Lies, Lies, and More Lies

Author’s note: After reading the chapters 4-7 of the novel Jekyll and Hyde, I was asked to write what I had seen throughout the chapters. What I found was that keeping a secret is not only unhealthy for you but it is also unhealthy for anyone involved with it.

I can’t believe it…

Nothing prepared Stephanie for what she was staring at at this moment. John, her best friend’s, Lucy, boyfriend of 4 months, had is arms full of something other than her friend.Usually people do not go in the hallway since the only thing here is the janitor’s closet and a couple of lockers, but Stephanie went to go find a janitor for the mess she made in Chem class.  A slight gasp escapes her mouth creating the two figures to look toward her.
             Seeing who the other girl is Stephanie is not surprised, Chelsea Gallory, known for her ways for stealing guys from their clueless girlfriends. I had expected this from Chelsea but not John, always a caring and trusting person. Guess I was wrong. Guess everyone was wrong.

“Oh, um hey Steph. How’s it going? What are you doing here?” John jumped to get create some distance between them but no such luck, Chelsea pounced back with him.

“What are you doing here, with..Chelsea?”

“He can be wherever and with whoever he wants.” Chelsea says with a fox-like smile leaning closer on John as if she has done this many times before. Stephanie’s heart squeezed for her best friend.

“I can’t believe you would do this.” Steph whispers as she turns on her heels to get out. I need to tell Lucy. She is my best friend and I need her to know who her boyfriend really is. But what about the mess…

“Steph! Steph, wait! Come on hear me out!” John shouts down the hallway, but Steph keeps walking with unbelievable rage and sadness. Not even my boyfriend but and I am completely torn apart. John finally catches up and tugs Steph’s arm hard enough to get attention but gentle enough to keep from hurting her.

“John, stop. Why don’t you just go back to Chelsea while I help Lucy cope with the fact that her boyfriend cheated on her.” Ripping her arm away, Stephanie creates some distance between the two only to be closed back up once John comes back.

“Chelsea is nothing! We were just fooling around! I like Lucy, this was a mistake and will never happen again…” Spitting out everything he can think of he finally stops out of breath. Stephanie finally turns around, enraged in what he was saying. How could that be an accident! You clearly weren’t forced to do it and obviously you liked it. Shoot, I forgot about the mess.

“Well if you really like her, you have to tell her what happened. I can’t be the one that breaks her heart, you do. But, if you don’t I will be forced to do it for you.”

“We are not going to say anything about this because I am not going to lose her, and neither are you.”

“What do you mean? Why would I lose her?” Something inside is pulling at Steph, something starts forming into her mind. Oh no.

John sees what she sees and says, “Yes, if you say anything I will tell her what happened at the cabin up north when Lucy was still sleeping in the other room. I am not going down alone Steph.”

Lucy went to bed early that night while Stephanie and John stayed back to finish the movie. The atmosphere changed, suddenly a surge of emotion came over us, getting caught up in the moment, they both leaned in and their lips made contact. There was not too much spark in that kiss but they both vowed never to speak of it again. I guess John is now a liar and a traitor.

“You wouldn’t. We promised.”

“Oh yes I will. Just don’t spill this secret and I won’t spill that one.” With a sly smile spreading across his face, John knows he has won this battle.

Stephanie just steps away, I got to get out of here. What about that stupid mess? Silence was the only thing to keep from having this muddle of a situation. If only that night in the cabin did not happen, if only she did not go down the hallway, if only she did not make that mess in Chem.

For a couple weeks, the secret was hidden, kept tightly packed in John and Stephanie’s souls but one day that secret broke out. Lucy, stepped up toward Stephanie after 4^th period, eye slightly glazed over, face contorted into a sour expression.

“Lucy what’s wrong?”

“How could he do that?” she whispers, tears rolling down her face.

“Who?” This was an unneeded question since Steph already knew who she was talking about. John wouldn't have done this. Had to be Chelsea…she never could keep a secret.

“John! How could he cheat on me!” Lucy hangs her head on her best friend’s shoulder as the tears come streaming out of her eye keeping her from seeing anything in front of her.

The halls have now been stranded except for the two friends slowly walking toward their lockers, all of a sudden John comes charging at them with revenge in his eyes.

Looking straight at Steph he yells, “How could you tell her? What about our deal?”.

Lucy confused says, “I will never forgive you John, and what are you talking about deal?” She looks right at Steph who is now focused more on the floor than anything else. I still forgot about that mess back in Chem.

“She was not going to spill about Chelsea if I did not spill about us two making out up north!”

Nothing more was from him besides him muttering towards Steph, “Told you...”

“…What? No that is not true, it’s not true right Steph? He was just kidding…” Lucy with hopeful eyes looks up toward her best friend. Stephanie cannot face those eyes knowing she had lied so many times to them. Nothing can get any worse.

“No…he isn’t.”

Slowly, Lucy backed away with a look of disgust as she stared down her supposed best friend. Stephanie alone in the hallway, trying to find someone, anyone to help her but realizing the only one that could help her was pushed away by her own lies.