The Lies Between Us (Lie Series #1)

TLBU #20

I kept on remembering the scenes I saw earlier — how my step sister Keyla hugged my boyfriend Levi. How they laughed. How Levi kissed Keyla in her forehead. How Levi lied to me like it was the easiest thing to do. Kung paanong ang saya nila kahit na nandito ako.

Am I being lied again?

Fucked it.

"Elli." Maia's concerned voice made me come back to reality. "Gusto mo na bang umuwi?"

Umiling ako at ininum ang cola rum na nasa harap ko. Tumahimik na siya at uminum na lang din. Sinandal ko ang ulo ko sa sofa at pumikit.

I tried to stop my tears from falling down but I'm too broken to can't feel anything.

"Talk to him, Elli."

"Paano? Sabihin ko, 'Levi niloloko mo lang ba ko?' 'May relasyon ba kayo ng kapatid ko?" I tasted every bitterness in my words.

"I know it's hard but..." She looked at me seriously. "...you need to know the truth even though it will crashed you."

"Fucking life!" I shouted and I saw Marcus and Chance approaching our table.

"Are you alright?" Tanong ni Marcus nang nakatabi na siya sa'kin.

"Life having fun making me miserable, I guess." I smirked and drank the cola rum.

"Hinahanap ka ni Levi sa'kin. Papunta na daw siya dito." Sabi ni Chance habang nakatayo sa harap namin. Tinignan ko ng masama si Maia at nag-apologetic face lang siya.

"Damn you!" I stood up and leave them. I heard them calling my name but I quickly went to my car and drove back home.

When I went inside our house, my eyes automatically found a fucking happy family laughing in our kitchen. My heart stings on the thought that I don't really belong in their world. I never saw my Papa this happy with us. The way he looks at Tita Flor make me want to punched him. The way he touched and cared to Keyla make me feels the pain again he gave me when he left us.

Saan ba ang lugar ko sa kanila?

Bakit ang sakit pa din kahit na tinanggap ko na lahat? — gusto ko lang namang sumaya. Gusto ko lang mawala lahat ng galit at sakit sa puso ko.

Bakit parang bawal?

Bakit parang wala akong karapatan?

Am I asking too much, for life to be this unfair to me?

Bakit ako pa? Bakit paborito akong gaguhin ng tadhana?

I clenched my jaw and rolled my eyes as I wiped my tears. Sa sobrang saya nila ay 'di na nila ako napansin.

I went to my room, dive in my bed and cried until I can't feel anything.

I woke with a loud knocked on my door. I'm too tired to get up so I ignored it.

Mapapagod din sila, titigil din sila — sana lahat ganoon lang kadali para wala ng nasasaktan.

"Elli! It's me." I heard Maia's loud voice. "Open the door, please!"

Pinilit kong bumangon at pinagbuksan siya ng pinto. Agad akong tumalikod at bumalik sa pagkakahiga sa kama. Nagtakip ako ng kumot at naramdaman ko ang pag-upo niya sa gilid ng kama ko.

I heard her deep sighed. "I know you don't want to talk about this but I want you to know that Levi was furious last night. Hindi ka daw niya matawagan at alam daw niyang may problema ka kasi naglasing tayo kagabi." She paused. Tinanggal ko ang kumot sa mukha ko at tinignan siya ng masama.

"I didn't told him what we saw yesterday. Kahit na gustong gusto ko na siyang pagmumurahin at sapakin kagabi. Nagagalit siya sa'kin dahil alam daw niyang may alam ako." Her forehead was slightly creased and looking at me intently as if she was weighing the right words to tell me right now because she knows that I'm too fucked up for another bullshit that will trigger my feelings.