Life In Lie

Chapter 1

I stood up from sitting on my sala's floor. I cleaned my fake plant a little bit, naka display ito sa center table ko. 

I just ate toasted bread and drink a cup of milk kanina for my breakfast. I'm now preparing to take a bath. I took my towel and other skin care products that I am using for my body, na wala sa loob ng bathroom ko.

It's Sunday, my visit day kila lolo at lola. Inilalaan ko palagi ang araw na 'to for them. Dalawa lang naman din kasi kaming apo nila, at ang isa ay nasa ibang bansa pa. He is kuya Jayden.

"Perfect, you're so gorg tologo!" I talked to myself sa vanity mirror ko. I just put my contact lens effortlessly, kaya napa-palakpak pa ako sa sarili ko.

I will also meet Dean sa Mall later, so I really need to fix myself. I wonder why he invited me. Usually mag-aaya lang 'yan if he has any problem, or may gustong i-reveal sa 'kin na super private. Hay, let's see na lang later.

Nag-bus lang ako papunta kela lola. I'm not allowed to drive pa, I'm only 17 years old. My grandparents will only allow me once I turned 18. And still, trauma pa rin sila sa nangyari sa 'min before. Ako ay nakalagpas naman na sa trauma na 'yon, what happened to us was also a little bit blurry na rin sa memory ko, given that it happened at my very young age.

"Hi lola!!!" Masayang bungad ko nang matanawan kaagad si lola sa may pintuan ng bahay namin. I hugged her mahigpit na mahigpit.

"Ang apo ko! Baka masakal mo niyan si lola, ikaw talagang bata ka." Tumatawang sabi nito sa 'kin. Sinabayan ko lang din ang pagtawa niya. "Kumain ka na ba apo? Halika pinagluto kita ng paborito mo." She said with her eyes full of excitement.

"Uhm, a little bit po kaninang breakfast." I answered, not removing my smile.

"Halika paniguradong gutom ka ulit niyan, lalo na at galing kang byahe, malamang ay kanina pa lumipas kinain mo." Pag-imbita sa 'kin ni lola, then she went straight to the kitchen, to prepare our foods.

Our house is here in Bulacan, while my condo is in Manila. That's why ganito rin ang pananalita ng lola ko. My grandparents raised me, after my mom and dad died due to car accident. I'm also there, I was there..

"Avery anak, come here." My mom said, puno ng pag-aalala ang mukha. Nasa rearseats si mommy at ako ang nasa shotgun seat, dahil I want to be right next to my dad everytime he drives. 

Also, everything suddenly changed. I don't know sobrang bata ko pa noon. Plus, my parents were always fighting during that time.

Lumapit ako kay mommy, she's now hugging me. I don't understand why. But I can only see is my mom arguing my dad about the car.

"Ano ba kasi nangyari, jusko naman Kaleb!" Galit na sabi ni mommy kay daddy.

"Dennalyn, bakit ba sa 'kin mo isinisisi palagi. Hindi ko nama—" naputol ang sasabihin ni daddy nang mabunggo na lang ang car namin sa biglang sumalubong na sasakyan.

Kasabay nito ang pag higpit ng yakap sa akin ng mommy ko.

I woke up, and saw my Lola crying beside my bed. And there, she told me everything. Kahit ang labo labo pa para sa 'kin, dahil sa mura kong edad. I was only four back then.

I was saved because of my mom. She sheltered me using her own body. She became my shield to protect me against the wreckage of our car.

And itong bahay na tinitirhan nila lola ay pamana sa akin nila mommy at daddy, but I told my grandparents na sila na lang ang tumira rito. Naaalala ko lang ang parents ko rito, kaya I've decided to leave. Aanhin ko ang malaking bahay kung lungkot naman ang kapalit.

"Huy apo ko, ano na? Halika na rito!" pag-aya ulit sa 'kin ni lola nang makitang nakatulala ako sa malaking portrait ng family picture namin dito sa sala. I smiled at her and umupo na sa dining table namin. 

"Wow, sinigang na hipon!! My favorite!" Masayang saad ko nang makita ang pinrepare na ulam ni lola for me. She just smiled at me and get me a glass of water. 

"By the way lola, where's lolo po?" I asked her when I noticed na hindi ko pa nga pala nakikita si lolo. 

"Ah, ibibili ka raw niya ng paborito mong tinapay doon sa bakery na lagi nating binibilhan." My grandma smiled at me.

"Ano po ba kayo! Masyado niyo naman po pinaghahandaan lagi ang pagdating ko!" Pabirong sagot ko kay lola. 

Lagi silang ganiyan everytime na uuwi ako rito, may mga kung ano-anong pasabog pa minsan. They're so cute, they are my treasure.

"Aba'y syempre naman, isang beses ka lang sa isang linggo nakakauwi rito e." She said. "Kumain ka lang dyan apo ko at kumain naman na kami ng lolo mo." She added. She's sitting in front of me.

"Okay, salamat po for this lola!" I showed her a genuine smile, like how genuinely happy I am right now.

Kinwentuhan lang ako ni lola sa mga nangyari sa kanila rito ni lolo. I also told her what happened to me sa loob ng isang week.

"Wala ka pa bang manliligaw diyan apo," she teased.

"Lola!" Pagsuway ko sa kaniya. "Wala pa po sa akin 'yon," sabi ko, saka pinagpatuloy ang pagkain.

Yes, wala pa sa akin 'yon... wala pa

"Oh apo kong maganda, nandito ko na pala!" My lolo's finally home. "Pasensya na at hindi ko naabutan ang pagdating mo kanina," he added.

"No worries lolo, atleast you're here na po." 

Tumayo na ako at inilagay ang pinagkainan sa sink. I also washed my hands and went straight to my lolo after, then I hugged him mahigpit like I did to lola earlier.

He hugged me back and gave my favorite bread that he just bought. "Para sa'yo ito ha, buti nga ay nakaabot pa ako at nagkakaubusan na niyang paborito mong tinapay." He happily stated.

"Sus ayos lang po lolo, masyado naman po kayong nag-abala ni lola." Pabiro kong sabi sa kanila.

I stayed there for a little more hours when I decided to leave. Nagkuwentuhan lang kami and I also told them na start na ulit tomorrow ng classes ko.

"O siya, sige na apo mag-iingat ka palagi ha!" My lola instructed. I just gave her a smile.

"Oo, at galingan mo sa pag-aaral ha. Tumawag ka lang kaagad kapag may kailangan ka ha." Bilin naman ng lolo ko. I just gave him a smile too.

"Yes po, tatandaan ko po mga bilin ninyo. I love you both po! See you next Sunday po." Pagpapaalam ko.

They wave their hands to me, nang pasakay na ako ng taxi. Hinatid pa nila ako rito sa labas ng village. Hay ang grandparents ko talaga!

'Eastwood'

I saw Dean's reply. I asked him earlier kasi kung saan ba kami.

"Dean!" I called my bestfriend when I saw him talking to a young lady. My instinct's telling me that this girl is younger than me.

"Hey!" He waved his hand and hugged me as I stand near him. 

"How are you?" I asked him.

"Uhm, here doing good and of course happy." Nakangiting sagot nito sabay tingin sa babaeng katabi niya.

"Mabuti, and you are?" I turned my gaze doon sa girl.

"Dennise. I'm D-Dennise," kabadong sabi nito. Of course as expected takot sa baddie look ko.

"Nice to meet you Dennise! Uhm hindi mo ba siya ipapakilala sa 'kin Mr. Sevillana?" I asked Dean and turned my gaze back to him.

"Ah oo nga pala, she's my girlfriend, Dennise." He's smiling while introducing her girl to me. 

Third wheel. He didn't informed me. f**k you, Dean.

"I see, if you don't mind Ms. Dennise, may I ask how old are you?" I'm curious e bakit ba.

"Yeah sure, I'm 15," she nervously answered.

Sabi na e. My instincts never failed me.

"Ano ka ba Very, tinatanong mo pa 'yon." Medyo inis na sabi ng kaibigan ko.

"Wala lang I'm just curious. Wala naman masama ah right, Dennise?" I casually asked the girl.

"Y-yes ate," for the second time she stuttered.

"Oh dear, you don't need to call me 'ate'. You are my bestfriend's girl. And I think it's also better if we can be friends too, instead of 'ate things'." I said it with full of assurance that she's welcome to me.

"Really? Well uhm, thank you!" Her faced shined after hearing how I welcomed her. Unlike earlier, she can't even look straight to me as if I'm going to eat her.

"Sabi sa 'yo eh mabait 'yan si Avery," hinigit ni Dean ang waist ni Dennise. "Pagdating mo kasi bumulong siya sa akin, mukha ka raw mataray." He blissfully continued.

I just gave them a smile. Sanay na ako sa ganoong impression sa 'kin ng mga bagong tao na nakakasalamuha ko.

So this is what Dean wants to reveal huh. Her new girl, Dennise. Dean's already 18 years of age, he's older than me lang for a few months. So their age gap is not bad, pero para sa age ni girl masyado pa siyang bata.

Wow nagsalita ang pumatol sa grade 6 huh.

"Hello everyone, I am Dean Jayce Q. Sevillana. I am 9 years old. My hobby is to draw and to take a picture of our nature." A transferee is now in front of us, introducing himself.

I am currently a grade 3 student, when Dean came into my life.

"O," he hands me his handkerchief. 

Tinignan ko muna ito ng ilang segundo bago tinanggap. Nakaupo ako sa hagdan ng first floor of our building. Kakatapos ko lang maka-receive ng eye roll from two grade 4 girls. Simpleng eye roll pa lang ay iniiyakan ko na agad, kasi I can't understand talaga bakit sila naiinis sa face na mayroon ako.

I'm a loner pa naman at mahina ang loob sa ganoon, lalo na't they are older than me. I still need to be respectful. 

No one wants to befriend me, and it's because of my mataray looks daw. How many times ko ba sasabihin, hindi ko naman kasalanan 'to. I'm pretty, but super mataray tignan kaya maraming girls ang na-titrigger. I'm rolling my eyes to them daw, kahit hindi naman.

"T-thank you!" Nanginginig kong inabot ang panyo ni Dean without looking at him.

"I saw what those grade 4 girls did to you. Do they always do that to you?"  He asked.

I just nodded.

"I see, I also noticed that you're a loner. Where's your parents, bakit hindi mo sila isumbong? The bullies?" Sunod-sunod na sabi niya sabay upo sa tabi ko, ready na akong pakinggan.

"My parents died five years ago. Grandparents ko ang kasama ko, I am under their care. They're my companions eversince my mom and dad left me." I said with my trembling voice.

"Sorry for that," remorse immediately covered his face.

"Oh no, you don't have to say sorry. You have no idea naman." I gave him a shollow smile.

And that's where our friendship started. Lagi kaming magkasama kahit saan, madalas ay umiiyak pa si Dean kapag hindi ako makita sa school namin noon.

"Doon ka nga!" pagtataboy ko kay Dean.

I'm currently here at the stairs of the second floor of our building, crying. We're now on our 5th level. Three grade 6 girls just rolled their eyes to me and that's totally fine dahil nasanay na ako. But what they just told me was not fine.

'Look at you, wala nang parents. Puro matatanda pa kasama, poor you.'

Bumuhos lang lalo ang luha ko nang maalala ang sinabi nila. Insulting my personality and anything about me only is totally fine, pero idadamay ang parents ko at mga taong nag-alaga sa 'kin? What is that? Nasaan ang respeto nila? 

As far as I know, I never experienced being kawawa in my entire life. In fact, sobrang lucky ko kila lolo't lola ko. Others will never understand that kind of feeling, dahil naka focus lang sila sa pangbu-bully sa akin.

"Bakit mo ba ako pinapaalis?!" Inis na sabi ni Dean. "'Di ba I told you noong unang beses na mag-usap tayo, that I will never leave your side starting from that day?" He continued.

Umiyak lang ako habang nakayuko sa mga braso kong nakapatong sa tuhod ko. Yes, hindi ko makakalimutan iyon. 

"Okay, simula ngayon I will never leave you na, Avery!" Young Dean cheerfully said.

"Oh panyo!" inabot niya ang panyo niya like before. "I know may masakit nanaman silang nasabi sa 'yo, kilala na kita hindi ka na basta basta iiyak dahil lang sa simpleng eye roll." He proudly said na parang kilalang kilala na talaga ako.

"Iiyak mo lang, nandito lang ako, Avery." He added using his soft voice as he sat beside me.

And now here's my Dean, nakikipaglandian sa harap ko. Talaga naman. We're here sa isang fast food chain, I just ordered burger, fries and a drink, since busog pa ako sa kinain ko kela lola kanina. Suwerte ni Dean at hindi ako gutom, kung hindi ay susulitin ko talaga itong pang lilibre niya.

"Hey let's take a photo!" Ako na ang nag-aya, it seems they have no plans of taking a picture, busy sila sa paglalampungan doon.

"Bait madam ah!" Dean teased me. Alam niya kasi mataray ako minsan kapag may iba kaming kasama. Jowa niya kasama namin, I don't have time for that. Next time, kapag ininis ako ni Dean.

"Okay, 1..2..3 smile!!" And there I captured a photo of us three. And I also insisted to take a photo of them too. Sila lang. 

But of course, Dean being Dean. He asked her girl to take a picture of us naman. Sa lahat ng pinupuntahan namin ay may picture kaming dalawa. Si Dean lagi nagpapaalala no'n, para raw memory. Kaya gulat na lang din talaga niya kanina nang ako ang mag-aya.

I opened my phone and saw the same man who commented sa post ko na nagreply naman sa IG story ko. I posted a video kasi kanina. Face ko tapos hinarap ko kela Dean at Dennise na nasa harap ko with a caption 'me being a third wheel :>'. The man only replied a 'haha' emoji. Hindi ko na sineen 'yon.

"Sure ka?" Dean gravely asked me. Tapos na kami kumain at pinapauna ko na siya dahil kailangan na umuwi ni Dennise. Hindi niya naman pwedeng pauwiin mag isa 'yon.

"Yeah, Ano ka ba! Too paranoid!" I said and gently pushed him.

"Sige, text mo ako kapag nakauwi ka na ha! O kapag kailangan mo ng sundo." Paalala pa niya. Such a b***h, nasa harap niya girlfriend niya tapos ganoon magsalita sa 'kin, hindi ba magseselos 'yon? 

I don't know, I never tried being in a serious relationship pa.

"Bye Ate Avery! Ay Avery pala. Thank you for your time and nice meeting you po!" Dennise bids her goodbye.

I just smilingly nodded at her, and wave may right hand to them.

Nagpaiwan ako, kasi I need to buy some stuffs pa for school tomorrow. I want to buy a new study table na rin. And I don't want to buy it via online, gusto ko makikilatis ko muna 'yong table in person bago bilhin. Some light stuffs lang binibili ko online.

Pumasok ako sa isang Department Store, and doon nagtingin. I took a small push cart, and started walking with it. I chose every stuffs meticulously. Gusto ko kasi ay pang-matagalan na. 

"Thank you Ate!" sambit ko sa cashier lady.

Inilalagay na no'ng isang lalaki ang mga pinamili ko sa push cart, dahil may study table ako na nakita and I really liked it. Kaya naman nandito ang pieces nito na mabibigat. So I asked for a larger push cart, gagamitin ko ito hanggang makalabas lang. Ang bigat nitong study table e, plus 'yung three plastics pa ng other stuffs ko.

"f**k!" I said while trying to take the pieces of my study table out of the cart. Two boxes lang nakalagay ang mga ito kaya ang bigat lalo.

Nagulat ako nang may tumulong sa akin bumuhat nito. Pagkababa ng isang box ay natulala lang ako sa kaniya, he looks familiar. Ibinaba niya na lahat ng laman ng cart ko at iginilid iyon.

"Sorry kung nagulat kita, I just want to help." He said with his husky voice. And wala rin reaction gaano ang face niya.

"O-oh, s-salamat!" f**k, bakit ako nautal!?

"So where's your car? I don't think kaya mong buhatin lahat ng 'to papunta doon." He sounded like he's willing to help me.

"Wala," simpleng sagot ko lang

"Huh? Paano mo maiuuwi lahat 'to? Don't tell me, magta-taxi ka?" Sambit nito.

Eh bakit ba siya nangingialam? Okay kalma Avery, tinulungan ka niyan tandaan mo!

"Yes, why?" I gravelly said.

"Nothing, hatid na lang kita." He suggested.

"Oh, 'wag na po kuya. Tawagan ko na lang po kaibigan ko." Pagtanggi ko kaagad sa kaniya.

"Kuya..." he smirked.

"Dean sumagot ka!" Hindi ko siya pinansin at pilit tinatawagan si Dean na hindi sinasagot. Maybe nasa byahe pa 'yon.

"It seems that your friend's busy." He sounded nang-aasar.

"Saan bahay mo?" tanong nito while driving. 

Hindi na rin ako nakatanggi. I just found myself sitting on his car's shotgun seat. Sabi ko nga sa likod na lang ako, pero sabi niya ay hindi pa nalilinisan iyon. Kaya no choice talaga ako, I don't want to sit sa maruming seat naman 'no!

"D-diyan lang." I absently answered.

"What? Where the hell is 'diyan lang'?" He quizzically glanced at me, and chuckled.

God. He's undeniably handsome ha!

I told him the address. And pinahinto ko na lang siya sa isang space sa tapat ng building ng condo ko.

"So...paano mo i-aakyat 'yan binibini?" He asked.

Ang daming tanong!

"I'll call a staff to help me." I answered and he nodded.

Hindi ko naman pwedeng lantarang iharap sa kaniya ang tinitirhan ko, right? I don't even know him. Hindi porket gwapo siya e, bibigay na agad ako sa moves niya na 'yan.

God, what am I even thinking?

"Thank you ulit kuya!" Paalam ko sa kaniya nang dumating na 'yong  staff para tulungan ako sa pag-akyat ng pinamili ko.

"Kuya, huh. Kai na lang, mas hot." He grinned.

"H-huh? Okay, K-kai thank you," sambit ko.

He just nodded and waved his hand to me. I also saw how he smirked before closing his car's door.

Shit what the hell just happened Avery!

I tried to forget about what happened earlier and nag-focus na lang sa pag-aayos ng school stuffs ko. I'm also done in assembling my new study table. 

'Your welcome! :))'

A notif popped up on the lock screen of my phone. I opened it, and saw that the message was from..

Kaiden Aslan

Your welcome! :))

**********