Maybe I'm Lying [COMPLETED]

KABANATA 33 - Tricks

Tumaas ang sulok ng bibig ko. This jerk!

Kunwari ay gulat itong makita ako. “Ms. Veridad? You're here too?!”

Sarkastiko ko siyang nginitian at bumaling kay Wren. “Who is this basketball-looking man, Wren?” Natunghayan ko ang unti-unting pagkunot ng noo ni Match dahil sa sinabi ko. Pinapahatid ng ngiti nito na wala sa usapan namin ang insultuhin siya, na kailangan lang namin magpanggap na hindi magkakilala.

He started it! He tricked me first!

When I turned to Atticus, I saw him restraining his laugh while Wren lips were pursed in a thin line, having a hard time not smiling.

“Atticus, give me your sleep inducing injection!” ani ni Match na tila nagpipigil at inilahad kay Attticus ang kamay. Hinampas lang ito ng huli.

“Don't waste your braincell thinking of revenge, Match. Hindi mo rin matutuloy hangga't nandiyan si Wren,” sagot ni Atticus.

“Pero hindi naman pwedeng insultuhin na lang niya ko nang gano'n-gano'n lang!” si Match at akmang susugod sa akin kung hindi lang niyakap ni Atticus.

“You deserved it though,” sumabat na si Wren. Seryoso ang tono ng boses niya kaya natigil si Match sa pagpupumiglas at nagtatanong na napatingin sa akin. Dahan-dahan akong tumango. Kahit di niya sabihin alam kong tinatanong niya sa akin kung sinabi ko kay Wren ang lahat-lahat.

Inalis niya ang pagkakayakap sa kanya ni Atticus at umayos ng tayo. “I forgot... I need to troubleshoot the system,” he said at nagmamadaling lumabas. Pero bago siya tuluyang makaalis ay may pahabol pa si Wren.

“You’ll be my target next shooting,” mahinang sabi ni Wren na tiyak na narinig ni Match dahil agad itong napahinto. Nang makahuma ay lumabas na rin. Pagkaraa'y sumunod narin si Atticus.

Hinarap ko si Wren at tinulungan siyang mahiga sa kama pagkaraan ay naupo naman ako sa gilid nito. Kinuha ko ang mga gamot na ibinilin ni Atticus na kailangan nang mainom ni Wren at inabutan siya ng isang basong tubig para inumin ang mga pills na iyon.

“Will you really be fine?” Tumango siya bilang sagot.

“Next time don't endanger yourself because of this trivial matter—”

“Nothing about you is trivial!” Unti-unting sumibol ang ngiti sa labi niya. Huli na nang mapagtanto ko kung ano ang nasabi ko na nakapagpainit sa mga pisngi ko.

Iniwas ko nalang ang tingin sa kanya. Why am I getting shy about what I just said when we already said ‘I love yous’ to each other? I shook my head in disbelief.

My eyes landed on the phone sitting on the beside table. I took it to examine and found out that it was mine.

“Is this my phone?” I asked him to which he answered with a nod. I watched him closed his eyes to sleep. The effect of the drugs were probably kicking in just now. I put the phone back on the table and fixed his blanket.

“Next time. If you're hurt or whenever you feel something’s troubling you. You should tell me... we shouldn't keep secret at each other...,” I said my voice sounds quiet and I thought he's already asleep and didn't hear it but he nodded and smiled in response.

Nang matapos ay narinig ko na ang malalalim niyang paghinga. Senyales na nakatulog na siya.

I watched him sleep and thought to myself that even if I just watched him the whole day sleeping, I will never get bored. As long as I'm the one lying next to him.

I heard my phone beeping so I took it without breaking my gaze at Wren. I took a brief glance at fhe screen to see the name of the text and back to Wren. My forehead knotted when I realized the texter was an unknown number so I looked back again at the screen.

My heart skipped a beat when I read what is in the message.

[Craven needs you. If you wanted to see him go look for him in the mansion tomorrow, alone or prepare to meet him in another life.]

I stared at the phone screen for another minute making sure I wasn't just hallucinating. This message could only be from Amy or her Dad Eumir Ishioka. All I thought Craven will be safe there because he was Eumir’s favourite treasure. I never thought he'll risk loosing Craven over Amy.

I told myself I would get him out of that prison and he'll be able to live freely like other teenagers. I won't forgive myself if something happens to him. And what's Mom doing?! Why is she letting all this happened?

Wren mumbled something in his sleep. So I patted his head to calm him. I bit my lower lip and leaned closer to kissed his forehead.

“I love you,” I whispered my lips barely touching his skin.

The message told me to go there alone. I can't risk Craven's life.