The Lies That We Tell (COMPLETED)

Chapter 00

Chapter 00

The strobe lights were dancing and they were making me feel dizzy—dagdag mo pa iyong lakas ng tugtog na para bang tambol sa dibdib ko. I also was not a fan of how crowded it was in this place... And the fact that I knew no one here maliban sa best friend ko na may birthday ngayon. She's a model and I work as a virtual assistant. Hindi ko rin alam minsan kung paano kami naging magkaibigan kasi sobrang magkaiba iyong hilig namin.

I should've said no.

I was never a big fan of parties.

I knew I would not enjoy this party, but I already missed Nikki's birthday last year because of some family emergency and I knew that if I missed her celebration again, magtatampo na talaga siya sa akin. Besides, it's just one night. I should suck it up.

Napatingin si Nikki sa gawi ko. She motioned for me na lumapit sa kanya, but I just gave her a thumbs up. Magkasama na kasi kami kanina at pinakilala niya ako sa mga kaibigan niya. Alam ko na kapag lumapit ulit ako ay ganoon ang gagawin niya. I appreciated the fact that she wanted to introduce me to people, but I was good here. I'd probably leave after 12 midnight since salubong 'to para sa birthday niya. I just wanted to be here and greet her tapos makakauwi na ako at makakatulog.

"How did you know the birthday girl?"

Napatingin ako sa pinanggalingan nung boses. Napaawang iyong labi ko nang makita ko na may lalaking nakatayo sa tabi ko. He was probably a foot taller than me dahil kinailangan kong tumingala para makita siya. It wasn't surprising because he's probably a model like most people in this party—but also different since unlike most people, he's here talking to me.

"Friend," I said. Gusto ko pa sanang magsalita, pero hindi ko magawa. I was just staring at this guy in front of me. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba sa ilaw dito sa club o dahil sa lakas ng tugtog o dahil ba medyo inaantok na ako dahil buong araw ako nagtrabaho, but this guy looked like he just stepped out of a magazine cover.

And maybe he did.

He's definitely a model.

"So, you're a model, too?" he asked. Natawa ako. "Why? What's so funny?" tanong niya. I sensed that he's French based on his accent. Afterall, he didn't look Filipino to me.

"Do I look like a model?"

He began to stare at me that it made me feel conscious. Napatingin ako sa mga mata niya. Were his eyes hazel green o dahil lang ba iyong sa ilaw?

"What?" I asked, uncomfortable because of the intensity of his stares.

"Are you fishing for compliments?" he asked. Sumandal siya sa counter ng bar habang nasa akin pa rin ang mga mata. He was holding a bottle of beer on one hand and he used his other hand to run his fingers through his hair.

I was surrounded by a lot of beautiful people tonight, but for some reason, this guy was... making me feel things.

"What?"

"Do you want me to tell you that you're pretty?" Napaawang ang labi ko. "Because unless you're blind, you should know that you're pretty hot. You got mirrors in your place, right?"

Nanatiling nakaawang ang labi ko.

"You got something on your face," he said, leaning in, and then his thumb was suddenly touching my face. Mabilis na nahigit ko iyong hininga ko dahil sa lapit niya sa akin. He was so close that I was able to smell his perfume and god, he smelled so good.

"There you go," he said close to my ear nang matanggal niya kung anuman iyong tinanggal niya sa mukha ko. Nakalayo na siya sa akin pero higit-higit ko pa rin iyong hininga ko. He was looking at me and all I could think of was how beautiful was this man and how I should run away from him because he looked like he'll bring nothing but trouble in my life.

"Are you okay?" he asked nang hindi pa rin ako nagsasalita.

"Y-yeah."

"You want a sip?" he asked, offering me his bottle of beer.

"You want me to drink your beer?"

Bahagya siyang natawa. Bakit pati pagtawa niya ay gwapo? How was this real? I had met a lot of gorgeous people because of my best friend, but this was the first time that I felt this way. What was with this guy? Lasing ba ako? Pero hindi pa naman ako umiinom maliban sa iced tea na hindi ko pa rin ubos at hawak ko lang para lang may hawak ako.

"No, just a sip. Don't be greedy."

I was not a fan of beer.

Never was.

But for some reason, I found myself accepting the beer from him and taking a sip while my eyes were locked with his.

"You wanna dance?" he asked.

I nodded again.

Why was I agreeing to everything this man says?

Ganito ba ang pakiramdam ng na-hipnotismo?

He grabbed my hand and pulled me with him. Hindi ko alam kung saan niya ako dadalhin, pero pakiramdam ko ay susunod ako kahit saan. We went to the middle of the dance floor. Masikip doon kaya naman halos magkadikit na kami ng lalaki na hindi ko man lang alam ang pangalan.

"What's your name?" malakas na tanong ko habang kalaban ko iyong lakas ng tugtog ng DJ.

"What?" he replied.

"What's your name?" muling tanong ko pero hindi niya ulit maintindihan. I just gave up dahil nagsigawan iyong mga tao sa paligid ko dahil may pinatugtog na sikat na kanta.

This guy right here looked like he was having fun. He was dancing and smiling and I probably looked like a weirdo dahil nakatingin lang ako sa kanya at nanonood.

But then he reached for my hand and pulled me close.

"Let's dance," he said and for some reason, despite the loud music around us, I was able to hear him.

He pulled me close and then spun me around. I felt his arms around me. I felt him close. He was dancing and he was holding me so close that I was dancing with him. Naramdaman ko iyong kamay niya sa magkabilang bewang ko hanggang sa maramdaman ko na nakayakap siya sa akin.

We were so close.

For a moment, pakiramdam ko ay kaming dalawa lang ang nandito.

"Do you wanna go somewhere else?" he whispered in my ear.

I should say no.

I didn't know the guy.

Heck, I didn't even know his name!

But for some reason, against better judgement, I found myself nodding.