Page 119 of Loving the Liar

I send him the screenshots of all the parents canceling.

Standing up, I look through my bag, ready to slash through my skin and make the pain visceral. I want to feel it all physically and release the gripping tension inside me.

I’m fisting the plastic box of blades in my bag when the door opens, and a little girl runs in.

“We are late because Daddy did not want me to run fast!” she squeals. “But I can run fast. So fast!”

I drop the box in my bag and my bag to the floor, and quickly wipe my tears as I turn around. She stops short of bumping into my legs and looks up with a bright smile.

Sporting two pigtails at different heights, a bright blue top with a heart made of gems on it, and a large bright pink tutu over multicolored tights, I can already tell she wanted to dress herself this morning. She even has pink lip gloss on. It’s all over her mouth and even on her cheeks.

“My name is Celia,” she articulates perfectly.

“Hi Celia, I’m Ella.”

“And that’s my sister Olivia. My sister. And that’s my daddy. His name is Daddy.”

I look up to find a tall man holding another girl in his arms. She’s identical to the one now pulling at my blue chiffon ballet skirt, except she looks much calmer. Contrary to her twin, her black hair is in a perfect bun on top of her head, and she’s wearing white tights and a pale-yellow leotard.

Her dad tries to put her down, but she grabs his neck, and he’s forced to straighten up again. He’s got dirty blonde hair in a small bun at the back of his head, midnight eyes the same as his daughters’, and a terrifying blank look on his face.

As he approaches, Celia turns to him. “Daddy, say sorry to the lady.”

He walks slowly, like a hunter observing his prey, and I gulp as I try my best to stay in place. The only reason I don’t run away is because Celia is still pulling at my skirt.

“Daddy, I want this skirt.”

Finally reaching us, he puts a hand on top of Celia’s head. I crane my neck to look into his empty eyes and force a welcoming smile on my face.

“Anything you want, honey.”

How is it possible to talk to your own child with no emotion in your voice?

His eyes stay on me, and he finally introduces himself. “Hi, I’m Nate White. And this is Celia and Olivia.”

Nate White.

It takes all of me to keep a straight face.

“You…must be Jake and Rose’s brother,” I say quietly.

He nods. “You know the twins?”

“They’re my brother’s best friends. Luke Baker,” I explain.

“Right.” For a second, he looks like he’s storing this information in a special file, and according to the look in his eyes, it’s probably a file named people I could threaten.

But then he keeps going as if nothing happened.

“Lia and Livie have been wanting to try your class. Apparently, the girls from preschool won’t stop talking about it.”

“Stella says there are tiaras!” Celia jumps on the spot, pulling harder on my skirt. “The tiaras. Where are the tiaras?”

“Let go, Lia,” her dad scolds softly. “You’re going to tear up her skirt.”

“It’s okay,” I say politely. Mainly because this man terrifies me. “The tiaras are over there.” I point at the pile on the other side of the room.

She shrieks, taking off into a sprint. “Come, Livie! I found the tiaras.”

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