THE LIES THAT DEFINE US
© Copyright 2016 Micalea Smeltzer
KINDLE EDITION
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Cover design and photography by Regina Wamba at Mae I Design
Edited and Formatted by Wendi Temporado at Ready, Set, Edit
Ariella Geller is on the run from some very bad people and Liam Wade doesn’t know what he’s running from.
Freedom has been an elusive dream for Ari, but when her chance for escape comes, she takes it. She finds herself in California and forced to accept help from strangers in order to stay off the streets and avoid being found by those she ran from.
Liam Wade is sick of living in the shadow of his famous father. All he wants is to make a name for himself as a professional surfer, but it’s impossible when the media focuses on every other aspect of his life. All he wants is respect, a chance to prove himself, but when it never comes he finds himself running and hiding from the ones who love him the most.
When their paths collide Ari and Liam are forced to confront their demons, and in the process they just might find a reason to stop running.
Ari
I laid my head against the cool glass of the bus window and watched the rain slick against it. The water beaded against the glass and then slid down in little rivulets that I traced with my finger.
I wouldn’t miss the rain.
I wouldn’t miss anything about Oregon.
That place wasn’t my home. Never had been, and never would be.
With a jolt, the bus roared to life, startling me, but I relaxed a moment later when we pulled out of the station.
Freedom was so close to being mine.
I watched the people on the street as the bus pulled away. I was searching for buzzed brown hair and eerie black eyes, but he wasn’t amongst them.
He didn’t know I’d left yet.
And hopefully, by the time he did, I’d be long gone.
I adjusted my hoodie so my face was hidden from the other people on the bus and wiggled around, settling myself in for the long ride to California.
Unlike the other people on the bus, I didn’t have a cellphone to keep me company. Cellphones were traceable so I’d ditched mine. I couldn’t risk him finding me, because if he had I was certain he’d kill me. He would’ve eventually killed me if I stayed, too. My only option had been to take the risk of running away. I would have rather died on my terms than his, but if everything went according to plan, I’d be free and he’d never find me.
He called me Scarlett, but Scarlett didn’t exist.
Scarlett was a lie.
My name was Ariella, and I was reclaiming my stolen life.
Ari
I watched the sand sift through my fingers.
Some of the tiny granules clung to my hand, and I brushed them away.
I hadn’t seen the ocean in years, and I reveled in the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. I drew my knees up to my chest and hugged my arms around my legs.
I’d made it to California unscathed, but I didn’t have anything but the clothes on my back.
No money.
No food.
No place to stay.
No ID.
I was so relieved to have escaped that I couldn’t bring myself to care if I was essentially homeless. I felt like a fugitive, only it wasn’t the authorities I was running from.
It was someone much, much worse.
I knew I needed to leave the beach and try to find somewhere to stay for the night, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave.
My dark hair whipped around my shoulders from the wind blowing off the water. I pushed it away from my face and tilted my head up, inhaling the salty crisp air. I so rarely had the opportunity to smell fresh air. It was something so simple that most people took for granted.
There were a lot of things that I used to take for granted.
“Hey.”
I jumped at the sound of the female voice beside me. I’d been so lost in my thoughts I hadn’t heard her approach.
Her long dirty-blond hair whipped around her shoulders, and she had bright, clear green eyes. A few freckles were sprinkled across her nose, and her skin was bronzed from the sun.
“Are you okay?” she asked, concern ringing clear in her voice. “I’m not trying to sound nosy, but you’ve been here for hours, and you haven’t moved.”
“I’m fine.” I tried to smile reassuringly while also moving the slightest bit away.
Trust no one, I reminded myself.
But at the same time, I also realized that the chances of the woman working for him were slim. More than likely she was an innocent bystander that couldn’t understand my weirdness.
“If you need anything, I’ll be over there.” She pointed to an aqua-colored towel. “I’m Talia, by the way.”
I nodded, but didn’t give her my name. She smiled like she hadn’t expected me to.
“That’s my boyfriend Ollie.” She pointed at a tall guy with deeply-tanned skin and floppy, blond hair that curled nearly to his shoulders. He stood by the water’s edge speaking to a guy with dreads. “If you can’t find me you can go to him.”
I nodded once.
I wouldn’t need either of them.
She seemed to sense that and moved on with a little half-wave.
I was sure I’d come across as rude to the stranger, but it was a natural reaction for me.
I’d spent so long surrounded by the worst of the worst that I couldn’t recognize genuine people when I saw them.
Everyone was evil in my eyes.
I began to draw in the sand with the tip of my finger. I started simple, drawing the side profile of a guy a few feet away. I loved drawing; it was one of the few things in life I’d been allowed that actually brought me joy.
I wished I had a sketchpad and some pencils, but right at that moment that was pretty low on the priority list.
My stomach rumbled, but I ignored it. I hadn’t eaten in over twenty-four hours, but I was used to going unfed.
I stood and dusted the sand from my jeans and shoved my closed fists into the pockets of my ratty black hoodie.
No wonder the woman named Talia had wanted to know if I was okay. Not only had my behavior been odd, but I’d been sitting on a beach in Southern California in jeans, sneakers, and a hoodie.
So much for blending in.
I trudged through the sand back toward the road with my head bowed.
The road was busy, but I ignored the cars zipping past and kept walking. I didn’t know where I was going, but I figured I eventually had to come to something. I was tired from traveling all day, though, and my steps were sluggish.
A part of me feared that he had drugged me, but I’d been gone too long for drugs to just be taking effect. It was simply exhaustion.
I scuffed the toe of my sneaker against the ground, doing this awkward skip-jump thing as I walked in an effort to keep from keeling over asleep.
A car horn honked, and I jumped at the sound, darting to my right toward the guardrail. A second later, a Volkswagen van pulled off the road in front of me, and the woman from the beach hopped out.
I stopped walking and waited for her to come forward. My fight or flight senses were kicking in, but I remained rooted to the spot.
“Do you need a place to stay?” she asked softly, approach
ing me cautiously like I was a frightened and beaten puppy.
I didn’t answer.
“Please, let us help you. We’re not asking for anything in return, but you can’t sleep on the streets. The police are really strict in the area, and not to sound like a creep, but you’re really pretty, and there are a lot of men that would try to do you harm.” Her green eyes were earnest, and for some reason I felt that I could trust her.
After only another second of thought, I nodded my head once.
She broke out into a large smile and nodded back toward the camper van. I climbed inside, and the guy in the driver’s seat smiled back at me. His smile was lopsided, but kind, and his long hair fell into his eyes.
My heart thundered like a freight train. I could have been making a very bad decision by getting in a car with two strangers, but at that point I had nothing to lose.
“What’s your name?” Talia asked once she was seated up front.
“Ariella.” My voice cracked from dryness and nerves. I hadn’t spoken my real name in years, let alone heard it. “I prefer Ari, though.”
“Ari,” Talia repeated. “That’s a pretty name.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled, glancing out the window and letting my hair fall forward to shield my face.
“Ollie and I don’t have much room at our place, but sleeping on a couch is better than the streets, right?” she asked with an apologetic glance over her shoulder.
I nodded. “H-How’d you know?” I asked softly.
She twisted in the seat so she could see me fully. “Ollie and I…” Her lips twisted with thought. “We didn’t always have it so nice, so we like to extend kindness to those less fortunate than us. A place to sleep, some food, clothes,” she rattled. “We know what it’s like to need some help getting back on your feet.”
I inhaled a shaky breath and forced a small smile. “Thank you.”
I really was touched by their kindness.
Traffic was heavy, so it took us a while to get to their house. Calling it a house was a bit of a lie, though. It was small, only one bedroom and one bath, with the tiniest kitchen I’d ever seen. But it had a roof and a couch for me to sleep on, so I wasn’t complaining.
“If you’d like to shower you can.” Talia pointed to the door that led to the bathroom. “You can use my things—I don’t mind—and I’ll lay out some pajamas for you.”
“Thank you.” I glanced around me at the eclectic decorations.
Despite the small size, their home was cozy. Several mismatched rugs lay scattered on the floor, creating an odd sort of carpet. The walls were all painted different colors—lime-green, turquoise, hot-pink, and orange. The couch was white with rolled arms, and patterned pillows were scattered across it. In front of the couch was an old coffee table made from worn wood. There was a large TV—the nicest item in the room—and some sort of gaming console.
Talia disappeared into the bedroom to grab some clothes, I presumed, and Ollie stood in front of the open refrigerator.
“You hungry?” he asked me.
I stood, wringing my hands together, and said nothing. They’d already done me such kindness by giving me a place to stay and clothes; I didn’t want to eat their food too.
“I’m thinking scrambled eggs with Cheetos sprinkled on top,” he mused. He grabbed a carton of eggs from the refrigerator and laid them on the counter. He glanced at me as he rifled through a cabinet for a frying pan. “I know you must be hungry. No need to be shy.”
I crossed my arms over my chest nervously. “Anything you can offer me would be nice.”
He set the frying pan on the stove and braced his hands on the counter. He turned his head to the side, narrowing his brown eyes on me.
“You seem awfully jumpy for a homeless person.”
“Ollie,” Talia scolded, appearing in the bedroom doorway with a few items of clothing clutched to her chest.
“What?” Ollie said innocently and swept a hand in my direction. “Don’t you agree? Most people we help aren’t so scared. They’ve lived on the streets for a while and they’re hardened. But not you.” He stared squarely at me. “What are you? Some sort of runaway?”
I stiffened at this. “I’m eighteen. I don’t think that makes me a runaway.”
He shrugged. “We’re all running from something.”
My breath left me in a shaky burst.
Talia looked at me quizzically and then glanced at Ollie. They seemed to be communicating silently.
“I’ll…um…I’ll go shower now,” I muttered, desperate to remove myself from the uncomfortable situation.
Talia handed me the clothes, and I scurried into the bathroom, locking it behind me.
I’d been stupid and naïve to accept their kindness, but what choice did I have? Talia was right; if I’d stayed on the streets there was no telling what might have happened to me, but something told me these people were going to try to dig and find out more about where I came from. I couldn’t tell them anything.
Behind the closed door I heard them speaking in hushed tones about how they could help me. I wanted to open the door and tell them there was nothing they could do, but people didn’t like to hear that. People wanted to believe they could make a difference.
Ollie and Talia couldn’t have been much older than I was, and from the looks of their place, money was tight. What they were doing for me was already kindness enough.
I turned the shower on and removed the grimy clothes I’d been wearing.
The shower rejuvenated me, and when I emerged, I felt like a whole new person.
Ollie and Talia were sitting at a small two-person table eating a plate of scrambled eggs. Ollie’s had Cheetos on top. I hadn’t believed him when he said that.
“There’s a plate for you.” He pointed to the counter, and I looked to see a heaping plate filled with enough scrambled eggs for five people and two pieces of toast. There was even a glass of water waiting.
I stood by the counter and ate slowly even though I wanted to stuff the whole thing in my mouth in one bite.
“I’ll be out of your way tomorrow,” I told them, taking a sip of water.
Talia shook her head. “Please, don’t leave so soon. We don’t have the room for you to stay here long-term, but we’re trying to work something out.”
“I’ll be fine,” I tried to assure her, but the three of us knew the chances of me being fine on my own were slim. Out on the streets I would be easy-pickings for the wrong kinds of people.
“No, you won’t,” Ollie said bluntly, his eyes full of remorse. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, but we want to help. Let us do what we can. Please.”
“I’m beyond help,” I muttered, glaring down at the half-eaten plate of eggs in front of me.
“That’s not true.” Talia was adamant.
“I literally have nothing,” I told her with a dramatic swing of my arm.
“We all start out with nothing,” she argued, “and we all have the power to build something out of it. One step at a time.”
I took a deep breath and nodded. “I need to find a job,” I admitted. Although, I didn’t know how that would work when I had no ID or work history.
“I know.” Talia smiled forlornly. “But one step at a time, remember? The first step is finding a more permanent place for you to stay.”
I nodded. I understood what she was saying, and as much as I was afraid that I might not be able to trust them, I was more afraid of being out on the streets alone. Accepting their help was a safer bet than winging it on my own. I had to remind myself that not everyone was like him. There were good people in the world, and I was going to trust my gut with these two.
After all, I had nothing to lose.
Liam
“I have something for you.”
“Ollie,” I groaned into the phone, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “It’s six-fucking-am. What could you possibly have that’s so important?”
“Just get your ass out of bed and over here.”
I turned to my stomach and buried my face into the pillow. “Can this wait?”
“No.”
“Fine.” I hung up the phone and grumpily tossed it to the floor.
I rolled out of bed and strolled to the attached bathroom. I turned the shower on, hoping it would aid in waking me. I’d only been asleep a few hours when Ollie called.
I was used to him calling me at crazy hours to come see something crazy he’d found or made, but he’d never said he had something for me. To say my curiosity was piqued was an understatement.
I showered quickly and dressed in a pair of jeans and a gray t-shirt. I pulled on a black beanie to cover my damp hair.
Ollie’s place was only about twenty minutes from my place, but when I parked in the driveway he was already waiting outside with an impatient scowl.
“What took you so long?” he asked before my feet even touched the ground.
“Dude, I got here as fast as I could. Chill.”
He shook his head and started toward the door. I trailed behind and followed him inside.
“So, what is it you have for me?”
He pointed. I looked up and over to where he indicated. I froze, my hands fisting at my sides as I took in the beautiful woman standing in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal. Her dark brown hair hung in wild waves down her back and her eyes were the bluest I’d ever see—like the Mediterranean. Her lips were a lush pink color and plump but not in a fake way. A thin tank top molded to the swells of her breasts, and her hips flared out. A tiny pair of shorts barely covered her ass.
She might’ve been beautiful, but I wasn’t going there.
I turned to glare at my friend. “What the hell, Ollie? This again? I know you think I need to get laid, but I don’t need a fucking prostitute to do it!”
“Prostitute?” the woman gasped, and the sounds of her bare feet pounding against the floor met my ears.
Suddenly, a sharp sting buzzed against my cheek and my jaw throbbed.
I looked to find that the woman was now in front of me, her whole body shaking with anger.
“I am not a prostitute,” she said firmly.
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