The Missing Petal

KABANATA 9

CALLIE

HAVE you ever been in a situation where you just stand there listening to their bickering, believing their nonsense, agreeing with their judgement and just silently watching because no one even acknowledges your presence? In short, have you ever been in a situation where you are standing there but you are not really there?

Right now? I'm experiencing that situation. I need to stay silent as much as possible for me to hear what they have to say. But sorry, I need to step up my own game because I'm so fed up with their mendacity.

Unlike them, I don't need to justify anything because all I need to do is tell the truth, and in order to do that, I need to act strong and fierce and be someone I'm not. Tired of their non-stop quarrel, napa-irap ako sa hangin at dahan-dahang lumakad papunta sa likudan nila ng hindi nila napapansin. Sa bagay, kahit nga siguro magsisigaw pa ako dito ay hindi pa rin nila ako papansinin. I mean, who in the world am I? I'm just Callie, the teacher's pet.

Or so they thought...

"Ah! Can we stop playing? It's getting boring already," I said behind them with a yawn, napalingon naman sa akin si Maisie na sinundan ng pag-ikot ni Ciara.

"Why? You can't handle it anymore?" Ciara said with a smirk, because of her constant crying, her eye make-up was smudged now and oh! Let's not forget the lipstick stain on her cheek and chin. Just by looking at her, the Regina George that she thought she resembled was being replaced by Harley Quinn now.

"Oh please! This game was created for you guys to tell the truth! But what are you doing? All of you just keep on lying and lying and lying! What's the whole point of playing?" I complained.

I need to do this, dahil dito malalaman kung sino ba sa kanila ang nagsasabi ng totoo o kung sino ang nagsisinungaling sa simula pa lang. You can't easily catch a good liar by how they are showing their emotions. What if they are only faking it? They conceal their true emotions by acting affected, sad, or innocent. 

By their expression? No, what if they are only controlling it? Hmm, I'm not a psychologist nor a detective, but one thing I'm certain of– you can catch a good liar by how they react to your questions and statements. The words they used, the tone of their voice, and lastly, the look of their eyes.

"Oh, but that is how this game works, Mallari. You tell the truth or you tell a lie. You have two choices. But remember, once you open that pretty mouth of yours, the choices do not belong to you anymore, they will be ours," Ciara replied.

Wait! I need them to answer me, not you Ciara! This is so frustrating. She's ruining my plan!

"Do you get it now?" maangas na tanong ni Vaughn, nakaupo siya sa isang desk habang pinaglalaruan ang isang sachet ng chocolate drink.

Chocolate drink? Wait...I don't understand? It's been exactly one hour ng inumin ni Ciara ang chocolate drink na 'yon, as for Vaughn thirty minutes has already passed. Bakit hindi pa rin ume-epekto sa kanila ang poison na nakahalo sa chocolate drink? Naguguluhan ako!

"Why can't you just tell the truth? For Aina's sake! Stop fabricating it!" Maisie said, out of the blue. Dang, dahil kay Vaughn ay na distract ako, ngayon ay hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko.

"Oh! But we are telling the truth, nasa sayo na lang 'yon kung paniniwalaan mo," Ciara stated, twirling like an idiot. The stink of her vomit in her filthy dress stirred up in the air.

Maisie was supposed to speak, pero bago pa niya gawin 'yon ay inunahan ko na siya.

"How can I–"