GALEMETRYO

Chapter 15: Everything is Different

What happened is a poignant reminder of how obscure some occurrences can be. You can embellish them, but you can never escape the uncertainties embedded in every situation. Some say that the rigidity of life is absolute—let alone the notion of going back in time and pretending that everything can be changed. (Did he even go back in time?) There's always a price to pay. Living leisurely was never an option to begin with. You can't calibrate every intention perfectly, so why aim for liberation? What are the causes of this strange phenomenon? Is this even real, or just an elaborate illusion crafted by someone who refuses to accept reality? You rise, but immediately face critical situations. Why suffer when you can rest in peace? The nebulous concepts of life have always been sketchy. Was he chosen by both heaven and hell? Did the supreme deity and demon king crown him to become this?

No! That's pure fantasy. Wake up from your delusions and carry the weight of reality. Fate may be altered, but the future cannot be escaped. You may walk a different path, but your destination remains the same—no matter how hard you try to deny it. You will only end up in adversity and misery.

As I slowly opened my eyes, I realized something was off. Why are there lights on the ceiling? I thought I was at the beach with Liz and Marion. But no—this sterile, quiet space was not the beach. I was in a hospital or a clinic. But why? Oh, that's right—I had felt dizzy, and everything went black after that.

"Ben, are you awake?" A voice—familiar and laced with concern—called out. Another voice followed, this time more playful but equally familiar: "Ben, are you okay?"

I didn't answer immediately. My mind was busy piecing together fragments of memories, trying to figure out what had happened. Still lying on the hospital bed, I stared at the ceiling, feeling the weight of the situation sink in. The clinical atmosphere was suffocating. Finally, I turned my head and saw Liz and Marion standing nearby, their faces a mixture of relief and concern.

"Ben, stop being a wuss and acting like a princess," Marion teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"Marion, enough!" Liz scolded him softly.

I turned to Liz, still groggy. "What happened to me?"

"We're not entirely sure. One minute we were just chatting, and the next you fainted. Marion rushed to get help, and now here you are."

"Wait, Marion did that?" I asked, surprised. "What a thoughtful gentleman, coming to save his princess," I teased with a grin. Liz chuckled, but Marion looked slightly embarrassed.

"Ben, while you were out—" Liz began, only to be interrupted by Marion's sudden shout, "LIZ!"

Ignoring him, Liz continued, "While you were sleeping, Marion was really worried. He kept asking the nurse about you—he even made sure you were well taken care of."

Marion looked away, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. After a beat, he finally spoke up, "Who wouldn't worry? You were out cold for almost the whole night."

"Just a night? That's nothing," I said dismissively. Then I paused. "Wait... a whole night?" I repeated, my voice rising. "A WHOLE NIGHT?!"

"Yes, a freaking whole night," Liz replied, her tone teasing but with an underlying hint of frustration. "Because of you, I barely got any sleep! You better pray a pimple doesn't pop up on my face because of the stress you caused!" she continued, her words tumbling out in a flurry of complaints.

I couldn't help but laugh. It was the first time I'd seen her this flustered, and she looked almost—dare I say it—scary when she was upset. But despite the lighthearted moment, something in the pit of my stomach told me that not everything was as simple as it seemed.

We left the clinic and headed to my apartment.

Ben's Apartment

"Look, you two don't have to babysit me. I'm fine," I said as we entered. Besides, my apartment is too small for all of us.

"You're right," Liz said. Marion can go home, and I will stay so we can hang out all day.

Okay, maybe Marion can go home now since he was also tired.

"You really know how to piss me off, Ben," Marion said, his tone irritated. "Be thankful you're still recovering, or I would've already knocked some sense into you."

"As if you could hurt me," I shot back. "You're the delicate princess here."

"Oh, really?" Marion countered, pinching my arm hard enough to make me yell. "Awww, okay, okay, you win!" I laughed through the pain.

"Are you both forgetting that I'm still here?" Liz cut in, smiling in that way that sent shivers down my spine.

"No, no, no, Liz!" we both said in unison, exchanging amused glances before bursting into laughter.

After a while, Liz stood up. "I'm going to buy some food for us. Marion, stay here with Ben. Message me if you want to add anything to the list."

Marion and I nodded as she left, and then silence settled between us. I had been waiting for this moment—a chance to be alone with Marion.

"Drop the act," I said, my tone suddenly cold.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Marion replied, his face a mask of confusion.

"Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I mean," I snapped. "You owe me an explanation."

"Ben, seriously, I don't know what you're—"

"Oh, cut the crap!" I interrupted, my patience wearing thin. "You've been acting strange, and I'm not blind to it."

Marion shifted uncomfortable. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry about last night, alright? I didn't mean for things to get out of hand."

"Do you think I'm talking about that?!" I barked, laughing bitterly. "You're a good actor, Marion, but your performance is over."

"I already apologized. What more do you want from me? Do you want me to get on my knees and beg?" he shot back, his voice trembling slightly.

"That's not what this is about," I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Stop lying to me."

"You're not in your right mind, Ben. You need rest," Marion stammered, trying to brush me off as he stood up, heading toward the door. But I wasn't about to let him leave. I grabbed his wrist, yanking him back toward me.

"Don't walk away from me. Don't push me, Marion," I warned, my voice barely above a whisper.

Marion's POV

Liz had left to buy food. I didn't even pay attention to what she was saying—I just wanted to leave too, to avoid the suffocating tension in this apartment. The silence was unbearable. But then Ben spoke, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

"Drop the act," he said, his voice like ice.

I tried to play dumb, hoping he'd back off. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Marion. Cut the chase—you owe me an explanation."

I could feel panic rising inside me. How much did he know? I tried to deflect. "Last night? I already apologized for that. I didn't mean for it to go that far."

But Ben wasn't buying it. His eyes were sharp, filled with a cold determination I hadn't seen before. "You're a good actor, but it's time to stop. Enough with the lies."

His words sent a chill down my spine. For the first time in my life, I was genuinely scared of Ben. I tried to reason with him, but he wouldn't budge. When I stood up to leave, he grabbed my wrist, his grip tight and unyielding.

"Don't make me lose my temper, Marion," he whispered, his voice full of quiet menace.

I was trapped, and there was no point in lying anymore. If I pushed him any further, things would only get worse.

Fine, I muttered, my voice shaky. I'll tell you what I know... but you have to let go. You're hurting me.

Ben didn't say a word—just nodded, his grip loosening slightly.

I took a deep breath. "Okay, here goes..."