Your Lies Aren't Loud

Chapter 1

veiled path

I only listen to lies when I know the truth. But the thing is that I know nothing about this place. Yet, I have already listened to one lie.

"You seriously think I live here in the middle of this- this tawny wheat field?" He sounds disgusted.

"You told me to trust you on this one!" Hindi ko na napigilang sumigaw. 

"I was talking about the jump!" He yelled back.

"But you lied about living here. Paano tayo makakauwi ngayon? Paano?!" I freaked out and catched my breath. "Ngayon sabihin mo sa'kin kung saan tayo pupunta. Dito ka nakatira di'ba?" 

"Do I look like I live here?" He opened his arms and showed me his look. I titled my head.

He's wearing a white long sleeves under a brown knitted vest, beige khaki pants which matched with his shoes now covered with dirt. Not to mention the flat cap on his head. Judging by his looks... "Uh, yes?"

"Huh!" He sounds offended.

"I'm sorry Mister..." I stopped for the reason that I don't know his name.

"Khael."

"I'm sorry Mister Khael pero kailangan ko ng umalis. Thank you for your help but I think I should go and find my way back home. Alone." I gave him my not so genuine smile and turned my back at him. I started walking at the opposite direction.

"Sige, tignan ko lang kung makakaalis ka." Sagot niya. Pakiwari ko ay nagsimula na rin siyang maglakad patungo roon. The fact that I'll be walking alone before sunset scared me. I raised my head and continued walking.

"Still not changing your mind?" Sigaw niya mula sa malayo.

"No!" I took bigger steps because the crops in this area are taller.

"You sure?" I heard him shout. He's much more in a distance now.

"No!" Kasabay ng sigaw ko ang pag-dagundong ng langit. The molten silver sky quenching the earth has now cocooned in black. Mabilis akong tumakbo pabalik at hinabol si Khael.

"Wait!" Hinawakan ko ang balikat niya nang maabutan ko siya.

"I thought you're going to find your way back home? Alone?" He asked while I continuously shook my head and did not let go of his shoulder.

"Why don't we," Hinabol ko ang hininga ko. "find it together?"

"Alright." He grinned.

Together? Yeah, right. My father always reminds me that being alone is strong, but being together is stronger. So he assured me to have someone all the time and never let me by my myself, even if the world is full of people that are hard to entrust with. Most especially this man I am with right now. 

It's been minutes since we started walking so I decided to break the silence. "Nga pala," He glanced at me and waited. 

"Paano mo nalaman na Pilipino ako?" Kanina ko pa gustong itanong sakanya 'yan. 

Napasinghap ako nang ituro niya ang bag ko. "Eh? Jansport is a universal brand."

"Key chain." He said. Napakapkap ako sa keychain ng bag ko. Ni hindi ko man lang napansin na nakasabit parin hanggang ngayon yung keychain na nakuha ko sa Boracay.