Pants On Fire

• Mina Buerger, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2022

I storm into Matthew’s apartment and drop the keys on the kitchen counter. “I-I’m done. I don’t know what to say to you. I literally cannot do this anymore.” He looks up from the tv, giving me one glance as if that is all I’m worth. I feel the tears begin to well up in my eyes. “See? You won’t even look at me. What’s the point?”
“Liz, calm down, grab a glass of water and calm down.” Now, this is what gets me angry.
“Calm down? That’s all you have to say to me? I’m being serious! We’re over.” Matthew finally looks at me - like, actually sees me, for the first time in weeks. He looks at me with a shocked expression. Lips slightly parted, his huge eyes are even bigger than usual. He runs a hand through his thick, beautiful hair. I can’t deny the fact that he is gorgeous. He stands up and walks toward me. He wraps me up in a hug, and despite the want to stay angry, I feel myself melting into his, feeling my body crumble into his arms.
“Lizzy please. I love you, and I’m sorry.” And that would have been enough for me to forgive him completely. “Please, Lizzy, I love you so much, don’t do this. I don’t know what you know but it’s not true.” But the problem was, I had proof. So no. I couldn’t forgive him completely. I just couldn’t. Not after he betrayed my trust, time and time again. Never sparing my feelings or even caring about them. He was a selfish, horrible, backstabbing, liar. That was what I started whispering.
“Liar. Liar. Liar.”
“Come on Lizzy.”
“Liar. Liar. Liar.”
“Liz, you're freaking me out.” I can’t feel my face, I can’t breathe. There is pain coming from somewhere, I don’t know, panic is rising up into my throat. I can’t stop. It just keeps coming. I keep repeating the words, gradually getting louder, until I am screaming into his ear.
“LIAR. LIAR. LIAR.” Tears are rolling down my face and I keep screaming. Matthew grabs a scarf from the coat stand behind me and shoves it into my mouth.
“Elizabeth! Calm down. Talk to me.” At that moment, I knew I couldn’t do it. I stop screaming words and just screaming uncontrollably, as if something had taken hold of my soul. I couldn’t control anything. My movements, my voice, the screaming wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see anything except noise. I could see noise. But somehow, I knew that this was the end. This was the end for me. I could feel myself slowly slipping away. Away from Matthew, away from the world. I was slipping into unconsciousness. And before I knew it, I was gone.