Love and Lies
* LOVE AND LIES* *Chapter Three: The Lie Before the Tears* It was nearly midnight. The room was quiet, except for the soft ticking of the clock and the dull hum of the fan. Becca was deep asleep, curled under the sheets, while Marvellous lay awake, staring at her phone screen. Desmond was online. Still. She refreshed WhatsApp again. Still no message. Still no call. He hadn’t spoken to her all day. Her birthday had come and gone with only silence from the one person she wanted to hear from the most. Tears slipped silently down her cheek. She didn’t wipe them. She just let them fall. Suddenly, Becca stirred. “Uh-uh... babe, you’re still awake? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Marvellous quickly sniffled and faked a small smile. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. I just finished talking with Desmond. He’s not feeling well, so… I’m kind of feeling bad for him.” Becca yawned and rolled over. “Eii God… let hhimbe safe oh. Let him not be that sick like that, especially with the money he prom...