Sincere Lies

Ten

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"Hi, Chris," I said, moving closer to be beside him, by the same beautiful balcony of Town in a Building, by the—once again—gorgeous sky. "How did y-your day go so far?"

"Hello, my lady," Chris said, looking down then up the sky we both admired. "It was okay, weird, and. . . tiring."

"Tiring because?" I asked. Na-curious lang naman ako sa buhay niya nang slight.

"Because you weren't around," Chris smiled, leaning against the railing of the balcony. This immediately made me anxious about Chris's position against the railing and forgetful of what we were talking about. Anyways, bolero.

"And exams," he sighed, his manly shoulders dropping a bit. "Fuck exams, napuyat ako."

"Did you ace it?"

"I think. Ako pa?" he said. "But maybe. . . I don't know."

"S-sorry, I didn't know," I said, remembering all the reasons why I was also responsible sa pagpupuyat niya. "Sorry."

I should've known and told him to go home early.

That was when I realized that I should still know how to be sensitive about things even in his real life. I might take more space than I am intended to.

"No, no, my lady," he said. "Now that you are here, I can say that I don't need rest anymore."

"Bolero talaga," I said, rolling my eyes. "But you have—"

"My lady, such a beautiful mask," he suddenly said, cutting me off, our masked noses almost touching. I couldn't believe that we got that close, that my heart was pounding that quick, and it was because of my mask.

Somehow, improperly, I am jealous.

"I would like to marry her," he added, chuckling. "Just kidding, my lady."

"Well," I started, knowing what I would say next, and it would be a complete revenge for what he said.

"Such a beautiful mask, my man," I said, forming a good comeback with my lips. I hope it doesn't flatter him. "I like him."

"I—"

"What?" I said, smirking.

"I do not like the sound of you saying you like someone else," he sighed. "But I told you, gorgeous, you won't be able to resist my charms. It's still my mask."

"Yeah, I think you're right."

"Just kidding," he said. "I was just kidding. But you said that, and I felt a slight hint of jealousy."

"But my lady. . ." he started again but stopped as soon as he dropped those three words.

"Hmm?"

I looked up to his face, and the sun gorgeously made its way to craft our shadows against the wall, complementing the dark parts of Chris's gorgeous mask. His features were so beautiful that I did not know how to describe them. I just was. . . so amazed.