20. Pretend

CHAPTER 20

 

 

 

 

Pretend

 

 

 

 

 

     “Troy, wake up!” I muttered bouncing on the side of his bed. It’s been a week ever since we first got to the island, and so far, I’m really enjoying it. For the past few days, all we did was snorkled, learned some foreign dances, learned the basics in surfing, and got a few rounds in beach volleyball. I got to hang out with Andy, Clover and Toni when we swam with the porpoises, which is almost every day, and collected seashells, which I found out was Clover’s favorite hobby.

     “Go away,” Troy muttered, covering his face with a pillow.

     “You need to come with me!” I tried to pull him up but he’s really heavy. I guess that’s because he’d been eating a lot lately; though he’s not getting fat... but that’s probably because he keeps surfing every day.

     It’s today that we’ll have a tour around the island again. Well, the last time we had a tour was too quick. I didn’t enjoy it, since an hour is not enough. I’m already prepared; I have my sunhat on, my sun block, sunglasses and makeup on my bag. I’m also wearing my floral green dress, which I bought a few days ago.

     So why am I asking Troy to come with me, you ask? It’s because the others are too tired from the beach party last night. The owner of the island came and threw a party for his grandson who turned eighteen.

     And believe me, he’s hot. Though I didn’t flirt with him; just talk. And took a few punch, and dance. And swim. And play like kids.

     The others are probably still asleep, but I’m too excited to be tired. There will also be a show tonight, which also sounds exciting. Well, according to the brochure, that is.

     “Leave me alone!” Troy said throwing a pillow at me.

     “Hey!” I threw it back. “Wake up already!”

     “Get. Out. Of. My. Room.” he said, pulling me closer, making our faces inches apart.

     “Um, here are the towels you’d requested, Mr. Anderson. I’ll um, leave it here,” Alicia said, placing the clean white towels on the chair next to the door. She smiled a little and closed the door again.

     “Oh great... just great,” Troy, said pushing me.

     “What did I do this time?” I asked innocently... okay, not so innocent at all.

     “I’ve been trying to ask that girl out since last night, and you just have to ruin it all!” he threw another pillow at me.

     “Oh c’mon! She’s like twenty...”

     “Three years does not matter,”

     “Besides, you have a girlfriend,” I breathed. “You know what? I actually did a favor for you... at least you won’t cheat on the poor and innocent Lauren.”

     “I’m not gonna pick Alicia for Lauren... I just want to hangout... like what you did to Logan,” he said reminding me of the owner’s grandson.

     “Fine, whatever. Just get up already!”

     He looked at me for a second then flickered to the door.

     “What?”

     “Aren’t you at least going to leave my suite?”

     “No... That’s why walls and doors were invented.” I smiled playfully.

     He finally stood up... and then threw another pillow on me that landed straight to my face.

     “Hey, that hurts!” I muttered throwing it back to him.

     It took him an hour before he was done. Sure, I take longer than that, but c’mon, that’s already natural for someone like me. But how can a boy with a tousled hairstyle take that long? I just texted Mandy and Jacque and asked how their spring break is, and Mandy said that she took a vacation with her cousins while Jacque went to Italy. I haven’t texted them for a week now, and it’s nice to know what’s new with them. Troy haven’t called Lauren for the past few days, which is fine; at least I don’t need to rush to the rest room and pretend to pee just to answer his calls.

     I tied my hair on a side ponytail and took the scissors lying on the table, which I don’t know why he has it in the first place, and tried to find if I have some split-ends. It took me a second to realize that being blonde has some disadvantages; including having a hard time figuring if there are spit-ends.

     “Dye your hair first,” Troy muttered.

     “What took you so long?”

     “Oh I don’t know, probably since I spent a few minutes with myself without your irritating voice,”

     “I’m an America’s sweetheart and you call my voice irritating?”

     “I’m also known as the America’s bad boy, what do you expect?” he smirked.

     “Whatever,” I looked to my phone, to see that we still have less than half an hour to be on time for the tour. It took me a second to realize that I need to hide this phone, just in case Troy realize that I have the exact same phone as Lauren; the blackberry with a mask of green and white swirls.

     I almost hopped to every step I took. The weather today is enthralling and everything is in its perfect place the sun shining warmly, embracing us; the sky is in its most striking shade of blue, and the clouds seemed like cotton candy hanging on the sky.

     We took the coaster as the tour guide started to state a few basics on what and what not to do. I took my camera and took a few shots around, and two shots of Troy and us. I rotated a few times until I froze. My hand was almost shaking and I can’t move my body.

     I saw a guy with its most angelic face smiling apologetically towards me. There’s no other sound that I can hear, and my mind went blank. Paulo; sitting just a few seats in front of me. I suddenly wanted to go out of the car, and just stay as far from him as possible.

     “I wanna leave, now,” I murmured to Troy.

     “What? You drag me here and now you...” he let his voice trail off. He probably saw what I feared already.

     “Don’t worry, just follow my lead later,” he chuckled to my ear. His voice gives me the chill that spells pure evil all over it.

     “Why?” I managed to ask.

     “You’ll see,” he said putting his shades on.

     The coaster took a few turns as the tour guide explained every single species we drive by. I just stared out the window and listened carefully to the tour guide and ignore Paulo looking every five seconds.

     We stepped out the coaster as we were given ten minutes to take pictures and explore a little. The coaster was parked on the high peak of the mountain found in the southern part of the island. It’s a few kilometres from the mountain we once visited, and jumped from, a week ago. The wind blew my hair as I walked toward the high bars. I put a coin on the telescope to see the much alluring view of the island.  I leaned on the bars after taking a look on the telescope, and took my camera and took a few shots of the landscape and its irregular and yet beautiful structure. If you scrutinize it, you may notice that it looks like sculptures being drawn together.

     “We still have five minutes left,” Troy whispered to my ear, throwing his arms around me.

     I cleared my throat to make him move but he didn’t flinch. I look to my right side to see Paulo leaning on the bars absentmindedly, a few feet from us. I wonder if he spoke to Troy while I was busy minding my own business.

     “He still wanted to talk to you and said that he won’t leave until he does,” Troy murmured, entwining his fingers to mine.

     “Then he might as well stay here forever,”

     “You are so cold-hearted,” he brushed his lips to my hair.

     “Could you move? It’s getting hotter,”

     “Nah, I’m quite enjoying it...” he chuckled under my ear that gave me another chill.

     “By the way, that’s cheating,”

     “To who? Lauren? I’m not dating or flirting with anyone,”

     “No, to our game,”

     “There’s no rules,”

     “Then two can play at that game,”

     “You’re already playing,” he chuckled again.

     “Excuse me, but the coaster is about to go back now,” a woman with a silky voice said.

     “Right,” I tried to take my hands back but Troy only let go of one.

 

 

     The ride back was fine. It became a lot quieter, since the tour guide spoke rarely, and the tourists asked less. The afternoon passed swiftly, though I mostly stayed in my room. I just really wanted to avoid Paulo and I don’t want to listen to any lies anymore. I read ‘To Kill A Mocking Bird’ to have a reason to stay in my room.

     As twilight deepened, I turned only the lampshade and lay on my bed and stared on the ceiling. I got tired of reading though I still have no plans of leaving my suite. I called a few friends but no one answered, nor called me back. I pretended to count stars, and hope that I can just fall asleep any time soon. I lost my appetite ever since after lunch, since Paulo was just a table away from us. Troy murmured back that we can still pretend to be something in front of Paulo. But I know that it’s just gonna be senseless. Just because he’ll pretend doesn’t mean Paulo will believe. Besides, I don’t even know if he wanted to reconcile or just get the money he was about to borrow. I closed my eyes and put my iPod again. It’s been a while since I used it, since I became pretty busy for a while, though I expected it to be my routine after we broke up. This is the only way to take my depression away.

 

***

     I blinked my eyes twice, realizing that I had fallen asleep. I looked at my iPod to see that it’s already nine pm. It’s been eight hours since I last ate and I can hear my stomach growling. I rub my eyes with the back of my hand and sat up straight. I reached for my flip-flops using my feet, moving it from side to side. It took me a second to realize that my flip-flops sneaked under my bed. I crouched down and reached for my flip-flops, stretching my arm as far as I can until I touched it. I stood up and turned the lights on, realizing that I should have done it first. I changed into my white evening gown that I tied on my neck and put my hair into a dishevelled ‘do. I looked on the mirror, examining my face and dress. White dress flowing down to my ankles, check. Okay, so I’m wearing my bikini underneath, but they won’t notice that, right? My hair on an unruly bun, check.

     I walked down the beach as I saw a few people watching the man swinging fireballs. A waitress handed me a coconut drink that is still placed in a coconut shell. I walked a few more steps to reach Troy sitting on the only chair around; I wonder where he got it. The others are sitting on the large log, similar to the ones we used before on the campfire.

     “Hey, where did you get the chair?” I asked curiously.

     “I have my sources,” he smiled mischievously.

     I shifted my look from left to right, hoping to find some chairs like his. The logs were full already, since it’s not that long, and I am not going to stand up all night. I don’t expect Troy to give his seat to me, since knowing his attitude, he’ll do mostly anything to mock me when I’m in a good mood.

     I waited for a few more minutes, hoping the others would stand up. But there’s still no response. I guess even Andy and Clover are enjoying the show.

     “Can your sources find me a chair too?” I asked giving up.

     “No,” he said quickly.

     “Well, aren’t you tired of sitting? Your six pack abs is turning to flabs already,”

     He looked at me for a second then suddenly took his white shirt off. “Is this what you call flabs?” he pointed to his perfectly carved abs, as if it was carved by Michelangelo.

     “Um, yah... I really think you should um, head to the gym after we get back,” I said, scratching the back of my neck.

     “Why, am I disgusting you already?” he stood up and took a step toward me, closing the gap between us.

     “Um, absolutely... you’re absolutely right,” I took a step back and reached for the chair and quickly took a seat. “I knew you’ll be a gentleman one day,”

     “Yah, but sadly, it’s not today,” he pulled me up without any effort and sat back as if nothing happened.

     I looked to my right again, hoping that others would leave their logs, but sadly, my prayers were turned down. I looked to my left and stopped when I saw Paulo standing from his own chair as he smiled a little.

     I hesitantly sat on Troy’s lap and pretended to watch the show.

     “What in the world are you doing?” Troy asked.

     “You’re the one who volunteered to help me,” I murmured drawing circles on the palm of his hand.

     “Since when did I agreed for you to use me as a chair?”

     “You mentioned ‘in all cases involving Paulo’, if I should remind you,”

     “Yah, sure whatever,” he said as I pulled his arms around me. “I can’t even see a thing!”

     “Well, you can watch the show if you’ll give me your seat.” I said in a much calmer voice. “But then again, I’m kinda enjoying my place right now,” I chuckled.

     I took a peek from the side of my eye on my left again to see Paulo now sitting on the chair he once offered; I think.

 

 

     The show ended swiftly as the tourist started to go back to the hotel again. We had dinner under the starry night, finally complete after a few days.

     I haven’t eaten a meal with everyone around for the past three days. It’s usually Andy and Clover ate first, or Toni, Jason and Haven passed dinner. And the other night, it’s only Troy and I who ate the same time, and I have no idea where the others went.

     By the time that we were done, I was too full that I decided to have a walk along the seashore once more. Troy was sleepy already, that I didn’t ask him to come with me; anyways, it would depend to his mood if he wants to come, and I don’t have time to force him. I just want to embrace the serenity again.

     I was walking half-thru the beach when a sudden warm feeling came to my side. I looked to it and found Paulo walking an elbow away from me.

     “I’m sorry to make you notice,” he stopped walking, as if expecting me to walk a mile away before he continues.

     “You should’ve known I’ll notice... your shadow is visible in the sand,” I hugged myself tightly.

     “Right,”

     I sigh, and then look at him. I wanted to stop playing games already, since we’re both going to lose if I do. And maybe if I do stop, everything will be fine, and maybe he’ll leave me alone. “Want to have a walk?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

     “If you don’t mind,”

     “I’m already asking you, right?”

     “Right,”

     We started to walk again, with the same position as before with the same distance.

     “So,” he breathed. “How’s it going?”

     “It’s fine, great, rather...” I said not looking at him.

     “You and Troy...” he let his voice trail off with the crashing waves.

     “Yah,” I said with less detail. I don’t want to tell a lie on top of the other. “So, how’s Sasha?” I choked the last word.

     “She’s fine,” he said and let his voice trail off again. I guess he doesn’t want to talk about it either.

     “Right. So, um, why are you here?”

     “I just want to apologize,” he said as we took a turn back. “I know you won’t forgive me that fast... or you won’t forgive me at all...” he said shifting his gaze to my face. I didn’t need to look to know that he’s looking at me; I can feel it already. “But I just want to explain what I was really planning, whether you’ll get mad or not,”

     “Go on,” I said encouragingly.

     “But promise me that you’ll believe me,”

     “I can’t assure you anything... especially if you’ll tell another lie,”

     “Right, I respect that... I want to be honest with you and that, at first, all my plan was to hook-up with you and get the money to sustain my family. Does that seem like a lie?”

     “No,” I admitted. It hurts so it’s the truth.

     “Right, and yah, Carla is my real and only sister, and she’s not obsessed with you,”

     “I kinda figured those out already,”

     “Right. But for the short period of time that I’d spent with you, I felt something more... more than what I pretended to have. I never realized it until you were gone with the truth. I never realized that I love you already, and that’s the truth,”

     “Right,” now it’s my turn to say it. “Too bad it’s too late,”

     “I know. But I was kinda hoping for us to stay friends,”

     “We were never been friends if all you did was made me believe of all the things you said...” I looked to him for a second and looked away again and let my voice trail off along the cry of the waves.

 

Reviews

[blackrose24]

i love this chapter too.. can't wait to finish the whole book... :)