You aren’t a liar. You just… withheld the truth. The painful truth. Something that you’ve tried so hard to leave behind, and you didn’t want her to be mad at you.

You know shes your boss but, the two of you are practically best friends, despite your age difference. You’ve worked with her for about a year now, you’ve become the person she trusts most, even more so than her own husband. You’re her live-in assistant, having your own suite within Cliff house.

Things took a turn when your sister, Devon, showed up unannounced. One that you failed to mention existed. Michaela brushed it off when she met her but you knew she was upset that you didn’t tell her. Now to top that, she found out about your summer fling which you tried so hard to hide. Now she was asking you if you lied about anything else.

“How do I know you aren’t lying about anything else?” she asks softly but with a hint of concern. You had a panic attack yesterday when she had found out about everything and woke up late. You usually go on her run with her every single morning. Every morning for an entire year and you missed this one.

You stare her in the eyes, feeling helpless. The only thing breaking the silence is the waves on the beach beside you. She searches your eyes for something, anything.

“Did you lie about your childhood?” she asks, knowing that it was something you had bonded about when you first met.