Forgotten

Chapter 13

Chapter Title: “I Can Explain”

“I can explain,” I said, my voice thinner than I wanted it to be. This time, the blame really did fall on me.

My father would be furious that I was out with a boy. Lyssa, on the other hand, might be thrilled—if she thought I was falling in love, I might soon become someone else’s responsibility, which increases her chances of inheriting my father’s wealth.

But if she finds out he’s not rich? Then she’ll assume I’m going to cling to my father’s money. Either way, I’m screwed. I’d have to lie—not to get out of trouble entirely, but to soften the blow.

“I’m waiting,” my father growled. His tone was low, dangerous. He was genuinely worried—and that worry had twisted into anger.

“I was busy with a review,” I said, quickly forming the story. “I lost track of time, and by the time I realized, I had to grab a taxi to get home. I didn’t think you’d be here, so I didn’t see the point in calling.”

“What did you eat?” Lyssa asked sharply, her voice laced with suspicion. She wanted me to slip.

“A sandwich with chicken and green peppers. And juice,” I replied, trying to sound casual and not too rehearsed. It was technically true—just not from a café.

“Even if we aren’t home,” my father said sternly, “all the rules still apply. You have a curfew. No excuses next time.”

I bit back my protest—I’m not irresponsible, but he wouldn’t hear it.

Lyssa wasn’t satisfied. Her eyes narrowed with cruel intent.

“You believe her? After everything she’s pulled? She always says she’s out ‘doing a review.’ We’ve never seen any actual proof. She could be making all of this up.”

I clenched my jaw. She never missed an opportunity to discredit me. I could only hope my father would believe me over her venom.

“She publishes her reviews. We could look them up if you’re so concerned,” my father said. I breathed a small sigh of relief—until he added, “In fact, I’ll look it up later.”

My heart skipped. Great. I lied, and now I have to invent an entire online post.

“She could fake one too,” Lyssa countered, not missing a beat. “Anyone can type something up and make it look real. Doesn’t mean it is.”

And now I wasn’t sure if she was helping me avoid punishment or trying to trap me in a more elaborate lie.

“So what do you suggest?” my father asked her. That question made my stomach turn. If she had it her way, I’d be grounded until I graduated university.

“I say we go to the place she reviewed and try the sandwich ourselves. She said it had chicken and green peppers, right?”

My stomach sank. This is exactly why lying is a bad idea. Now I had to find a sandwich that didn’t exist. I ate it under a tree with Jacin, not in some cute café. I was completely, utterly screwed.

“That’s actually… reasonable,” my father agreed. “Alysson, book us a table there for tomorrow. We’ll pick you up after school. Until then, you’re grounded.”

I nodded stiffly, knowing I had no way out of this now.

Once upstairs, I collapsed face-first onto my bed, already drowning in stress. My phone dinged. It was Jacin.

Jacin:

Are you okay?

I smiled weakly. He’d dropped me off at the corner just like I’d asked, but he must have known trouble was brewing.

I replied:

Me:

Earlier I saw that my dad and Lyssa were already home. You probably know by now that Lyssa hates me. They were literally on the phone with the police, reporting me as a missing person. Total overreaction. So I panicked and lied—said I was out doing a review. Now they want to go to the place where I supposedly ate this chicken sandwich. Which YOU made. Under a tree. So yeah, I’m in deep trouble.

Jacin:

Why is your stepmother always on your case? Have you told your dad how bad it is?

Me:

She usually calls him after the fact, always acting like she’s doing him a favor by ‘keeping me in line.’ She’s terrified I’ll inherit even part of his money. Honestly, I don’t care about that. If he pays for my education and I can make my own future, that’s enough for me.

Jacin:

I can’t fix your stepmother, but I can fix the sandwich problem. Bring them to the coffee shop. I’ll make the same one again. That way, you won’t be lying—technically.

I

stared at the message, stunned. It was the perfect plan. Why didn’t I think of that?

Me:

That’s brilliant. Just… please pretend you don’t know me. I’m sorry. It’s not about you. My dad doesn’t approve of me dating—and definitely not someone he’d call ‘unsuitable.’

I hated having to say that. It wasn’t fair to Jacin, and I could feel the guilt in my gut. But it was the truth. My father wouldn’t understand.

That night, I showered, put on my pajamas, and got into bed, but sleep didn’t come easily. My heart was too heavy with anxiety and guilt.

The Next Morning

Reality hit me like a truck.

Today was the day I had to prove a lie to my father… and introduce him unknowingly to my boyfriend. I got dressed, fixed my hair, and snuck out early to avoid breakfast confrontation.

The driver, thankfully, was already outside. At school, I found Liara and spilled everything. She burst out laughing when I got to the part about the fake sandwich.

“You are so dramatic,” she said, grinning as I lightly smacked her arm. Then we rushed to first period.

Before I knew it, the school day had flown by, and I was standing at the front gates where my father waited. I climbed in the car, stomach twisted in knots. I gave him directions to the coffee shop.

He looked unimpressed as we pulled up, and even less so when he sent the location to Lyssa, who had some spa appointment to squeeze in before meeting us.

Once she arrived—fuming about her schedule, of course—we walked into the shop. Thank God the chalkboard outside listed a special: chicken and green pepper sandwiches.

I led them to a table and sat down. They hesitated, clearly expecting to be seated. I suppressed an eye roll.

Jacin came over, professional and calm. I didn’t meet his eyes. I ordered three sandwiches and let my dad and Lyssa sort out the drinks.

When the food came, we ate mostly in silence. My father actually looked pleased. Lyssa, however, was full of complaints: “The chicken’s too warm,”

“Why didn’t they freeze it?”, “This juice has no flavor.” On and on.

Still, we got through it.

When we got home, I slipped away to my room and immediately texted Jacin.

Me:

Thank you. Seriously. I owe you so much for today. I know Lyssa was… difficult. I could see you biting your tongue. I think now you understand a little more about my life. I just hope next time we see each other, it doesn’t involve me staging a fake restaurant.

A Month Later

Time flew.

Jacin and I saw each other as often as we could. Most of our “dates” were disguised as review outings, which gave us a bit of freedom. Liara didn’t mind; she understood.

We were happy—mostly. The only thing we ever fought about was my family. He wanted to meet them properly. I kept explaining why he couldn’t.

He didn’t get it. How could he? He hadn’t lived in my world—one full of image, wealth, and expectations. If I introduced him, it wouldn’t just be awkward. It would be a disaster.

Still, sometimes I wished we could stay in our little bubble, far away from everything. But life wasn’t that kind.

Things did ease up at home. My father stopped asking so many questions. The timing felt right.

For our one-month anniversary, I decided I’d do something special—I’d go to Jacin’s apartment. We always met in public for my reviews, so I thought I’d cook for him instead. It would be romantic. But it also made me nervous.

I’d never been to a boy’s place before. And Jacin wasn’t just any boy.

He was a man. And I was about to enter his world.