Page 48 of Liberty

“What the hell took you so long, brother?” Fate asked.

“I was in the shower, dickhead. What’s your hurry anyways?”

“I didn’t see you or Belle at breakfast.”

My mouth popped open and I covered it with my hand.We missed Ma’s breakfast?I slowly shook my head. Ma Walker forgave fights and even a bit of unruliness to a degree but there were two things she never tolerated… 1.) Don’t be talking back to her. And 2.) Never be late to a meal.

“So you know what happened,” Fate explained. “She sent me out looking. Everyone here knows you are not to miss or be late unless you have a damn good reason.”

Liberty tisked. “Yeah, yeah. I know.”

“So?” Fate asked.

“So what?’ Liberty asked back.

“What's your damn good reason?”

I bit at my lip as I waited for Liberty’s answer.

“I was sore and tired after that fight. So I overslept.”

Good one.

“So what about Belle?” Fate asked.

“What about her?” Liberty said.

Fate snorted. “Come on, Lib. You were both missing. So where is she?”

“Do I look like the lady’s keeper?”

“Oh, wow!” Fate exclaimed.

“What?” Liberty asked.

“You are lying!”

“Am not,” Liberty denied.

“Are too! In case you didn't know already, I’m your freaking twin, Liberty. I discovered your tell when we were ten years old. Ever since then, I could catch you out anytime you tried to lie and it seems to me you stopped doing that a long time ago. So why are you lying now?”

I covered my head as I laid it down on the carpet.Crap!

“My tell?” Liberty asked him.

“Yeah, remember? Betsy Cummings had a crush on me and you told her that I peed the bed so she would stop following us home from the bus stop, you freaking asshole!”

I smothered a giggle.

“But I didn’t know you had done that, did I?” Fate went on. “So eventually, it got around school and everyone was laughing at me, but no one would tell me why. I asked you what you said and you lied, remember?”

“Yeah, I denied the whole thing.”

“That’s when I realized your tell,” Fate said. “I’d noticed it before but I finally figured it out.”

“Yes and to this day you won’t tell me what it is!” Liberty said.

“I figured it would be best not to,” Fate said smugly. “That way in case you tried to lie—”