The Lies That We Tell (COMPLETED)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"What?" Nikki asked nang mahuli niya ako na nakatingin sa kanya.

"What?" I replied back, deflecting dahil guilty ako na nakatingin sa kanya.

"You're staring."

"I wasn't," I said. "May iniisip lang ako."

Her forehead was creased. "If you say so..." sabi niya tapos ay ibinalik niya iyong atensyon niya sa phone niya. Kanina pa siya may ka-text. Hinihintay namin si Gem na dumating kasi may brunch date kami ngayon.

I tried to divert my attention elsewhere. Kinuha ko rin iyong cellphone ko at naglaro na lang doon. I was starting to get into the game nang mapatingin ako kay Nikki dahil tumawa siya. I wanted to ask kung bakit siya natawa, but I consciously stopped myself. So what if tumawa siya? Hindi ko naman first time na makitang tumawa si Nikki.

I was being weird.

But then she laughed again.

"So... how was the party?" tanong ko dahil hindi ko na ma-contain iyong curiosity ko. Hindi naman niya alam na nakita ko sa IG story ni Erick iyong sa kanila ni Zion. Also, hindi naman siguro weird na magtanong ako sa kanya kasi in the first place, ako naman iyong humingi ng favor sa kanya. Natural lang naman na ma-curious ako.

"What party?" she asked.

"Iyong sinama mo si Zion," I said as casually as I possibly could habang hinahalo ko iyong straw nung inumin ko.

She arched her left eyebrow a bit. She looked at me and then shrugged. "It was fun."

"Because?"

"Of alcohol?"

"Uminom kayo?"

"I did," sabi niya. "Zion drove, so he has to stay sober."

"May sasakyan siya?"

"I let him drive my car."

"You let him drive your car?" I asked kasi parang hindi naman sila ganoon ka-close para hayaan niya si Zion na i-drive iyong sasakyan niya?

Nikki nodded. "He seems pretty responsible," sabi niya. "Besides, I told him if he even as much as put a dent in my car, I'd hound his freaking ass."

Tumango lang ako. Nikki arched her brow.

"Why are you suddenly curious? The last time we talked, you told me that I didn't have to update you kung ano ang ginagawa namin," she said.

"I know," sabi ko. "Just making small talk. Ang tagal ni Gem, e."

"If you say so," she replied with a small laughter.

"Whatever."

"I did introduce him to some people as promised," sabi ni Nikki.

"Okay."

"He was talking to some girls tho."

"Okay."

"You're not jealous."

"No. Bakit naman ako magseselos?"

Tumawa si Nikki. "Whatever you say, Pinocchio," sabi niya na naiiling tapos ay binalik iyong atensyon niya sa phone niya.

A few minutes passed at wala pa rin si Gem. Nasaan na ba iyong babae na 'yon! Siya nag-aya nito, e. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang gagawin ko. I should've brought my laptop with me at nagtrabaho na lang ako kaysa kung anu-ano ang iniisip ko.

But then again, my intrusive thoughts won.

I went to see Zion's snapchat account and saw his snap score increasing.