Hues and Lies

🎨13: Cage

"Anong sinasabi mo Kye?" I gulped as I dodged away my glanced at him.

"Sydney-- I know it's you," he sighed. "Please 'wag mo ng itago, believe me, your secret is safe with me."

"How did you know?" I took off my eyeglasses and I fixed my gazed on him.

Napayuko siya and then he looked at me, with a smile in his face, "in your eyes, in the way you speak, and the way how you reacted, with the presence of your friends earlier."

"Sorry for keeping this secret Kye, it's for my life's safety," I sat down on the bench. "Pagod na nga ako eh, pagod na pagod na akong magpanggap na ibang tao."

Naupo rin siya, "I know-- but don't worry, I'm here to help you, and that's a promise."

"No Kye-- I'm not your responsibility, just keep this secret of mine, and I'm fine with it," I sounded hopeful.

"Do you miss them?" he looked at me waiting for an answer, but I just gave him a blank expression. "I mean- Preston, Dame, and Chesca?"

I half smiled, "no-- because I won't miss people, who just used me for their personal reasons," I massage the back of my head. "Kasi alam mo, the saddest betrayal, is that it never comes from your enemies, but from your so called, friends."

"I'm sorry to hear that Sydney," he stood. "You look tired, ihahatid na kita."

I just nodded and when I reached home, my body quitted and I fell off to sleep. The next day, as I came in to the school, agad akong sinalubong ni Faith.

"Cindy! Nanalo si Lixy!" she said as she touched her cheeks.

"Talaga? Masaya ako para sa kanya," I smiled. "Sayang-- di ko siya napanood."

"Ayos lang 'yan, basta nanalo siya!" she sounded gleefully.

During our break, naupo lang ako sa likurang bahagi ng cafeteria.

"Hi Sydney," I almost fell down on the chair when I heard someone called my real name.

"My goodness Kye-- you made me so nervous," I slack jawed.

"Sorry--" he sat down. "Ayos ka na? Wait-- parang nabura mo ang fake eyebrow mo sa left side."

"What? OMG!" I panicked as I took my small mirror and brow liner and I covered up again. "Okay na?"

He nodded as he tried to fix the other side too. "Okay calm down, it's already fine."

"Kye? Sydney? What are you doing huh?" I saw Lixy smiling as she looked at me and Kye. She's with Caden and Faith.

"Ahm ano kasi-- napuwing si Sydney, I mean si Cindy," Kye gulped. "Anyway, congratulations Lixy, you deserve to win."

OMG! Kinabahan ako dun, buti na lang naitawid niya nang maayos.

"Thanks Kye-- oo nga pala, manlilibre ako sa inyo ngayon, kaya pwede-- peace na tayo?" Lixy looked at Caden and Kye meaningfully.

"Fine--" tipid na sagot ni Caden as he sat down beside me.

"Good! So this calls for a celebration!" Lixy slowly clapped her hands as she sat down too.

"Ako na mag-oorder ha," at ayon, mabilis na nagpunta sa counter si Faith.

"Ah--Lix, congratulations pala," I said. "Sorry, may emergency lang ako kagabi."

"Ayos lang 'yun Cindy, I understand," she shoved away her hair from her face.

We ate quietly and afterwards, nag-sipasok na rin kami sa mga classes namin. The day was peaceful because for some reasons, busy yata si Ruby, or else napa-hiya siya sa sinabi niya na last time, na hindi mananalo si Lixy.