Coraline: Liar

“What kind of holiday is Valentines Day?” Coraline Jones muttered as she picked at her breakfast that morning. The date was, of course, February fourteenth, St. Valentines Day, Singles Awareness Day, or, as her cousin Leah in France called it, La journee de l’amour. Her family was weird.
“It’s a February Holiday, taking place on the fourteenth day of the month--”
“Dad, that was a rhetorical question.”
Charlie Jones chuckled, “I know, I know. But is Valentines Day really that horrible, Coraline?”
“Yes! The school is going to be covered in pink and it’ll stink of flowers and people will be giggling while accidentally hitting people with their ugly pink stuffed animals!” Coraline sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest.
“And how did you obtain this information?” Mel Jones asked from the kitchen sink.
“Wybie told me.”
“And do you think he’s the best source of information?”
“He wouldn’t lie about something this hazardous to my sanity, Mom.” Coraline stood up, pushing her chair back, “and since we have to ride the bus today, he said I should be prepared to suffocate from, I dunno, carnations or something.”
“Speaking of the bus, you’d better get going.” Charlie said, taking up her plate. Stopping to  ruffle his daughter’s hair, he smiled, “I think you’ll make it through the day.”
“All right, but if I don’t come back, I assume you’ll know my fate.” Coraline shuffled her feet noisily toward the door, “farewell, family--”
“Coraline, go to school.” Mel interrupted what was sure to be a very melodramatic farewell.
“Fine,” Coraline opened the door, “but you can forget about being invited to my funeral.”
After she laughed, Mr. and Mrs. Jones just shook their heads and chuckled quietly.
“Your daughter is certainly odd,” Mel told her husband.
“Oh, so when she’s playing the martyr she’s my daughter?”

---

“I hate the bus,” Coraline said for about the fiftieth time at the bus stop, “you just had to crash your bike, didn’t you?”
“Yes Jonesy,” Wybie shook his head, “I deliberately exposed myself to serious harm just to make you ride the bus.”
“I knew it.”
Oregon winters were fairly cold, meaning that both Wybie and Coraline were shivering in the chilly February weather. Coraline, coming from Michigan, had a heavy enough coat to withstand it, but it certainly didn’t stop her from complaining. Whether or not she had a jacket, cold weather still bothered her.
It hadn’t snowed since earlier in January, but there was a thick layer of frost on the bare trees surrounding the two kids. It would’ve looked very beautiful, had either Coraline or Wybie been in a better mood.
“So, have you planned anything for Valentines Day?” Coraline suddenly asked Wybie, who jumped as the silence around them was so suddenly broken.
“Yeah right, for who?” Wybie chuckled, “Emma Lincoln?”
Coraline had to burst out laughing, and Wybie joined in. To whom it concerns, Emma Lincoln was one of the most stuck up girls in the entire town--no wait--the entire country. Her mother happened to be the owner of the department store, the only one in town (and the one that Coraline still could not remember the name of). They way she talked about herself and all the clothes she got for discount, one would think her boogers were made of gold.
“What are you gonna give her?” Coraline joked.
“Oh, maybe a picture of herself.” Wybie chuckled.
“Perfect!”
Slowly, the stopped laughing as the school bus wheezed to their stop. Getting on, they both found a seat, sitting down and still laughing slightly.
“But seriously,” Wybie finally said, “I haven’t got any of that mushy stuff for anyone. Valentines Day is like, a day made up by the candy and flower industry, right?”
“Probably,” Coraline sighed, “glad you haven’t fallen into it’s chocolate covered clutches, Lovat. Perhaps there’s hope for you yet.”
“Yup. That stuff is for we get older and lose our minds, like those eighth grade kids.” Wybie sat back, his back against the window on the bus seat, “no mushy stuff for us today.”
Coraline punched him in the arm, “you realize you’re taking up the whole seat, right?”
“Really?” Wybie pushed his legs forward, effectively pushing her back until she almost fell off the seat, “I didn’t notice.”
Coraline stood up halfway, sitting down on Wybie’s outstretched legs and throwing her backpack in his face.
“You’re a very rude boy, Wybourne,” She giggled as Wybie shoved her backpack back at her, “ladies should be shown respect.”
“When I see a lady, I’ll be sure to remember that,” this earned Wybie another punch in the arm and a backpack to the face.
“Hey!” Called a gruff voice from the front, Bus Driver Ned, “you two sit in that seat properly or you’re walking the rest of the way!”
Their faces reddening, Coraline and Wybie adjusted their positions on the seat, ignoring the amused and curious stares coming their way.

---

“Gooood Morning Ashland Academy, these are your announcements for today. Firstly, Principal Mullins requests the Feng Shui club stop rearranging the tables in the courtyard. Secondly, I’m sure you all know what day it is. Happy Valentines Day, Falcons, and the Valentine Candygrams and Flowers that some of you purchased earlier in the week will be delivered during second period, which is, of course, now. Now, the Spanish Club meets in the library today, free taquitos to all newcomers!….”
Coraline let her mind wander. Why did the school system have to recognize such stupid holidays? She didn’t see any support for Arbor Day. Trees are important too, you know. Of course, she hadn’t objected to the celebration of Halloween last semester. Any holiday that lets her come to school with a fake axe through the head is a-okay with her.
Coraline was glad Wybie had agreed to none of that stupid Valentines stuff. Not that she would have a problem if he had a Valentine, of course. She would be totally fine with that. At least, that’s what she kept telling herself. For some reason the idea of Wybie liking any girl made her feel…weird. But still, people shouldn’t be getting all sappy with each other.
Now she looked up at the front of the class, where one of the honor society members was handing out flowers that boys sent to their girlfriends, or girls they liked but couldn’t tell them to their face.
“Coraline?” The honor society girl called, and Coraline looked up. Who would send her a flower? As she went up to get it, she thought about who it could possibly be from. She knew it couldn’t have been Wybie. He’d told her explicitly that he hadn’t done anything for any girl today.
When Coraline opened the card, she bit her lip to keep from giggling.
Dear Jonesy,
   I lied.
--Wybie