Chapter 7
Truth
"How's your date?"
"Boring..."
Yohanna arched her eyebrow. "What happened?"
"He kept on saying your name! Yohanna Yohanna Yohanna!" I was the one with him yet it was Yohanna who's on his mind. I want to get angry at him but I have no right. He is not mine. He does not belong to me.
"Do you need my help now?"
"I can handle this."
She punched my left arm and smiled. "Don't tell me you're going to give up?"
I rolled my eyes. "What Xiomara wants, Xiomara gets!"
"The question is when."
I smiled. "It won't be long my dear!"
"Are you in love with Nathan?"
"No!" I exclaimed. Falling in love with someone was the last thing in my mind. I am not yet ready to be in a serious relationship. I still have a wound in my heart...
"I am worried," she said glumly. She took a deep breath and clenched her fists. "Do you still love Andrew?"
I looked at Andrew. "Past is past..."
"You did not answer my question."
"Change topic," I snapped.
"Sorry... I am not a good friend to you Xiomara..."
"Don't be so stupid Yohanna! You were there when my mother passed away. You were there when Andrew dumped me. You were always beside me when I need you!" I hugged her and thanked her. "You're the best!"
"I am not... if you only knew..."
I freed her and looked at her keenly. "Knew what?"
"I - I -" Tears rolled on her rosy cheeks. "I'm sorry."
"What's wrong with you?" Yohanna is not an emotional person. She is a strong person like me so it is really weird to see her like this.
"I - I don't know if - if" She looked at her back. She stared at Andrew for a moment and then stood up and went outside the room.
All my classmates are looking at me oddly. Andrew and his friends, who were only two rows away from me, looked at me with grief-stricken eyes.
I want to stand up and follow her but Andrew's facial expression caught my attention.
Then Nathan entered the room and sat beside me. "What happened?" He grabbed my shoulders and shook me. "What happened to Yohanna? I saw her crying -"
"Where did she go?" Andrew asked.
"She is inside the laboratory," Nathan answered.
Andrew stood up and went outside.
That's it! I will follow him! I think something's wrong those two. They are hiding something from me... I could feel it!
I stood up too and packed my things. I was about to open the door when Nathan grasped my hand and turned me around to face him.
"Where are you going?"
"I will follow them." I pulled out my hand and opened the door.
I ran as fast as I could and went to the laboratory room just a few rooms away from our room. There were too many things in my mind. Those things made my heart beat hysterically. When I reached the room, I took a deep breath and gently opened the door.
Empty.
I closed the door and surveyed the hall but Andrew and Yohanna was not there. There was a girl standing opposite me and was busy talking with her friends. I approached her and ased her if she saw Yohanna.
"Well, a girl entered that room. Then a man entered and after a few more minutes they left," she explained.
"Where did they go?"
"Uhm... I heard the guy said something about the pool..."
"Thank you!"
I slowly opened the door to avoid making unnecessary sound. The place was empty. There were no students swimming at the pool. I climbed the stair carefully and surveyed the place.
"I feel so guilty!" someone exclaimed. No doubt, it was Yohanna. I took another step forward and saw Andrew and Yohanna just beside the pool.
"You can't tell her!" Andrew exclaimed. "You'll just hurt her more! If you really care for her then don't tell her!"
"She deserves to know the truth!"
"The truth will only hurt her more!"
What truth? Shit! Are these two having a secret affair? NO! Yohanna will never do that to me! She is my best friend!
"What if that TRUTH will set her free?" Yohanna probed. She bent down and took some water from the pool. "She is still not over you and you know it."
OH COM'ON! Why the hell did she said that to him!
"I made a deal with Scarlet."
"You shouldn't have done that in the first place," Yohanna said through gritted teeth.
"Xiomara needs money for her mother's chemo therapies and medicines... Scarlet have lots of money." He sat beside Yohanna and looked at her helplessly.
What's with the money? What about Scarlet?
"There are other ways to help her that time..."
"Xiomara's mother was dying that time. Her mother needs medicines and her family doesn't know where they could get more money." He looked up and breathed heavily. "I want to help her..."
"And you think accepting money from Scarlet is a good idea?" She stood up and glared at him. "You made a terrible mistake when you accepted the deal Andrew!"
Andrew washed his face using the water from the pool and stood up too. "I was desperate and I don't know what to do that time! I told you I did that because I love Xiomara! I just dumped her because of Scarlet! Scarlet asked me to stay away from Xiomara... if I will not do it she will not give money..."
O. M. G.
I dropped my bag with a loud thud and their heads instantly snapped up at me. I gripped the bench beside me for support but my knees gave in and I fell on the floor.
We stared at each other for a moment. No one made a sound nor moved an inch. The three of us were also breathing heavily.
Yohanna was horrified. Andrew was furious. I was helpless.
My lips and knees were trembling uncontrollably. Tears filled my eyes. My mind demands for more explanation but my heart demands for an exit. I don't know what to feel and what to do.
All I know is that I need some - some space.
With all my strength, I turned around and found myself face to face with Nathan.
