Lies Written by the Stars

Game

Chapter 5: Game

ELLE’S POV

I walked passed everybody. I think I might have heard Liz calling out for me but I couldn't care ­­less. I just have to get away from that classroom; from Sir Yada, from him- Chris.

My heart is beating so fast, it is like it remembers him just by the mere smile he showed. Am I just seeing things, again? Am I going crazy? But he called me a liar.

I halt my steps.

A liar. He called me a frigging liar and I am not. I hate liars.

How dare he say that? What does he know? Or is he just playing with me?

I shake my head. No. No. No. I need to clear my mind. So I start to drag my feet again.

I am not a liar. He is just trying to get into my head. He’s just playing with my mind, playing with me.

I sighed. Looking where my feet has dragged me, I saw trees and benches not far away from where I am standing.

I am now outside the building, by the side entrance.

“Elle.”

I sat on the stairs, putting my bag on my lap. I need to stop jumping into conclusions; I placed my hand into my head and closed my eyes.

“Elle.”

Then his smile flashed through my mind again. I held my forehead and massaged it, closing my eyes.

"ELLE!"

"WHAT THE F-RAPH!!!" I stood up and threw my things at him.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" I shouted.

"Woah, woah calm down! I was just going to ask if you're okay. I’ve been calling you, are you deaf?" Raph said while picking up my things.

“I’m not deaf.” I answered." And I'm okay." I followed.

"Liar." He retorted.

I showed my fist to him.

That word. Again.

Then I saw Liz, fast walking towards us.

"I'm kidding! Liz was calling you the whole time so I went and followed you instead. You know little steps and all; she might not be able to catch- ow!” Raph was interrupted because Liz hit him on his arm.

“Hey! Why do you girls keep on hitting me?" Raph jokingly said.

Liz and I rolled our eyes at his innuendo.

He returned my bag to me and pouted while looking at his arm.

"Well, you keep on being annoying that's why. And you." Liz glared and pointed at me accusingly.

"My voice box almost fell out just from calling you! Are you sure you are not deaf?" She said sarcastically.

Again, I answered. “I’m not deaf.” Then I followed it with an apology, "I'm sorry Liz. Chris just got on my nerves."

Hearing that, Raph whistled. "Good match." He said, quoting Mr. Yada.

"One more annoying remark from you Raph and I am seriously going to stuff all of my things inside that beautiful mouth of yours." I threatened.

"It's nice for you to call my mouth beautiful…” I raised my brow at him, challenging him to continue.

“Okay fine, I am going to shut up and order food in the cafeteria. I will meet you girls there." He winked.

And finally, Raph made his way into the building again and to the school cafeteria to grab us some food. I sighed.

"So?" Liz asked. "Care to tell me how Chris managed to pissed you off? He barely said anything." She added.

I can't tell her about his smile. Not yet, at least. She would not understand nor would she believe me. She was not there when it happened. I’m not even sure if that’s really him…

"Elle? Hello? Are you still on earth?" She impatiently asked, waving her hands in front of my face.

I sat on the stairs again, covering my face.

"Fine. I think I might have overreacted." I admitted.

Even though it is half the truth, at least it is not a lie.

"I just hated the idea of being the center of attention while we were having the discussion and also the idea of Chris being my partner for the project annoyed me. I think that's why my nerves kicked up a bit." I continued.

I looked at the trees, the wind whispering things to us again. And then to Liz as she sat beside me, helping me and organizing my things.

I feel guilty hiding things from my friend, my real friend.

"Well you should really stop drinking coffee." Liz jokingly said. "I'm sorry to say this but you are stuck with that playful i***t, but he is honestly not that bad. He has humor and of course." Liz playfully raised her eyebrows.

"I saw how you two are looking at each other and you can't deny he is indeed handsome." She said nudging my elbow.

"Liz!" She laughed at my disapproval.

She only stopped laughing when she saw me looking at someone resting his back on the wall, hands on his pockets and looking at his shoes. He must have heard a glimpse or I don't know, maybe all. I did not notice his presence at all. But he has this playful look on his face.

He looked up to us and said, "Ready to grab some snacks? Or are you two just going to talk about my looks?"

How arrogant.

Some people may think that after running away from him, it’s weird that we are going to grab some snacks together, but I don’t really have a choice do I?

We belong to this small circle: Chris, Liz, Raph and I. Quality over quantity my ass. I don’t know how we all just ended up being together. And now, my overreaction has brought me humiliation. Ugh.

He must have thought he has completely broken down my defense but no. I am not going to break that easy; especially, not in front of him. I had to make sure that it was really him that I saw on the rooftop. But my feelings and my intuitions tells me it was him.

I shivered.  I have to confirm that.

I didn't even notice that Liz has walked to him already and I was completely spacing out, still looking at him.

Again, he smirked. And that smirk snapped me back into reality.

I glared. I stood up, held on my things and started walking towards them, clearly putting a gap between Chris and me as we venture to the cafeteria.

That smile. Then a thought came in my mind that halted my steps. Blood. What about that blood? I had to know. There has to be a reason, a connection. Is he a killer? I need to know, we might be in danger.

Regardless of anything, he might look nice, but maybe that is just a facade. Because if there is a liar between me and him, I am pretty sure that's not going to be me. I know when someone is lying, my ass.

I might have heard of the saying curiosity killed the cat, but I say, curiosity might have killed the cat, but satisfaction will surely bring it back. And I don't know what game he is playing or trying on me. But I am seriously not going to let him play his games on me. My life is no game. It is just a life to be lived.

Or not.

Because as I was thinking all of these things, thinking on how I will let him be a fool of his own game, Chris has successfully pulled me out of the corridor and has pinned me on the wall beside the fire exit door, facing him. Liz not noticing we aren’t following her tracks anymore at all. How did he do that?

My eyes widened. I tried to scream but he has his left hand on my mouth. And his right hand is on my right shoulder, pinning my upper body. I tried to squish my body away and tough luck. He is too strong.

"Shh. Elle. Whatever it is you're thinking, you have it all wrong. Stop blaming me." He said.

“I’m going to remove my hand on your mouth and you have to promise me you are not going to scream okay?” I nodded.

I don’t want to die. That is just what is on my mind, so I am going to follow his requests for now.

He removed his hand on my mouth and looked at my eyes. To my lips, and back to my eyes again. And then he gave me an apologetic smile. It had to be. He's looking at me as if he cares and he pities me.

In a different situation, I might actually believe that it’s true. I shook my head. Pity? What the hell? I pushed him away.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I hissed.

And then it's back, the cheshire smile.

"Just explaining, I can't stand being hated for something I didn't do." He calmly said, looking at me straight in the eyes.

"Were you at the acquaintance party?" I asked; straight to the point.

"Yes." He said.

"Are you the man in the rooftop?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Maybe."

"Did you kill somebody? Were you trying to jump?" I followed.

With those questions, his eyes became blank. Empty. Void. I feel like my whole body has been poured with cold water with the way he's looking at me. He stood up straight, hands in his pockets again. Reserved.

And now, he is looking pass me, like I'm not in front him. We are engulfed with complete silence and I don't know what else to do.

I tried to step away, but he started walking towards me, again. Just like what he did on the rooftop when I was trying to run away from him.

If my suspicions are correct and that was really him, then I really am in danger. Only this time, he is not holding me. His face is so close to me, and I can feel his breath in my cheeks as he whispered the unexpected in my ears.

"Ask the right questions, Elentiya. Start living the truth." And with that, he walked away.

He went away, leaving me with more questions than answers. Bringing down some of my defenses, my walls… he has caught me off guard and I have eaten all my words earlier. How does he do that? How can he break down the walls that I have managed to build over the years so easily?

My knees crumble below me. I feel weak. And now I'm here. Left alone and filled with questions and doubts.  I looked at his retreating back. I thought I knew the whole truth. I was there. But now, he asked- no he told me to start living the truth. The truth. What truth?

And then he stopped on his track.

As if he remembered something.

What?

What are you not telling me? Tell me.

And then he left.