The Lies That We Tell (COMPLETED)

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

I couldn't sleep.

Natutulog sa kama ko si Gem dahil hindi ko siya madala sa kanila. I read stories about people dying because they choked on their puke. She's too drunk to be left alone.

But I was still pissed.

I was doing very well with handling myself. My mind was going into overdrink thinking kung ano ang ginagawa ni Zion kasama iyong Camille na 'yon, but one thing I was certain with was that I would not act on it. I would think about it—heck maybe even drive myself crazy thinking about it, pero wala akong gagawin tungkol doon.

I was trying to build a relationship with Zion and trust is an integral part.

Pero ngayon?

Hindi ko na alam.

I wanted to call Zion once more, but I didn't know if I could handle him not picking up again. Naglalaro na naman ang isip ko sa kung nasaan siya, kung sino ang kasama niya. Kasama niya ba si Camille? Did he tell her about me? Did he vent on her about me? Ano ang alam niya tungkol sa amin?

Gusto kong pumunta sa condo niya. Ayokong matulog na hindi kami nakakapagusap. I just wanted to explain. I just wanted to fix this mess. Ayoko na lumaki pa 'to, pero paano kung hindi niya sasagutin ang mga tawag ko?

Nakatitig ako sa phone ko nang biglang magreply si Nikki. I didn't bother to explain and just asked her if she could come here. Mamaya ko na sasabihin sa kanya kung ano iyong nangyari. I really just wanted to go see Zion.

"Nasa kama ko lang si Gem," I told her as soon as I saw her outside my door.

"Okay," she replied with her forehead creased. I only got my phone and my wallet with me. "But... where are you going at this time? Zion?"

Tumango ako. "I'll be back."

"Wait," she said. "Can't this just wait? It's like 4AM."

Umiling ako. "No, I really wanna go," sabi ko at saka mabilis na lumabas ng condo at naglakad papunta sa condo ni Zion. It was already 4AM. I didn't know if this was the right idea. Wala na halos tao sa daan maliban sa iilang mga sasakyan at tao na dumadaan. But I also wouldn't be able to sleep not knowing that we're okay.

Because we'd been fine.

Sure, it hadn't been easy, but we're doing well.

And then this?

Hindi ako makakatulog.

Wala pang limang minuto na nakaupo ako sa lobby ng condo ni Zion nang maabutan ko na papasok siya. He was holding his phone and looking at it. I was calling him. I watched as he rejected my call.

This... felt worse.

Kapag nakita mo nang harap-harapan.

"What are you doing here?" pagod na tanong niya nang mapatingin siya sa gawi ko. He looked tired. I was tired, too. But I wanted to explain. Na lasing lang si Gem. That I was actually minding my own business, trying to be good, that was why this felt so unfair.

I just wanted him to hear me out.

"To talk," I replied.

"I'm tired. Can't this wait?"

"I don't wanna go to sleep with you mad at me."

"Then maybe try not to do—" sabi niya at saka natigilan. "Know what? I'm really tired. I have no energy for this."

Nagpatuloy siya sa paglalakad.

Agad akong sumunod.

"Arielle—"