Ouch. Well, hard as it is, it'd be best to come clean. Upholding the lie will only get trickier to navigate. If your parents are disappointed, that's on them. You have to take care of yourself and honor your noting of the red flags. It's not incompetency to turn down a job you determined to not be a good fit. I think it would be weird for your friend to interpret it as incompetency. But you know her better. And remember, it's not like they will think better when the truth does come to light. And you know it will. I know it's hard, but easier in the long run to rip that bandaid off, and sooner than later.

I recently watched a series on Netflix called "Sick". The whole thing started with a lie, and escalated big time. If you're thinking maybe keeping up the charade will not be so difficult, it might be worth a watch. Sure, it's a cautionary tale, but it also has funny stuff. It stars Rupert Grint of Harry Potter fame. Anyhow, I digress...