Lips That Lie

CHAPTER 40

"I want to know what happened, ate Calla. Kuya hasn't been home for the past three days."

Nag-angat siya ng tingin kay Adrianna na tila no'n lamang niya natanto na mayroon siyang ibang kasama. They were inside her huge walk-in closet, going through all her clothing. Tinawag siya nito roon para magpatulong sa pago-organize ng mga damit nito. Karamihan doon ay hindi pa nito nagagamit kahit isang beses at nakabalot at may mga tag pa.

"A-Ano'ng...nangyari?" balik-tanong niya rito.

Adrianna nodded absent-mindedly while her eyes were on her dresses.

"With kuya? Did the plan actually work? What did you do?"

What did she do?

Inalala niya ang naging tagpo sa pagitan nila ni Antonio sa garahe ng mansiyon tatlong araw na ang nakaraan. She didn't do anything except follow Adrianna's instructions. To be honest, she didn't expect it to work nor did she expect Antonio to react that way. At totoong hindi nga ito umuwi sa mansiyon ng mga magulang nang gabing iyon at sa mga araw na sumunod pa.

"S-Sinunod ko lang naman ang mga sinabi mo, Adrianna," she answered simply before she proceed to fold Adrianna's clothes.

She heard her snort. Napalingon siya rito. Nakangisi na ito sa kanya ngayon.

"Ang bilis naman no'n, ate Calla. I thought he's going to make it more challenging for you," komento nito.

Kumunot ang kanyang noo rito. "B-Bakit naman? Hindi ba mas pabor sa kanya kung umiwas man ako?"

Tinitigan siya ni Adrianna habang nananatiling hawak ang isa kulay purple na puffed sleeve bodycon knitted dress na nakasabit pa sa hanger. May heart neckline ito at may slit pa sa gilid. Hindi pa man naka-suot ay alam niyang masyadong maikli iyon kay Adrianna kahit pa adjustable ang haba ng slit. But she could see why she purchased it. The dress looked really cute.

"Are you seriously asking that, ate Calla?" tanong nito na pumukaw sa atensiyon niya mula sa damit.

"H-Huh?" nagtataka niyang tanong.

Adrianna's eyes bore into her. When she probably realised that she really has no idea what she's talking about, she shook her head and smiled mischievously.

"Isang pakipot at isang manhid. This is exciting," she murmured.

"Ano iyon, Adrianna?" she asked her. Hindi lubusang nakuha ang sinabi.

"Oh, nothing, ate Calla," Adrianna gave her a sweet smile. "How do you feel now that he's probably not going back here anymore?"

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. She knows she's going to lie and it's going to show in her eyes. It was easier through her lips but her eyes will surely give her away.

She missed him.

Hinahanap-hanap niya si Antonio sa ilang araw na hindi niya ito nakita. Ang bigat ng presensiya nito, ang matalim at malamig na mga mata kung maka-tingin, ang malamyos na tunog ng pangalan niya sa mga labi nito.

Damn, she missed him. Mas matindi pa kumpara sa tatlong buwan silang hindi nagkita at hindi niya rin matukoy kung bakit. Mas malapit ito sa kanya ngayon, nakakausap, nakikita, nakakasama, pero sa kung anong rason ay mas nangungulila siya kay Antonio kumpara noon. He made her long so much...so much for a life that she couldn't possibly have. Like a piece of heaven in hell that is her life.

But instead, she told Adrianna...

"W-Wala naman. Mas maayos na rin ang ganito, Adrianna. Mas...madali akong makakalimot," aniya sa isang blangkong tono. "Alam ko kung saan ang lugar ko. Hindi ko gustong ipilit ang nararamdaman ko."