The Lies That We Tell (COMPLETED)

Epilogue

Epilogue

The strobe lights were dancing and they were making me feel dizzy—dagdag mo pa iyong lakas ng tugtog na para bang tambol sa dibdib ko.

God, hindi na talaga ako sanay sa ingay? Not that I was ever used to the party scene in the first place. Kaya lang naman talaga ako nakakapunta sa ganito ay dahil kay Nikki.

Speaking of the birthday girl—

"Happy birthday!" sabi ko kay Nikki nang finally ay makita ko siya.

"Thank you," she replied. "I told you that didn't have to come."

"And what? Miss this party that your boyfriend threw for you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Again, he's not my boyfriend—"

"Yet," I said, cutting her off.

"Whatever."

Tumawa ako. "You've changed," I said. "I mean, not necessarily in a bad way," dugtong ko.

Nikki used to go to a lot of parties pero hindi naman siya laging lasing. She was just always out and about. And now she said na she prefers to hangout with the guy who's not her boyfriend.

She scoffed. "Ew," sabi niya tapos napatingin siya sa isang gilid dahil may tumawag sa pangalan niya. "I'll see you later."

I nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Go ahead and mingle, birthday girl. Masyado ka ng nakakulong sa love nest niyo ng not jowa mo."

She faked a gagging noise. "Shut up," sabi niya bago naglakad palayo.

I smiled at some of the familiar faces. I just stood there as I quietly enjoyed my mocktail. Nagsabi naman na ako kay Nikki na aalis ako by 11PM. I really like going to bed early so that I can start my day early. Mas productive kasi talaga kapag ganon.

Kinuha ko iyong phone ko nang maramdaman ko iyong pagva-vibrate nun. Hinihintay ko iyong message ni Gem. Sabay dapat kaming pupunta rito, pero biglang may kailangan siyang gawin. Baka nasa labas na siya.

"How did you know the birthday girl?" rinig kong tanong ng kung sinuman. Agad akong napatingin sa pinanggalingan ng boses kahit hindi naman ako sigurado kung para sa akin ba iyong tanong.

My lips parted when I saw who it was.

"H-hi," I said as I stared at him wide-eyed.

He gave me a smile.

I'd been seeing that smile on some billboards, but nothing ever beats seeing that in person.

"Hi," he replied. "So, you're a model, too?" he asked.

"What?" I asked, confused with this conversation.

Napahawak siya sa batok niya. "You don't remember."

"Remember what?"

Umiling siya. "Nothing," he said.

Alam ko na dapat sumagot ako, pero para bang hindi gumagana iyong isip ko. I was just staring at him. Did I drink alcohol tonight? Hindi naman ata? I remember very distinctly na mocktail iyong inorder ko.

"You're here..." I said when I managed to string along the words.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"For a contract?"

"Three months," he replied.

"Oh... Nice," sabi ko na lang dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko.

I thought about the things that I'd tell him kapag nakita ko siya... I did that kahit na hindi ko alam kung magkikita pa ba kami. Because he said things before about him keeping in touch, but he never did. And it wasn't as if he had the responsibility to keep in touch.