Lethal Lilac

CHAPTER 7

Trapped

I stared blankly at the lilac in my hands, feeling the petals but not their softness. It felt like touching air. Everything was muted—my thoughts, my senses, even the sound of my own breathing. Parang may bara sa dibdib ko na hindi ko maipaliwanag, pero hindi rin masakit. Walang pakiramdam.

Opposite me, Grant stood by the window, his posture relaxed, but there was something deliberate about it. His hands were tucked into his pockets, his sharp profile outlined against the gray sky outside. The way he looked—calm, almost detached—made me feel small, like I was an afterthought in his world.

"You're quiet again," he said, his voice breaking through the silence. It wasn’t accusing, just a simple observation. Yet, it carried weight, like he expected more from me.

I didn’t respond. Ano bang sasabihin ko? I didn’t even know why I was here, why any of this was happening.

He turned to face me, his dark eyes scanning me like he was piecing together a puzzle. His gaze wasn’t harsh, but it wasn’t kind either. It was... cold, like he was looking at something he didn’t entirely understand but wanted to.

“Do you always avoid questions like this?” he asked, his tone cool but not mocking.

I gripped the flower tighter, as if the pressure would bring some clarity. “I don’t know what to say,” I admitted quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

Grant tilted his head slightly, as if my answer intrigued him. “Sometimes silence speaks louder than words,” he said, stepping closer. His movements were unhurried, calculated, yet somehow effortless. “But not in your case. Yours feels... empty.”

Para bang tinusok ako ng sinabi niya. He wasn’t wrong. I was empty. But the way he said it—so matter-of-fact, so detached—made it sting in a way I didn’t expect.

“I’m just tired,” I murmured, looking down at the lilac. It was easier than meeting his eyes.

“Of course,” he replied, his tone even. “That would explain it.”

I glanced up at him, surprised by the lack of sarcasm in his voice. He wasn’t dismissing me or mocking me. He was just... stating facts.

“Does that bother you?” I found myself asking before I could stop.

Grant raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly, almost into a smirk. “Should it?”

Hindi ko alam kung anong sagot ang gusto niyang marinig. I shook my head lightly, unsure if I was answering him or convincing myself.

He moved to the armchair opposite mine, sitting down with the same effortless grace. “You’re not what I expected,” he said after a moment, his tone thoughtful.

My brows furrowed. “Expected?”

“Yes.” He leaned back, resting an arm on the chair’s edge. “But I think I understand now. You’re not used to being seen, are you, Lilac?”

The way he said my name sent a shiver down my spine. Not because it was threatening—there was no malice in his voice—but because it felt like he saw something I didn’t want him to.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” sagot ko, trying to keep my voice steady.

He didn’t press further. Instead, he shifted his gaze to the flower in my hand. “The lilac,” he said, his voice softening just slightly. “Do you know what it symbolizes?”

Umiling-iling ako, unknowingly biting my lower lip.

His gaze lowered to somewhere I think where it should be. Boys.