Fire Of Lies

Chapter I.

..I thought I had you
figured out.

=x=

The wrench feels heavier than the thoughts she's having these past few days. It's not that bad, no, but it's still something that bothers her. Maybe because a hammer matches her more? Or the fact that abandoning everyone is easier than holding onto something—but the wrench is okay. It gets the job done. She's okay.

"How many bags did I se–" He's here! "Chatty!" He was still facing the door after he went inside when Ray called out to him enthusiastically. She just came back to Paleto Bay from selling weed on the turf in the city. "I missed y–"

Huh?

"C-Chatty?" Her smile drops when she sees his gaze. "Hey.. what's wrong?"

He sighed. Chatterbox didn't even look up to meet her eyes. She feels her heart racing. "I need.. some space, Ray."

Her eyes widened and the bomb was planted. She tried to cover it up by bursting into a laugh but he wasn't joining in. It's just silence and her pity ass laugh fading after a few seconds. "You're joking, right?"

He closes his eyes, his mask suddenly feels suffocating. "I need you to.. get.." One more deep breath. She can tell he's struggling.

What can a girl do in this situation? "Get what? Do you need anything?" Right. Feign ignorance. And Ray Mond sounded so.. expectant. "I'll get it for you."

"Get away from me."

The bomb inside her head is ticking.

Disgusted? No, he sounds angry. At who? Ray? But why? Why now?

"Can you.. explain?"

"I need space." He repeated. Her ears clicked. For fucking what?

Her face screams confusion and Chatterbox's silence didn't help. "Are you serious?"

His mask hid his smirk but his tone didn't. "Am I?"

She clicks her fingers and forces herself to smile. Again. "Oh! Is this a prank?! Oh my god, it's a prank right?"

She looks over and Twinkles arrived and stands beside them."..right?"

He sees how much she's struggling to keep up. He notices every move she makes and how it translates to what she's thinking. He can understand her better than anyone. But he doesn't need to worry about this person anymore. No, not now or ever, anymore.

"..you need space right? do you need a b-bigger house or, a warehouse?" She just can't let it end like this. No fucking way.

"Acting dumb, as always, Ray Mond. Great." The house is getting crowded and she's feeling smaller and smaller each second passes.

"Chatty.."

"Is this.. is everything I say a joke to you? Huh, Ray?" He walks closer, he doesn't care if clowns are popping up from everywhere. "Do I really need to spell it out fo–"

"Can we talk in private please, Chatty?"

He scoffs. "I'm not getting ocean dumped, Ray Mond."

"That's not—"

"What makes you think I can trust you?" He's awfully close, he can probably feel her heartbeat. "I'm so tired of your bullshit, Ray Mond. Let's break up."

...boom?

"Wait." She grabs his sleeve. "Why.."

Her face is heating up but his gaze is too cold. "Why.."

She looks around, everyone's everywhere. They all look distant and unrecognizable. They were avoiding her gaze like she's about to get crucified. 'What did i do?' She wanted to ask. But to who?

"..tell me to leave then." Her words pierced through the painful silence and the air of unfamiliarity.

And he knew exactly what she meant. And he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Tell me. Or else I'll fight for you, us."

His voice is not coming out.

"Tell me you don't need me anymore. Tell me you don't care for me. Tell me you don't love me, Chatty." Her eyes are pleading. "And I'll never show my face to you and the clowns ever again."

Her knees are about to give up but she needs to hear him say it.

"Please, Chatty."

"I-I.." He bites his lip so hard he can feel it bleed. "I need spac–"

"Yes! I know! You told me that already! But I just can't understand why you're asking to break up if all you need is 'space'?" Her voice is breaking and so is she. "Fuck.. I don't understand.."

The clowns were silent, it's not like they can say anything. Chatty's eyes are glued to Ray that he didn't notice them heading out of the house collectively.

'I need to let her go but why is my chest aching?'

Her tears harmonized with his silence. What should he do?

'Remember what she did?' Right. Of course he remembers.

"You're better off with him, Ray."

She can feel her eyebrows meet. "What the fuck are you saying..?"

Can she hear him breaking?

"You never loved me anyway, right?"

Oh, shit.

"W-Wait, you were there?" Her hands starts shaking. "Did you hear wh–"

"Does it matter?" He clenched his hand to a fist. "If you don't understand why I need space, I don't understand why you would say that to Zolo, Ray."

She can't talk. Words. She needs to explain. But she can't speak. She can't.

"That was.. I was telling him about how April broke up–"

"But you mentioned my name, Ray. At the end, you told him my name."

She's not ready. No. She didn't think the plan would be executed this way. She thought it'd be after a few months. Why did no one tell her?

She averts her gaze and he smiles underneath his mask. He knew this would happen. He knew damn well this is how it ends but.. "..fucking hell."

He reaches out to her face, his mask on his hand. Her eyes shut close as his lips kissed her cheek up to her forehead. Her tears was met by his kiss, her soul is getting crushed at the same time.

'..please, no.'

"I love you, I'm sorry."

=x=

does this make more sense? lol i need lobotomy :3