Deception: A Short Story

People do things sometimes just to make an impression on another. Whether it is an older or younger sibling, peers surrounding that person or even a love interest. Deception such as this is not always as terrible and devious as it sounds. If the truth did nothing at all and a small lie made someone happy what would you do? That may sound badly at first but do not think too far outside of this box. For this story has a happy start and also a happy ending. What I am about to tell you is not of present day but did happen in the past. Also because names and lives are mostly a private matter I will use a different name to symbolize a leading character in this story opposite the narrator, yours truly.
A long time ago in a small town not

too distant from here there was a boy and girl living their young lives one day at a time. The boy was a tall, handsome fellow with an impeccable smile and that boy was I. The girl was athletic and beautiful all around inside and out. Violet was her name. The boy knew her slightly and would often catch a glimpse of Violet in the hallways of their vintage looking high school in that small town. Long brown hair, sometimes curly and sometimes straight, beautiful bright eyes that would light up a room and she could be wearing a formal gown or even athletic clothing and still look beautiful as ever. It just so happens that in the very near future that tall boy and that beautiful girl became much closer.
It turns out that violet, the brown-haired girl, loved a sport so very much that she revolved her young life around it. I was and still am a fan of sports, especially baseball. The smell of the freshly cut, dark green Kentucky bluegrass covering nearly everywhere, the feeling of red clay and dirt under my cleats being pushed around by any movement, the sounds of leather baseballs being struck with aluminum bats and those same baseballs making a snap when it smacks into the leather glove cutting its time in the air short by seconds. But most of all the warm, bright sunshine beaming down from the sky making the Spring weather just that much more perfect for baseball or anything else imaginable. How I saw baseball is how Violet saw soccer. Now I know almost nothing about the sport of soccer and to this day I still know about the same amount of information as I did then. To be quite honest I did not enjoy the sport and did not see how anyone could play it and have fun. That turns out to be a lot of people’s point of view on baseball however, and I had a thing for this girl, so I kept my opinions to myself of course. When she asked me if I like soccer I couldn't tell her no. When that beautiful light almond face looked at me and asked about her favorite sport, I supported and even said that I really, really liked it.
So for some time when I was with or without Violet, I was a soccer fan.

Inside I was still an anti-soccer citizen but nobody could tell a difference. I loved going anywhere with Violet. Soccer games with her were just as fantastic as traveling to Paris in the wintertime and seeing the light snow gently fall to the ground in the most beautiful real-life painting you could ever imagine. Watching her play was of course much better. Violet was the hardest worker on the field and did everything she could to help win. Aside from watching her play, being next to her on those bleachers next to the huge grassy soccer fields created some of the best memories even if I had no clue what was going on in front of me. I do distinctly remember one memory of a game that I was watching with

her.
It was a dark, cloudy day.

It seemed as if there was a chance of rain in the sky but precipitation never fell. The temperature was a cool fifty degrees but there were still many supporters of all ages attending the event. For the life of me I can not remember the outcome of the soccer match or who we were even playing that day. That was probably because I deep down still had no interest for the sport and was there for Violet. The moment that I remember to this day that will stick with me forever happened during that game. I can remember seeing the dark sky and wondering if it will rain or not. Then something happened. The most I have ever watched a soccer match at that time led up to this moment. Our team led the ball down the field and ended up scoring a hell of a goal. When that happened I was happy, everyone was happy but Violet turned to me and her happiness changed everything. When I saw her jubilant face look at me and smile I could have been anywhere in that moment. Her bright eyes cleared up that dark, dreary day in an instant. I felt the warm rays of sunshine just as I felt during baseball season and it was suddenly the clearest and sunniest day I had ever experienced. Now the weather did not actually change around me but what was inside me changed with one look from that girl. Those bright eyes will always stick with

me.
Now I am not with Violet anymore and I have not had a good conversation with her in a good while. But passing as a soccer fan rewarded me greatly. Going back to what I mentioned earlier, “If the truth did nothing at all and a small lie made someone happy what would you do?” I did choose to make a small lie but the reward of seeing that happiness was worth all of it. I would have never told her I actually hated soccer and I am glad that I never did. Passing for something that I was not allowed me to experience some of the best times and I do not regret this. What changed in me is that other’s happiness is very important to me and will continue to be. Just as I said before, deception such as this is not always as terrible and devious as it sounds and it turned out to be quite the opposite of terrible and devious.