Dark Phoenix #2: Echoes Of Lies

CHAPTER 35

Chapter 35

The silence inside the damn four-walled room is killing me. I tapped my fingers on my bare legs as I felt my palm starting to moist. My anxiety is attacking and I'm not liking it. It made me uncomfortable. I was getting ready to leave when Laurence, in her chilly voice, break the murderous silence. I trembled a bit.

"So... you're with a criminal now?" Laurence scoffed. I bit my tongue inside my mouth and gave her the same intense glare. That was...unexpected. It was a blow that I didn't catch.

Mabilis na nagbago ang ekpesyon ko. Nawala ang kaunting takot ko kanina at napalitan ng sama ng loob dahil sa sinabi niya pero takot pa rin ako. I put on a wide smile and played it in front of them as if this won't hurt me at all. This will backfire me later, might as well play this game well. Uuwi man akong luhaan pero at least lumaban ako.

"Uhuh?" I clicked my tongue and lean at my seat's backrest. Trying to act all uninterested and bored with the situation when in fact, I am scared to death. My insides are trembling in fear. I felt like puking.

Laurence blink twice to erase the hatred in her eyes but she failed big time. I noticed how she's clenching her jaw repeatedly. It was maybe because I know her since we were young that it's easy for me to read what's running in her mind. To pull that string to annoy her, I know what button to push. Some things maybe changed over time but not this version of her. She couldn't stop her anger when it devour her wholly.

"You fucking left just to be with that fucking criminal!? That fucking rapist, Cassandra? You must be out of your fucking mind!" she gritted her teeth. Palm balled to fist as her jaw clenched angrily. She's bursting really bad and this is not good.

Nawala ang paglalaro sa akin at walang emosyon ko siyang tinitigan sa mata at itinago ang nangangatal na mga kamay sa ilalim ng lamesa. Pinanatili kong patay at walang pakealam ang mga tinging binibigay ko sa kaniya salungat sa naghuhumerantado kong kalooban. I won't be leaving this place unscatched because she's on the verge of finishing me right now.

I looked at the people inside the room. All eyes are on me. They all looking normal as they watch the drama in front of them. No pity, anger or anything that could trigger another anxiety from me. And I'm thankful to that.

Anxiety is my long time best friend that stick to me all the time. It doesn't leave me even when I want to be alone. It clings to me and so as the sadness and depression as my second and third best friend all those years I was trying to grasp for my useless dear life.

Well, I guess it's a good thing that I'm not alone at all. I have to bond with me.

I gently brushed my hair up away from my face and spoke after a few minutes of silence. This won't end, not when she's murdering me inside her head in front of me.

"Aren't we all are? You wouldn't be here if you're not a criminal and the rest of us here." tinabingi ko ang ulo ko para dagdagan ang arte ko. To emphasize my point. "We may not hurt someone, like Hughes did, but doing all in this shit and illegal things makes us all criminal." I said matter-of-factly eyeing everyone inside the four-walled room.

"I am here for business not for anything else. Not for a drama that you're giving right now, so please if you're here just to shit out then I'll be leaving. I can't waste my time, as well as your time for petty things, Miss—ah, I'm sorry about that. You're married now." I smiled sweetly— sarcastically.

"How should I address you?" I added.

Tumayo ako bitbit ang bag nang biglang tumalsik iyon palayo sa'kin. Napasinghap ako doon at napadaig sa pagkagat ng hapdi sa balikat ko while twisting my wrist painfully as the sudden surge of unbearable pain attack that part. Nilingon ko ang mga kamay na mariing nakakapit sa balikat ko. Her well-made, manicured nails dug into my pale skin. The pain intensified when I glimpsed a little blood coming from there. But I ignored that, and the only thing on my mind was to escape.