A Lovely Lie

by Jaime Lynn Hendricks

“Look, I can’t be stuck in a jail in Florida. It was for the best. It was an accident.” I throw my cigarette out the window before closing it and wince—my arm is killing me.

Pepper

Now, the only red lines I remember are bloody ones, flowing out of two dead classmates in Rockland Park.

I promised my son, Luke,

Luke is Scarlett's son

Vince,

Scarlett's husband

She’s the child of my former best friend.

Zoey is Pepper's daughter

I haven’t seen Pepper since the day after the senior picnic when the accident happened.

Pepper Wilson, the one I would do anything for once upon a time, is dead, hit by a car. An accident. It’s all too familiar, and for a hot second, I feel guilty when I think You deserved that, because no one does.

I wonder if they accidentally ran over their classmates

With shaky hands, I pick up the letter. What does she want to know the truth about? That Pepper murdered someone and made it look like an accident as I stood silently by? And I even helped her lie about it?

Not even to my husband, and he was—well, let’s just say he knew everyone involved. Me. Pepper. The dead kids.

My face falls. Of course I know who her father is. Pepper’s ex-boyfriend of four years. My husband, Vince.

What?!

Chloe and Julian

Victims

I get Lila vibes all over again. Lila, Vince’s decade-old affair, which almost produced a child.

I peer at Zoey’s face, and there’s another layer of familiarity under the Pepper resemblance. Not exactly Vince, but more than Pepper.

Chris maybe?

She was dating a buddy of mine. Chris Parker.

Chloe was Chris's gf

But I don’t feel any sympathy. Pepper deserved to have her life turn into hell after what she did.

Beth

Beth is Luke's gf

Kelly is Chris’s recent girlfriend.

Chris: Yeah, other stuff. I heard from like five people last night that she was cheating on me.

Chris: You can’t. I heard it was the dead guy.

I know he’s reminiscing because I’ve seen that look on his face—the face of true love.

He never loved me the way he loved her. He never would’ve, either. Now she’s going to be immortalized.

Scarlett about Vince

Luke, my boy, the only thing in my life I ever did right, even if everything surrounding it was wrong.

Scarlett

He would’ve done the same for her back then, but with the love behind it. And then Luke wouldn’t be here, and Vince imagining a life without him is hurtful.

Scarlett

Crashing back is a horrible description. Especially since we were in the car with Chloe Michaels when she hit and killed Julian Ackers. No one knows. Just me and Pepper.

So how did Chloe die?

Juliet Ackers. Julian’s twin sister.

There’s no reason to reveal his other sins now.

Hmm what did Julian do?

She was always first, I was always second. I recognize the gaslighting now that I’m old enough. Back then, she got the cookie and I got the crumbs.

Scarlett

When Pepper told me she was pregnant, I naturally assumed Vince was the father. She never said anything different.

Some people think he got too aggressive with girls.

Did he SA Pepper?

Hannah,

Scarlett's sister

Crystal,

Scarlett's oldest sister

“I’m naturally inquisitive,” she says.

Right now I'm not a fan of Zoey

The way she’s staring me down and ripping insults reminds me of—well, of Pepper.

That’s the only thing that’s kept me sane for twenty years. Remembering that Julian deserved what Pepper did to him. I was a bystander; Pepper was judge, jury, and one-hundred-percent executioner.

Still, Vince’s demeanor is off. He’s talking too fast. He’s brushing it all under the rug.

What is he hiding

I wonder if that’s why Vince even started up with me in the first place. Was he trying to be close to Pepper, or hoping she’d hear about it and get jealous?

“Pepper was assaulted that night.” I have to get it out. He needs to know. “Sexually. By Julian Ackers.” Complete silence. Until he speaks. “I know. Why do you think I’m glad he’s dead?”

I knew she was SAed by Julian. I didn't think Vince would already know

Whatever happened that night. Vince knows more than he’s let on, for all these years. Did Pepper tell him anything else? Did she tell him we were there? Why does Vince look scared?

Anyway, the reason why we’re concerned is that you’re the only one last night who said you were going to kill him. So, you understand the issue we’re facing, no?

Her hands are now folded in her lap, and she looks like she could be on a convent interview. Meek expression, face turned down, all prim and proper. She must’ve picked up something from Pepper in the acting department.

I can't stand Zoey tbh

I disconnect. Vince isn’t Zoey’s father. Who is?

Julian or Chris?

Pepper: Clearly, you don’t have teenage daughters. You have no idea about the backstabbing that goes on when people pretend to be friends.

and I made her promise not to tell anyone where I was going—not anyone, no matter who comes looking for me.

Why?

But as usual, I go super heavy on the dark eyeliner and mascara.

Julian?

The boat is docked, and it’s big as well—it looks like the boats I’ve seen in the Hudson or the East River.

I bet this is the party Luke is going to

Pepper: He’s the one that left me, and it broke me into a million pieces at the time. It made me so mad that I—I just have a lot of regrets from that time in my life. Like I said, it’s complicated.

Is she talking about Vince or someone else? Maybe it's Chris that she was in love with. And she killed Julian for the SA and Chloe cause she was cheating on Chris and Pepper was in love with Chris

What? Luke is a dealer? Jesus, the way Scarlett made him sound, I thought he had a halo and wings.

Uh oh

Pepper: Don’t count on it.

Cause he is dead?

Pepper: You don’t know anything about him. He was the asshole. Trust me.

Julian?

Trust. Funny word, trust. At this point, the word turns me off.

Zoey