baklaan party ● pordee

29

I woke up with Michelle gone. Still feeling tired, I was about to fall back asleep when I hear the door open.

It was Michelle. She collapses beside me, snuggling in my neck.

I look at her and immediately felt something was off.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asks, gently running my fingers through her hair.

She nods, whispering, "Just tired."

"You wanna sleep? I can go so you can have alone time." I say, shifting on my spot a little, but she grips me tighter.

"No, stay. You're my pahinga."

So I did. Observing her closely, I notice her red eyes, looking like she just cried. Gently caressing her face, I ask. "What's wrong?"

She shakes her head, gaze dropping. "Nothing."

Unconvinced, I tilt my head, observing her. "You look like you just cried."

She pauses for a moment, eyes shifting. "I'm fine, Ann."

Staring at her, still unconvinced, I ask. "Why does it feel like you're hiding something from me?"

She fell silent, and I took that as a yes.

She always gets like this when I ask her stuff. She never tells me anything, and she suddenly gets defensive when I push her.

Rhian's voice echoed from outside, and the door opened. "Honey! Has Celeste lef... oh hi." her statement was cut off when she locked eyes with me. I snap my head at Michelle, confused.

Celeste? Celeste came?

"My God, Rhi. Can't you knock?" Michelle spoke, sounding annoyed. She widened her eyes at Rhian as if warning. Rhian mouthed a sorry, locking eyes with me briefly, and closed the door again.

Puzzled, I glanced at Michelle, who now avoided my gaze, looking guilty. "Why can't you tell me that she came?"

"It's not... I don't get why it matters."

"Of course, it matters, Michelle. It's... it's your ex."

She was silent, and something in her clearly changed. She looked like a wilted flower, slumped and worn down.

I didn't know what happened while I was sleeping, but something clearly did. Now knowing that Celeste was just here, I couldn't help my thoughts from running.

"Something happened." I spoke.

She pauses before shaking her head. "No. It's...it's nothing."

"I'm not asking, Michelle. I'm stating."

She snaps her head at me, stunned. Looking like she didn't expect me to react this way. "Ann, don't be pissed. We just talked."

They talked? How the hell is that not going to matter?

"It wasn't... it wasn't anything too important." she added, and I could tell she was lying.

My heart aches. Did I really break her trust that hard? To the point where she can't say literally anything to me? She's been doing nothing but shut me out ever since. I can't keep ignoring how much it hurts.

I feel a lump forming in my throat and I let out a frustrated sigh, absentmindedly fiddling with my ring.

She senses my discomfort and gently touches my chin, her eyes filled with concern. "Hey, what is it?"

"When will you stop pushing me away?" I murmur, my voice barely audible.

Her gaze softens, and she looked guilty. "Ann, I'm not.." she stammers, trying to find the right words to say. "It's just... things are confusing right now."