Dying is the Easiest Part

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Two Stoned Hearts, Melted— A little

"Are you okay?" I don't know how many times Marissa asked me this, but I'm sure it's a lot of times already. Simula sa biyahe hanggang sa makarating kami dito sa parking ng Walmart ay tinatanong pa rin niya ako kung ayos lang ba ako.

And like what I always reply, "Yes, I'm fine." Ganyan din ulit ang naging tugon ko sa kanya.

Tiningnan niya ako. Mukhang may gusto siyang itanong sa akin, o kung bakit gano'n na lamang ang naging reaksyon ko pero mukhang alam niyang hindi kami ganoon kalapit sa isa't-isa para usisain ako sa mga bagay-bagay.

And that's a good thing because I've got no plans on spilling things about me with any of these two. Bukod sa pagkakamalan nila akong baliw ay hindi ko ugali ang magsabi ng mga bagay-bagay tungkol sa akin.

Marissa release a deep sigh before flashing me her soft and comforting smile. "Let's go?" She says.

I wet my bottom lip. I'm still not ready to move, honestly. I need to process things.

"Mauna na muna kayo. I have to make a short call with my Dad to ask him if he'll be needing anything since nandito na rin naman ako." I reasoned out.

She nods. "Let me save my number on your phone so you can call me once you're inside," she suggests and I fished my phone out of my pocket so that I can hand it to her.

She jots her number down on my phone and my hands are a bit fidgety in anticipation for them to leave so that I can be alone, but unfortunately, Marissa is the only one who got off the car.

I look at Garett Verona who's still sitting on the driver's seat with his arms resting on both sides of the steering wheel. Seems like he felt that I was staring at him so he lifts his eyes up the rearview mirror to look at me.

"Why are you still here?" I ask him.

"Because I'm still here," he deadpanned.

I grit my teeth in irritation. "I know, but why?" I ask him.

"Why not? This is my truck," he said.

I roll my eyes and let out a small groan. Jesus Christ! We will never have even just one conversation. I'm accepting that fact now.

"I don't have anything to get inside," I hear him says and that makes me look at him.

We both stare at each other through the rear view mirror for five solid seconds.

"Have you ever had a dream... it was so vivid that you thought it's true?" I ask him. I don't know why I'm asking him, but... shit! I just think that I'll lose it if I don't talk or say anything because a lot of things are running through my mind and the gaze of his intense blue eyes are not helping.

He thinks for a second before simply nodding. "Yeah. Some nights I do have," he says.

I wonder what they were, but I didn't ask. I just nod.

"Nothing... I just asked. I thought it was just me," I reason out.

He shots me a ridiculous stare like he couldn't believe I think that way.

"I bet a lot of people are experiencing that," he says. His voice is low. It was sexy, yes... but it's lifeless.

I shrug. "Maybe it's the sleeping pills, melatonin, alcohol," I shrug, trying to guess the reasons why.

"Maybe it's the trauma."

That was the response that I didn't expect that I'll get from him. I stare at him through the rearview mirror and he immediately avoided my gaze, like he's being defensive.