Free My Beautiful Lies (Beautiful Nothing #2) by Alisha Cole Page B

across the country. But as you know, it’s a competition, and I want to introduce the best pianist in the US and her team. Miss Laney Harper and her team from this very school. Everyone give a round of applause for Keys of Success!” The crowd goes insane, and I know that the music she makes touches not only me but everyone in the room. This is why she settled for less, because less is more. They shuffle across the stage to their places and a flick of Laney’s wrist starts the group off as the room fills with tear-jerking tones.
    When it all comes to an end, I focus hard on Laney—her face glimmers of happiness and pride. After they read off the third and fourth place winners, I start getting nervous along with Laney. She wants these kids to win so badly and has worked so hard getting them this far. Second place is announced, and I breathe out a sigh of relief. There’s no way in hell they didn’t place—they have to be the first place winners. The brown-haired lady takes her time, clearing her throat a few times. I just want to shout at her to spit the fucking words out. 
    “And this year’s winners, who have worked so hard and have proven themselves to be the best, let’s give a huge applause for…The Keys of Success!” 
    I see Laney, her eyes filled with happy tears for reaching her goal. Her entire class of children pile around her in a group hug as they chant about being number one. I want that, I want to fill her eyes with happy tears and take away all the sad ones she has ever spilled. 
    I wait another ten minutes for the show to come to a close then I sneak out the doors before the crowd makes it impossible. I shoot Laney a text to tell her I’m waiting for her in the car. She texts back she will be at least thirty minutes longer. If she’s going to be that long, I can run to the store down the street and get her flowers for getting first place. I start the car and drive off. Flo’s Floral Shop is bright; different colored flowers line the small store in rows. Behind the counter an old woman wearing a colorful shirt as bright as the store sits there watching a Spanish television show. I hope she speaks English; I never learned Spanish and I have no idea what I’m looking for. 
    "¿Cómo puedo ayudarte?"she says, and I have no clue what she means. 
    “I’m sorry, I don’t speak Spanish, ma’am,” I tell her hoping she knows what I mean. 
    “Oh, sorry I have been watching this all day; it’s a habit. I said, how can I help you?” 
    I tell her about Laney, and how I want to get her an over-the-top bouquet of flowers. She shows me around telling me about certain ones like I am supposed to care about the names. I just pretend to listen until we come to these gorgeous red and purple ones. I can’t remember what she calls them, but I tell her I’ll take them. We walk back to the counter and she starts clipping them at the ends.
    When she pulls out the plastic wrap, she asks me if I want some romantic pointers. I look at her like she’s crazy, and ask her what kind of pointers. “Women love accents; it helps you in the long run. Would you like to try out a few lines?” she asks, wrapping the stuff around the stems. 
    “I guess I can give it a shot,” I tell her, still a little confused. I shrug my shoulders. 
    “Te amo, mi hermosa mujer.” She smiles big, letting the words roll off her tongue. “It means, I love you, my beautiful woman.” I thank her and walk out trying to remember the line. I say it repeatedly on the ride back. 
    When I pull back into the parking lot, she is walking down the steps of the school. I get out to meet her on the other side to open her door. Before she gets in, she squeals, throwing her arms around me. “We won! I am so happy right now. They actually beat people from different states!” I tell her I’m proud and help her in the car. When I get in she sees the flowers on the dash board. “Oh my god are those for me?” Of course they’re for her . I