A Best Friend's Betrayal

Chapter 3: The Last Dance

"Just leave me alone!" Ann shouted to her cousin while still bawling.

"Shall I? Hmpf, what if people might say we have some kind of crazy blood on our family because you're crying here alone." Ford tried to joke at Ann.

"No funny."

"Seriously, calm down already!"

"But I don't know how!"

"Is that possible? You know how to cry but you don't know how to stop?"

Ann looked at Ford sharply, growing over his cousin's joke without noticing she already stopped crying. There was full minute silence between them. All they could hear was the sound of the breeze and feel the soft wind touching them. Until Ford decided to talk again.

"Do you believe now?"

"Believe in what?" Ann faking as of she have no idea what exactly Ford is talking about. Ford got irritated by his cousin's answer and stood up.

"Ann! Do you really have to wait until it all comes out from his mouth?! What if he doesn't have any plans to do so?!"

Ann stood up as well and faced Ford.

"What if there's really nothing for him to say?"

"Then what if he is hiding it from you?!"

"What if-" Ann was not able to finish what she was suppose to say because Ford stopped him already.

"Ann! Are you that numb?!"

Ann took a deep breath and decided to just leave.

"I have to go. Thanks for accompanying and comforting me." She was about to leave but Ford has something else to say.

"Okay fine. I don't care if you still don't believe any of us. But let me just tell you this couz, I hope in the end you don't blame yourself for that pain your feeling now. And I hope it won't be twice as heavy as it is now when that time comes. And don't tell me that I never warned you."

Ann did not say anything and just run off far away from where Ford was.

One week after that, Ann and Clark almost no longer see and bump to each other in the campus. Perhaps because Ann choose not to go out more often in their classroom specially during break time. One day, Denise noticed her friend being sad for days so she offered her to eat during recess at the canteen.

"Let's go, it's recess time!"

"I have no appetite."

"Girl! You have been like that for days! Can you just atleast eat?"

"Just go ahead and leave me here."

"Ann!"

In the end, Denise cannot do anything to her friend. No matter how much she tried, she still won't leave the room. She thought that maybe Ann wanted to have some space and time to be alone. Denise went out of the room, but before she passed through and walk, she saw Clark sneaking on the other door of their classroom. She approached him with a blank look. He asked for his friend and Denise then pointed inside the room where Ann was seated. No matter how much she hated Clark right now for being the cause of what is happening to her best friend, she thought maybe they still need to talk to each other and clear things out. Just maybe, when she comes back, her friend would be better. So she left the two and walk away.

Meanwhile, Clark already went inside the room and slowly approached Ann whom he hasn't seen for days.

"Let's go eat?"

Ann was seating on her chair, her head was down on her arm chair as if she was sleeping. The moment she heard the voice beside her, she knew who it was. And it made her heart beat faster the same time it felt as if she is being pinched again and again.

"No thanks."

"My treat."

Ann did not answer. Clark, being all nervous suddenly asked his friend.

"Are you mad?"

Still, Ann did not answer.

"Sorry Ann. Believe me, it was really nothing-" Clark stopped from talking because he was shocked when Ann suddenly stood up and faced him.

"Sure it was nothing! Yes I know you were just talking! Chat here and there! Yes I know you're just friends! I know that Clark, I know!"

Clark can see the pain and sadness from his best friend's face, the more reason he felt all the guilt inside him.

"Ann,"

"How many times do I have to tell that to myself and how many times do you have to explain to me that it was all nothing when how many times too do I have to see you both always together being all so sweet?! Because you know what? I trust you Clark. But many people are telling me and I don't want to believe any of them because all I believe is what you always say to me that it was just nothing! I only believe in you, because you are my best friend. Right?"

The moment he heard the word best friend from Ann's mouth, Clark felt as if he was being pinched in his chest too. Because he knows that what he is doing to his best friend is not right. He has been lying and hurting her, and no matter how much he wanted to convinced himself that it was never his intention to do so, but the damage has already been done and he could no longer do anything to relieve his best friend's pain. Tears started to fall on his eyes. He could no longer bear the heaviness inside him and suddenly started apologizing to Ann.

"Sorry Ann, sorry."

"Why are you saying sorry?" Ann was also crying, still facing Clark.

"Because,"

"It was nothing right? It's not true right? You can never do that and lie to me right? Right, Clark?" Clark cried even harder.

"It is true."

"What is?"

"What they were telling you is true. It is true that I courted her. It's true that we're dating. It is true that she is my girlfri-" Clark was not able to finish what he was saying because Ann slapped her. Clark was shocked and even Ann herself was shocked from she just did. But Kore than that, she was shocked of what Clark had just said. She felt as if her heart got punched and got heavier than ever. She starting bawling out and nothing much was said except asked her friend.

"Why Clark, why?!"

"Sorry, Ann."

Ann could no longer talk. She felt her body weakened so she sat again on her chair, still bawling. Clark, crying as well, started to walk away little by little. He feel more pained seeing and hearing his best friend cry her heart out Infront of him, and that knowing that those tears were all because of him. The day has come where Ann feared the most. That day she never wanted to happen but she knew will come and Clark will spit it all out from his mouth the most painful truth. Those words she never wanted to hear infront of her despite the fact that she knew too, that it is true but she have always been afraid to accept and has always been in denial.

The next day, Ann was still at her home, lying in her bed in her room and looking blankly at the ceiling. There's just a lot going on on her mind, and what had happened yesterday, those scenes kept replaying on her thought since last night.

"Ate! Let's go! Eat your breakfast and we'll got to school!" Ann's younger brother shouted fr outside her room.

*Ate- Tagalog for big/older sister*

Ann just ignored her brother and was still staring at the ceiling. Her brother shouted again and again until Ann got irritated and had no choice but stand up from her bed.

"I'm coming okay?!" she shouted back.

Feeling weak and in no mood, Ann starting preparing herself to go to school. No matter how much she wanted to skip classes just to avoid from seeing and bumping Clark, she knows her mother would just scold her from doing so she have no choice.

After eating breakfast, she and her younger brother left home and started walking off to school. There school is just a walking distance from their home. While on the road, a familiar car passed by where Ann and his brother were walking. It was that very familiar car and Ann couldn't help herself but sadly stare at the car. Perfect timing it was, because as she was staring at the car, the window from the second door of the car opened and there appeared a very familiar face, who stared sadly at her as well until the car drove ahead. Ann took a deep breath looking at the car slowly going far Infront of her sight. She said she will try as much as possible to avoid encountering with him, but she still haven't reached school yet they already saw each other.

When they arrive school, she and her brother separated ways as her brother is on a different building. Ann went straight to their room and sat on her chair. Denise was already there, seated on her chair beside Ann and noticed her best friend's gloomy gave again. She was not able to talk to her yesterday after leaving her during recess because Ann already went home after that incident and did not take their afternoon class as well.

"What happened to you?" Denise immediately approached her friend.

"Nothing." Ann answered weakly.

"Harhar. As if nothing. I can see all the gloominess in your face."

Ann looked at Denise eye to eye and owly felt like she was about to cry again even if she haven't said a word yet. But she still composed herself and told Denise what really happened.

"Yesterday,"

"What? Why did you cut classes and did not take our afternoon class?"

"He already told me the truth, Denise."

"What?!" to her shock, Denise shouted. Some of their classmates who are inside their room looked at them so Ann calmed down Denise and apologized to their classmates.

"What did he say to you?" Denise asked again.

"He said everything was true. It was true that he was courting her, that he dated her and that she is already his.." Ann could no longer continue the word because it hurts her even more. She still tried to smile forcibly despite the heaviness she is feeling in her heart, remembering every word that Clark told her as if she was the one who was slapped on the face and not Clark.

"That guy really have some thick face! That's all?! He didn't even say the reason why he did that to you!? Where is he?! I'm literally going to kill that guy!" Denise was as if she was looking for a fight, all hyped up and heated and angry. Ann stopped her and calmed her down again.

"Hey stop that. Let's just let it be. It already happened so there's nothing we can do."

"Ann! Let me remind you that because of your stupidness that's is why you were easily played by that guy! You were too blinded that your forgot I am here! Me and your friends are here! You never listen to us because all you believed was that Clark! And Ann please, this time, open your mind because in the end there's no one who will suffer most but you!"

Ann was not sure why she suddenly feel like laughing a little from what Denise had said. Maybe because all that was true. She was so stupid for being blind and deaf and making Clark as her whole world. She have nothing but Clark in her sight and mind that she forgot there are other people too, who cares and loves and appreciates her, including Denise and Ford.

If in the past, Ann was always excited every recess time, it was very far different this time. Because during this time, she will always be reminded of those happy days she used to have with Clark. No matter how much she hated to go out and eat at the canteen, but Denise would always encourage her and tell her that she atleast have to face reality no matter how hurtful it is.

While they are at the canteen, Denise went to the counter, falling in line to order their food for recess. Ann was left on their table, busily reading a book she carried with her when someone suddenly approached her.

"Can I sit with you?"

She don't have to look to know who it was, because she knew very well from the voice itself that it was the person she never wanted to see again.

"I'm done, sorry." she closed the book she was reading and was about to leave when Clark held her right arm.

"Ann, I'm ready sorry. I can explain everything."

"No, nevermind. It'll just be a waste of time."

"But Ann,"

"You know what?"she finally looked at Clark's face,"I guess it's better this way. Maybe the reason why I was never able to confess my feelings to you from the start, because I knew in the very beginning that you have someone else in your heart."

Ann is getting teary eyed again but made sure not to cry this time.

"I-is that true?" Clark seems taken aback from what he heard.

"Maybe Clark, I am like you as well. So good at hiding. Thank you so much for everything but I guess that's just about it."

"No! No Ann please. We're still friends right? Best friends! You're important to me and I know you know that!"

Ann smiled sadly.

"You know what? I used to believe everything you said before. I even get kilig over it. The truth is, that's one thing I was holding on for so long that's why I never believed anyone around me. But from the situation now, after everything that's been said and done, I'm not sure If I'll be able to trust you again."

"It's true Ann, please believe me." Clark begged.

Ann did not talk anymore. She removed Clark's hands from holding her arms and walked away, leaving Clark there standing.

Denise came just in time carrying the foods she bought at the counter and saw Clark there on their table instead of Ann.

"Ann?" She called her friend and looked for her but to no avail. She put the foods on the table and looked at Clark, annoyed. "What did you do again this time?! Don't you know that you're being too much to her!?"

And the she ran to look for Ann.

Both Ann and Clark's feelings are getting heavier and heavier. For the past years they're always used to always being together, spending time laughing and almost sharing about everything, and who would have thought that their friendship would suddenly end up the most painful way and that they have to avoid each other and be back to strangers because they thought it was for the better of each of them. Just so to calm themselves down and breathe from all the pain on their chests specially Ann. It hurts to see her best friend and crush for years loving someone else but she don't want to be the villain in the story and ruin a relationship no matter how much she was against it.

Days and weeks passed, and Ann and Clark did nothing but ignore and avoid each other. There are times when they would bump into each other on the corridors, meet halfway on hallways, and sometimes seat beside each other on club meetings where both of them are members. But not like the usual, now they're just like total strangers. And no matter how difficult it is for both of them, they still choose to be on this situation.

Time passes by quickly, they didn't notice that the graduation is fast approaching. Clark is a senior student and is graduating and leaving the school soon. And until then, he and Ann are still not communicating nor making amends at all. Or maybe not anymore.

They no longer have lessons. All they do is practice for their cotillion to be performed on their upcoming Farewell ball to be held evening on the same day of the graduation. Aside from clearance signing and completion, they spend their remaining days finishing up all their school works and prepare for the ball.

They're having their practice at the school cultural center right now and unfortunately, Ann is one of the many other students chosen to dance. And so is Ford, Denise, Clark and Kristel.

"Who would have thought you'll be my partner?" Ford sat beside Ann in one of the bench inside the cultural center.

"Why does it feel like you have no choice?"

"Because I really do have no choice at all. There's a lot of other pretty girls in campus but I ended up being paired to my cry baby cousin."

"Harhar."

"So how are you?"

"Alive, still."

"Oh, I thought you already died." Ann then looked at him annoyed.

"But you know what? It would atleast be better if im really literally dead."

"Hey, I was just kidding."

Ann did not respond.