer himself.

They weren’t inseparable like the many boy girl best friends you read about. In fact, they both had plenty of friends but there was something comforting about their friendship. She would rather hang with Louis and watch TV then go shopping with Leah. And he would skip rugby practice whenever she would ring (she never rung, so if she did it = emergency). They had each other’s backs. From the first college party they met, they clicked. Peas in a pod. Salt and pepper. Peanut butter and jelly. 

Kiara had been glad to have a new guy friend, having been missing all her mates from home. Louis, well he was friends with everyone. Not popular, not a nerd, just a nice guy who could never say no. Friendly to everyone. They’d known each other for coming up 3 years and the new feelings Kiara was feeling terrified her. For the past 2 years, he had held back her hair as she vomited after too much tequila at a dinner party, she brought him cherry Garcia after a good or bad basketball game (so every game), he knew if she wasn't replying to him or anyone that she would be at a certain corner of the beach, looking at the waves in silence. She was there when his sister got sick and through the treatment and remission scares, he held her hand when her mum left and let her sob till her tears ran dry. She fit in as one of the boys – minus all the flirting from Louis’s other friends and joined their game nights and drinking weekends. They fit so well as friends. She never expected this crush to creep upon her.

She could remember when she realised. They’d been having a movie night with a bunch of their friends, she’d been wrapped up in Louis arms after he stopped throwing popcorn at her head. All their friends were laughing, and making jokes about how they seemed cosier than normal friends. Louis has shot back at them, laughing it off. And everyone knew he had his eye on the red head from Alabamas basketball program.

She knew it wasn't mutual. He probably thought of her as another sister, family. She knew she had too much lose. It wasn’t worth it. Risking, jeopardizing  their friendship. A little white lie couldn’t hurt. She would get over it. She had too.

Kiara thought Louis had dropped it, forgotten it as the week went by. She had been glad to hear no jokes or questions about this fictional guy in her psychology class. That was until he showed up in her behavioural psychology class.

“What are you doing here?” She hissed through gritted teeth as Louis plonked down beside her.

“Came to see your gazing at Ki,” He winked and sat back, “Might learn some psychology while I’m at it.”

Shit, she thought. 

“Cmon Ki,” He whispered as the lecturer began to talk, “Who am I looking for?”

She shook her head at him and raised her finger to her mouth, signalling to him to shut up.

He rolled his eyes and sank back, gazing around the room.

Kiara gritted her teeth and tried, really truly tried to focus on the lecture slide but her thoughts were unravelling like a spool of wool. She started blankly at her empty notes page, the cursor key flashing at her. The hour rolled by slowly, every lecture slide dragging out as she glared at Lou. She sucked at lying but she was not prepared to tell him the truth.

“Ki, the lectures over,” Louis said stretching his arms out, “Quick, before they leave.”

“They’re not here,” She said flatly.

He groaned, “You mean I sat through that for nothing.”

Kiara packed up her bag, ignoring him.

“Ki, don’t be mad,” He stood up as she swung her bag onto her shoulder, “I just want you to be happy.”

“I’d be happy if you didn’t come to my class,” Kiara said, deadpan before moving down the lecture aisle.

“I won’t do it again,” Louis was hot on heels, “Honestly, Ki. I was just trying to have some fun.”

“Fine,” She said, not even turning back, “I have to go to a meeting.” 

Louis frowned, “What about lunch?”

“I packed it,” She said shortly and slipped out the door of the lecture theatre, leaving him behind.

Louis sighed. There was no point following her.