Sweet Lies: Ashford Pizarras

Chapter 1

ASHFORD is bored as hell as he walks silently while his friends are arguing over to where they will go next. And as seconds passed, he's getting more and more bored. A little bit more and he'll walk out, like he usually do when he's so bored.

"Basta ako, ang gusto kong huling puntahan natin ay 'yung paborito kong bar," his friend, Arlo exclaimed at their two other friends. "I don't care to where we're going to, but all I want is that we're going to my favorite bar."

A man beside him sighed. "Ang hilig mo talaga, Arlo, 'no?" The man tsked. "You're so ravenous, like you'd prefer to live there. Kaya ka tumataba eh," he added.

Then another man beside Arlo laughed his ass out. "Boom! Arlo has been roasted!" He laughed again. "Gusto mo na ba'ng tumira do'n, Arlo?" The man asked sarcastically while laughing.

"Shut up, Jax," Arlo said to the man named Jax who's still laughing slightly, with the expression of annoyance pasted in his face. Then he turned to face their other friend. "At Gonzalo, hindi ko naman sinasabing gusto ko nang tumira do'n. All I want to do is have fun, that's all." Arlo turned to Ashford. "'Di ba, Ash?"

Ashford didn't listen. He's still in his reverie out of boredom.

"Ashford?"

Ashford broke off. He blinked numerous times. "Y-yeah?"

Gonzalo sighed. "Ano ba? Dahil ba sa kabagutan, magpapantasya ka nalang diyan?" He asked Ashford, with sarcasm coating every word that comes out of his mouth. He sighed again. "Are you really that bored?"

He smiled softly. "Yes. Kanina pa," he frowned and faced his friends. "Kasi naman, kanina pa tayo lakad ng lakad. Can we just, take a little break?" He asked, it's almost like he's pleading to them. "Masakit na talaga paa ko kakalakad."

His friends sighed in sync.

"Fine," Jax said, defeated. "Saan mo gustong pumunta, Ash?" Jax then pointed his finger at Ashford. "Siguraduhin mong magpapahinga ka, ha? Or else we will throw you in a river. Kaya ka naming tatlo," he said jokingly.

Ashford lifts his hand and tapped his chin using his finger like he was thinking. "I know, I know. Now, where should we go?" He pointed his finger upwards. "Alam ko na. Let's go to a park." He told them, smiling like a child. "Siguro naman mage-enjoy tayo do'n."

"Ano ka, bata?" Arlo said, sarcastically. "We can go anywhere except for parks. Masyadong ma-lamok sa mga lugar katulad no'n." He added.

"Do I have to say please?" Ashford asked.

"Man, I don't want to—"

"Please?" Ashford pleaded. "Just this time. I miss going in a park." He added.

"Uhh..."

"Pero, kung ayaw niyo naman, 'wag nalang. Wala naman akong ibang choice." He looks at them, defeated.

"Oo na, oo na. Parang bata eh," Gonzalo exclaimed at him. "I miss going in a park too," he admitted.

"Me three," Arlo replied.

"Hays. Me four," Jax added.

Ashford smiled at them with a face of a child. "'Yun oh. Let's go." Ashford then lead the way.

Ashford, Arlo, Gonzalo, And Jax were walking as they head towards the nearest park. And as they entered from the entrance of the park, immediately they saw what seemed like a couple—

No. A man, hurting, maybe, his girlfriend.

"The hell?" Ashford muttered, with eyebrows furrowed while watching the man hurt the girl. "Why the hell is he hurting her?" He pondered.