Lie to Me Again

Acquaitance and a Lollipop

Tulalang nakatitig sa kawalan si Dana habang nakahiga sa kanyang kama. Her mind was flying to places she couldn't even recognize.

Isang mahinang katok ang narinig niya. She sat up and just stared at the door of her room, half expecting it to open up in seconds. But it didn't.

"Dana?" a voice called instead. She knew who it was at alam niya kung ano ang pakay nito. Napahiga ulit siya sa kama niya at tila'y binalewala lang ang tumawag sa kanya.

"Dana, I know you can hear me," it called again. "Please, lumabas ka na jan. It's been a week."

"Di muna ngayon, Kiel," sagot ng dalaga at ramdam niya ang pagkadismaya ng binata sa labas ng kwarto niya. 'I'm sorry Kiel' she whispered to herself.

She heard him walk further away from her room. Alam niyang sobra-sobra na ang pag-aalala ng kapatid niya. Too bad for him though, she's not ready to face anyone yet.

A few moments later, may narinig siyang parang bagay na inilapag sa sahig at mga yabag na papalayo.

She stood up, her legs almost out of energy to even support her light body scale, and curiously opened the door of her room. On the floor stood a tray with a plate of rice, a glass of milk and a banana on it. There was also a note stuck on the tray.

'Eat. Don't kill yourself.' it read.

Napangiti siya. "Thanks Kiel," she whispered to herself at kinuha ang tray na ihinatid ng kapatid niya.

Mabilis niyang naubos ang pagkain na laman ng tray. She felt better. Really. Who wouldn't? She hasn't had a proper meal in days. Just water and some chips along with a daily dose of crying all day long.

Tumayo sya at nagpuntang banyo. She traced the dark circles around her eyes and sighed. 'Ang panget ko', bulong niya sa sarili niya at naghilamos. Her body slightly shuddered as the cold water touched her skin.

Slowly, the painful memory from a week ago trespassed into her mind. Napabuntong-hininga siya at muling tiningnan ang sarili niya sa salamin.

"Don't you dare cry," he said.

She scoffed. Wag umiyak? Lakas naman niya makapagsabi na wag umiyak. Drake.

'I don't deserve this,' she thought and stood straight. Napagdesisyunan ng basag niyang puso na harapin na ang mundo.

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"Look, she's back!" Oo, andito na ako.
"Gosh, anong nangyari sa kanya?" Nakipagbreak ako sa boyfriend ko.
"She looks horrible." Alam ko na panget na ako.

Tahimik niyang sinasagot lahat ng bulong-bulungan sa paligid. She can't avoid it. They can't help it, either.

Isa si Drake sa pinakamayaman, pinakagwapo, pinakakinakatakutan at pinakasikat na lalake sa university nila and the whole campus was beyond shocked when that seemingly-demon Prince announced that he already has a girlfriend. Maski siya ay di maiwasang magtaka kung bakit siya pa ang naging girlfriend nito.

Pero, wala na sila. She's not his girlfriend. Not anymore.

Almost all eyes were on her pagkapasok niya sa classroom. As usual, nagsimula nang magbulong-bulungan ang mga kaklase niya but she chose to ignore it. Umupo nalang siya sa pinakalikod na parte ng classroom at tumungo.

"I heard someone got broken," a guy's voice, seemingly teasing, called out. Napatingala siya at nagtagpo ang kanilang mga mata.

He bent down to level with her face and his gentle hand brushed some of the hair on her face. Napangiti ng bahagya si Dana habang nakatingin sa maamong mukha ng binata.

"You heard it right," sagot ni Dana, na halata mong pinipilit pang magbiro pero di niya magawa. "Ang pangit ko na din, Tyler."

Bahagyang tumawa si Tyler sa narinig niya at gayun din si Dana pero bigla itong napalitan ng lungkot at napatungo nalang ang dalaga.

Nagsimulang tumulo ang mga luha niya at kaagad naman itong pinunasan ni Tyler gamit ang mga daliri niya.

"Ssshhhhh, it's okay, Dana," he said, trying his best to comfort her.Nagpatuloy sa pag-iyak si Dana habang hinahagod ni Tyler ang likuran niya.

Tyler was much affected seeing Dana broken. Hindi ito ang Dana na kilala niya. Ang Dana na kilala niya ay masiyahin, at walang kaprobleproblema sa buhay.

He swears, he wanna break that devil Drake's jaw this moment.

Biglang nabalot ng katahimikan ang classroom at sabay napatingin sina Dana at Tyler sa kung ano ang nangyayari.

And there he was, the devil Drake Collins standing infront of the door, in all his might, looking straight at.... her.

Marahang naglakad palapit si Drake at dahan-dahang napatayo ang dalawa ng makitang papalapit ang binata.

Tyler, obviously wanting to break his face, looked at him dirtily. Ngunit binalewala lang iyon ni Drake. His stare was fixed on Dana.

"I told you not to cry," he said, his tone filled with authority. Parang takot na pinahid ni Dana ang natitirang luha sa pisngi niya.

Drake's hand reached for her face pero agad naman itong hinarangan ni Tyler. "Offlimits bro," he spoke, obviously pissed. "That's my girl crying because of you."

Mas lalong natahimik ang mga tao sa loob ng classroom. Maski si Dana ay nagulat sa sinabi ni Tyler. No one dares to challenge Drake Collins. No one.

Nagdilim ang mga titig ni Drake habang mabagal na binabawi ang kamay niya. "Your girl?" he asked, obviously sarcastic. "She's not your girl." His tone was low, at alam ni Dana ang ibig sabihin nun.

"She is, and how dare you make her cry?" Tyler retored at Drake's face at kinwelyuhan ito. Ang mga palitan nila ng titig ay mistulang patayan.
"Akala mo kung sino ka! Wala kang karapatang paiyakin si Dana," dagdag pa nito.

All of a sudden, a strong blow landed on Drake's cheek. Lahat ay nagulat ng napaatras si Drake ng may duguang labi. "Don't you ever dare touch my girl, you hear?" nangangalit na salita ni Tyler.

"She's not your girl," sagot ni Drake habang pinapahid ang dugo sa labi niya. "She's mine."

"Okay, stop it!" pang-aawat ni Dana at pumagitna sa dalawa. Both these guys are treating her like some piece of clothing. "I'm not anyone's girl here!"

Natahimik ang dalawang binata at tiningnan siya. She averted her gaze to Drake who was looking at her emotionlessly. "Certainly not yours, liar," she spat on his face then bumped his arm as she made her way out.

Pagkalabas na pagkalabas niya napatakbo nalang siya ng mabilis, walang pakialam kung san siya dadalhin ng siya dalhin ng mga binti niya. Ang mahalaga nakalayo siya.

She found herself standing beside the medium-sized pond in the middle of the school garden. Napaupo sya at pinaglaruan ang damo na nahahawakan ng kamay nya.

Both the guys back there confused her mind. Why did Tyler called her 'his girl'? And why was Drake acting as if he was jealous?

"Argh," napahilamos nalang siya. Naguguluhan na siya. Sobra.

"I believe life has been miserable to you, too," a voice called from behind her. Napalingon siya at nakita ang isang lalake, na di niya kilala, na naglalakad papalapit sa kanya.

Umupo ito sa tabi niya and Dana just looked at him with questioning eyes. "Who're you?" she asked at tumingin sa kanya ang lalake.

"A miserable person like you," he replied without looking at her. She's not miserable. Or is she?

Mistulang may kinuhang bagay ang lalake sa bulsa niya. A lollipop? He looked at her and handed her the piece of candy then he smiled.

"Here," sabi nito. "Siguro makakatulong ito."

Muling tumayo ang lalake at sinundan ito ng tingin ni Dana.

"Who are you?" Dana asked the second time at muling napangiti ang lalake.

"It's Ivan."

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End of first chapter.

Kim Sohyun as Dana (on the multimedia box)