Sincere Lies

Twenty-Seven

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It was the best time anyone could ever arrive in. I needed someone at that moment. I needed anyone. Anyone who could pull me out of these drowning thoughts.

"Cerulean!" Lannie called again, reminding me who Cerulean was—the person I was in Town in a Building. It wasn't me, but why did she call me that?

I'm Stephanie, not Cerulean. We're in the real world, not inside Town in a Building.

I searched for the source of Lannie's voice as I also searched for reasons why she called me 'Cerulean' instead of 'Stephanie.'

Baka nasanay na lang siya? Baka mas komportable na siyang gamitin ang pangalang 'yon?

"Cerulean!" I heard her once again. Nang lumingon ako sa pinaghihinalaan kong pinanggalingan ng boses, nakita ko si Lannie. She was in her mask.

She was Paris.

So as Divine and Maddie. They were Carrie and Veronica. They were by Maddie's car.

Why the heck are they in their masks?

And did they just drive around the neighborhood just to find me?

"Cerulean!" Paris exclaimed and ran to me when she saw me. Veronica and Carrie immediately followed.

"Where did you go?" Paris said, fixing my disheveled hair.

"Just around the neighborhood," I said, my tears threatening me that they would come. I didn't know how scared I was when I was alone, and I didn't know how I managed to play it cool when I saw Gideon. Or did I play it cool? The whole time, I knew, I was crying.

"Hindi ka raw nagpaalam kina Tita Michelle?" ang sabi ni Paris habang sinusuot sa akin ang mask ni Cerulean.

"P-pa'nong nakuha niyo 'to?" I asked, fixing my mask. "A-at saka, bakit ko kailangan suotin 'to? Ba't kayo naka-mask?"

"Nagpunta kami kanina sa Town in a Building. Tapos, nakita namin si Chris, tinatanong kung nasaan ka," ang paliwanag ni Carrie. "Kanina ka pa raw niya hinahanap sa buong Town in a Building, pero hindi ka niya makita. Ang akala naman namin, nasa Town in a Building ka."

"Hindi ko pa rin gets," ang sabi kong pabiro kahit nararamdaman ko pa rin ang bigat ng lahat ng nararamdaman ko.

"Pumunta kami sa bahay niyo, pero nag-stay lang si Chris sa may Tejeron para 'di niya malaman ang address mo, tulad ng kapag hinahatid ka raw niya," ang pagpapatuloy ni Veronica. I just listened to them. "Tapos, noong tinanong namin sina Tita Michelle, wala ka raw sa bahay. Nakita rin namin 'tong mask mong nasa sala, kaya tinago na namin agad para 'di makita ni Tita."

"Doon na namin nalamang nawawala ka," Paris said, hugging me. "Hindi mo kasi pababayaang nakakalat ang mask mo kung nando'n ka sa bahay niyo."

Then, it hit me. "Pumunta kami sa bahay niyo, pero nag-stay lang si Chris sa may Tejeron para 'di niya malaman ang address mo, tulad ng kapag hinahatid ka raw niya."

"Chris was with you?" ang bigla kong tanong.

"Yes," ang sabi ni Paris, "kaya you have to wear your mask."