Deception

Chapter 1

    “I don’t want to hear it, Lee. Just, just leave me be,” Eliza was on the verge of tears when she escaped into her kitchen. Lee, who was sitting on the living room couch, sighed but still followed her friend.

    “Eli, I was your friend first, before I became your dietitian. I can’t believe that you lied to me about this. Of course I’d be worried!” Lee exclaimed.

    “Worried for me or your job?” Eli muttered quietly but Lee heard it.

    Lee was currently frustrated with her friend. It was known that Eli was diagnosed with diabetes a year ago, so she really needed to change her diet and lifestyle. Aside from this disease that Eli was battling, she had been having problems in losing weight. So, seeking Lee’s expertise in nutrition, a good six months ago, was hitting two birds with one stone.

    “You practically starved yourself last week. And what for? My god! You’re endangering yourself, Eli,” she exclaimed. She, though not a nutrition therapist, could see that Eli holds a lot of insecurities and struggles in accepting her voluptuous body. More than her job, Eli was a friend who needs her emotional support right now.

    “I know you helped me. I’m f*****g grateful Lee, I’ve lost some pounds because of the diet plans—”

    “And you haven’t once had an attack for the past six months,” Lee added the more important contribution of her job.

    “Yes and thank you for that, too.”

    “It wouldn’t have been a success if you weren’t committed. You have to thank yourself for that,” Lee tried to coax her friend.

    “But can’t you see? It’s not enough. I want to lose more of these. I want to be beautiful, too,” she whispered.

    “What are you talking about? You are beautiful,” Lee replied as she stared at Eli in disbelief. When Lee looked at her, she could see a tall and sexy girl. Eli had a pair of gray eyes and a straight blonde hair, cut just above the shoulders. She always envied how good Eli’s taste in clothes and how regal she carried herself.

    “There’s this… this party at the company. And then there’s this dress. I really love this dress, you see.” Tears were streaming down her face on that moment. By then, Lee grabbed a chair and scooted closer to hug her. “It was so elegant, Lee. But it doesn’t fit. It doesn’t f*****g fit!” she cried.

    Honestly, Lee didn’t know where this was coming from. Yes, Eli had never appreciated her curvy body, but it never came to a point like this. Lee wondered what the hell happened to trigger such breakdown.

    “Look, Lee. I didn’t want to harm myself. I just… wanted to lose pounds, that’s why I practically ate nothing,” Eli said and even chuckled at her folly. No one spoke for a moment. Lee continued to stroke Eli’s hair but decided to cut the silence.

    “Do you want to… talk about it?” Lee asked. On the other hand, Eli just stared and toyed with her coffee. She sighed and knew that Eli would open up once she is ready.  She slowly released Eli from her hug and said, “If you don’t want to, I won’t push. You know that right?”

    “I know. But you’ll scold me, still.”

    “You’re damn right. Imagine Kris calling me at 3 in the morning, telling me that you were in the hospital. She said that one minute you were standing, and the next, you were lying on the floor. You can’t really blame me for getting mad at you.” It was true that Lee was horribly awakened with the news that Eli was rushed to the hospital. The patient had abnormally low blood sugar levels because she starved herself while continuing her medications for diabetes.

    “I’m not blaming you. But I won’t blame myself either.”

    Lee rubbed her forehead. “Eli, if you can’t follow the damn diet that I prepared for you, and if you keep on lying to me about your health, then I think you should get another RND,” she proposed. She wanted to be there for Eli. She decided that the best way to do so was to be a friend right now, not a professional. But Eli misunderstood her gesture.

    “Why? Because of what happened you think I’m dragging your name in the mud? Breaking news: A Registered Nutritionist-Dietitian’s patient passed out –”

    “You’re twisting my words!”

    “Because of counseling gone wrong, an incompetency in the RND’s part.”

    “Eli, that’s not what happened and you know that,” she interrupted.

    “I know that! I was the one who didn’t follow through the counseling! But why tell this to your other clients just to keep your job? Who cares what others think,” Eli stood and went over the sink. Lee gaped at her.

    “I didn’t spread any rumors! Do you hear yourself right now? I wasn’t the one cares about what others think, enough to starve myself!”

    The sound of breaking glass cut through the kitchen when the mug slipped out of Eli’s hands. Eli was seething as she turned around to look at her. “My door is unlocked. You are free to leave, preferably now.”

    Lee stood up without saying a word. Both of them were mad, so she stayed quiet to avoid saying something that would further hurt them. She walked to the living room and grabbed her bag. Should she say something? She gazed at the kitchen but saw that Eli had already turned her back. Both need to cool down, she decided. So she made her exit not knowing that it was the last time that she would see her friend—alive.

    That memory kept on replaying on her head. Maybe it was the guilt that was eating her. She couldn’t fathom that her last words with Eli were hurtful ones. She wanted to go back in time and maybe…

    “Miss Alvarez?” Her thoughts were interrupted by Detective Anton Garcia, the police officer who was interviewing her. It suddenly dawned on her that she was in the precinct. Events earlier were a haze to the point where she didn’t even know who put the blanket around her or how she got a cup coffee in her hands.

    “Did you say something?” She asked.

    “I believe we’re done with your statement. Are you sure you don’t want to go the hospital?”

    She simply shook her head. Going to the hospital was the last thing she wanted, instead she asked, “Can you tell me what happened to her?”

    He hesitated but then answered, “Initial assessment, we have a suicide case. I’m so sorry for your loss and I’m sorry that you had to witness that.”

    The reality was slowly seeping in, which made her feel tired all of a sudden. All the adrenaline she had earlier must have run out. “If you’ll excuse me detective, I think I’ll go home and call Eli’s family.”

    “No need for that. We broke the sad news to her parents,” replied Detective Garcia who looked at her with concern. “Miss Alvarez—“

    “Lee.”

    “Well, Lee, thank you for your cooperation. Right now, rest. I could have someone escort you to your apartment.”

    “I’ll just get a cab, detective,” she replied as she glanced at the wall clock. Damn, it was nearly midnight.

    “In your state right now? I wouldn’t recommend it,” he sighed. “Come on, I’ll escort you home,” he said and stood up to gather his belongings. Internally, she agreed with him. The two walked in silence towards the detective’s car.

    She hadn’t cried since she called 911 but now, tears threaten her vision. Just a little bit longer, she said to herself as she tried to reign on her grief. Somehow she was thankful that Detective Anton offered his assistance. She knew that if she wasn’t with someone on the way home, she would break.