THE HIDDEN TRUTH

LILY’S POV The first time Leo Parker offered me a ride, I thought he was simply being kind. I didn’t know that five years later, I would be standing across him in a wedding dress, and I certainly didn’t know that marrying him would make me to question everything about him. FIVE YEARS EARLIER… “Mum!” “I’m coming Honey” she said. “I’m running late, why did I agree to this” I started regretting my decision for allowing her to prepare my breakfast. I grabbed my bag and rushed downstairs. “Come on mum, I’m already late!” “And whose fault is that?” she called from the kitchen. “Yours. You told me to eat before leaving.” “You always do this mum, it is not fair.” She appeared with a plate in her hand and gave me a look. “So now feeding my daughter is a crime?” I laughed despite myself. “Fine. Give me five minutes.” “You said that ten minutes ago and the food hadn’t been ready up until now.” “I wanted to make your favourite meal, it’s been long since you had it and we all know i don’t like preparing my food in a haste” mum said chuckling I was about to sit when my phone vibrated. “Lily where are you?” It was a text from Annie. I quickly replied, “I am running late, I am on my way, please keep a seat for me.” “No phones while eating dear,” I looked up it was my dad. I smiled, “good morning dad.” I took three more spoons from my food and i had to leave immediately. “Okay, I think I am done, I have to go now, I will see you later, thanks mom, bye mom, bye dad,” I said to my parents. “Take care dear, they said.” I rushed outside and I looked up, unfortunately it has started to drizzle. “Oh no, I hate rainy days, I can’t afford to get wet” I couldn’t get a cab, the drivers were declining the ride and I wasn’t with my umbrella. I looked at my phone, lectures was to start in fifteen minutes” I went over to the bus station, I was the only one who stood there. I was waiting for a bus, but they weren’t stopping. I tried stopping them, by waving but they drove past me as though I were invisible. The rain started falling heavily, I wasn’t able to get a ride, I was in the bus stop for over ten minutes. There was nothing I could do, I had to wait for the rain to stop falling. I sat on the wooden bench with my elbow on my left knee, my palm on my forehead and my face looking downward. Shortly, a loud horn was blown and a voice spoke. “Get in.” I looked up, a black car had stopped beside the pavement. The driver’s window rolled down. I frowned at the stranger behind the wheels. “Excuse me?” “Unless you’d rather walk under the rain” he said. “I’m waiting for the rain.” “Alright suit yourself,” the stranger said and was about driving off. I looked at the time and lectures had already started, I looked up and the rain didn’t seem to stop falling any time soon. “Waittttt!” I waved my hands so he’ll see me through his side mirror. Luckily, he reversed, unlocked the doors and I got in. IN THE CAR… I sat there in silence, the stranger didn’t say a word, he was so focused on driving, he didn’t look in my direction. I started feeling cold due to the air conditioner, my lips started to tremble and i locked my palms together, but I didn’t want to break the silence. He noticed and turned it off, I looked at him, but this man, didn’t look away from the road, he didn’t even look at my face. He behaved as though no one was in the car with him. Finally, I got to college, he dropped me off at the gate, I came down from the car and before i could thank him, he drove past like nothing happened. I rushed quickly to class, I followed the main stairway and got to class faster. I decided to text Annie, “Where are you sitting?” She replied “I’m next to the window by the right, putting on a pink shirt.” Before entering the classroom, I looked around and spotted her and my empty chair. I walked into the classroom, everyone began to stare, I immediately felt the presence of everyone’s eyes on me. As I sat down, I brought out my notebook and thanked Annie. I began to jot down my professor’s teachings but I could not forget the encounter I had with that stranger. Five hours later, Lectures are over, I am on my way home and I spot a car that is similar to the stranger I had met hours ago. I got home. I tried to convince myself that I was being paranoid. Maybe it wasn’t the same car, maybe the stranger had simply gotten into my head. I dropped my bag on my bed, changed into something comfortable, but no matter what I did, my mind kept returning to that encounter. “There had been something strange about him” “Did he know me from somewhere?” “Why would he offer a total stranger a ride?” “Was he just being kind?” I didn’t know his name or where he lived and I thought. Something about him was off, but I couldn’t explain what it was. “Lily!” Yes mom! “If you are ready to eat, you can come downstairs” she said. “Thank you, but I am good.” I pulled the curtains, climbed into my bed, determined to forget about the stranger. As I closed my eyes, I wondered why a ten minute encounter with a complete stranger had stayed on my mind all day. I knew that by morning, I would probably laugh at myself for being so suspicious. I eventually fell asleep, telling myself that I would never see that stranger again. I was wrong.