Two Truths and A Lie

*Ryan's POV*

Theia and I were both drenched in the rain.

I didn't want our classmates to see her like this so I carried her back to the cottage.

Nathan.

I saw him leaving nung papasok na kami.

Huminto ako para kausapin siya but he just passed by us.

Ni hindi siya tumingin sa'min.

Hindi manlang ba siya nag-aalala?

He left her there.

Buti nalang nakaharap yung mukha ni Theia sa braso ko.

"Don't mind him."

Nakita niya?

"It's okay to leave him that way." Sabi niya habang nakapikit. "Iiwan ko rin naman siya."

Hindi ako sumagot.

Dumiretso ako sa kwarto nila tsaka siya binaba sa kama. I went to the bathroom and started filling the bathtub with water.

"Theia, you need to shower." Sabi ko. "Baka lagnatin ka."

Hindi siya sumagot. Paglingon ko sa kanya, she was already taking off her shirt.

Naghanap tuloy ako ng pwedeng ibato sa kanya which made her stop.

Inirapan ba naman ako.

"Sabi mo maligo."

"Baliw ka ba?" I said. "Nandito pa kaya ako."

"Ay, lalaki ka nga pala." Sabi niya. "Nakalimutan ko, sorry."

"Gusto mo mabato ulit?"

She held up her hands. "Sorry na nga diba? Layas na para makaligo ako."

I turned off the faucet.

"Will you be okay?"

"Oo naman."

I'm too worried to leave her all alone.

"I'll wait here."

"I'm fine, Ry. Tsaka kailangan mo narin maligo." Sabi niya. "Mas basa ka pa kaya sa'kin."

"Sigurado ka ba?"

She nodded and smiled.

Yung ngiti niya, nagbago na.

It didn't reached her eyes.

"Sige." Sagot ko. "Tawagin mo ko kapag may kailangan ka."

"Thank you, Ry."

I waited for her to close the door before leaving.

*calling Charmaine*

"Char---"

"Ry!" She said. "Where are you?? Kanina pa namin kayo hinahanap!"

"Charm, calm down." Sagot ko. "Nasa cottage na kami ni Theia."

"Thank god! Akala namin kung anong nangyari." Sabi niya. "We looked for you everywhere pero yung ribbon nalang na nakatali sa kanya yung naabutan namin."

"I'm sorry." Sabi ko. "Basang basa na kasi kami ng ulan kanina."

"Okay lang ba siya?"

I didn't answer.

Hindi ko rin kasi alam kung okay lang siya.

"Pupunta ako dyan."

"Don't." I said. "Kailangan niya muna mapag-isa."

"Is it---"

"Yes."

"She's going to be okay, right?"

"She will. Let's give her time."

"Okay.."

"Can you do me a favor?" Tanong ko. "I don't think she can participate anymore."

Alam kong hindi niya muna kayang humarap sa kahit kanino ngayon.

"Gab already spoke with Ms. Ces." Sagot niya. "Mukhang okay naman kahit hindi na siya sumali."

Atleast nagawa niya yun para kay Theia.

"Will they continue the game?"

"No, it's too dangerous to play in the pool." Sabi niya. "Sobrang lakas na ng ulan."

"Edi pabalik na kayo?"

"Hindi pa." She said. "They're planning to replace the game instead. Sasali ka pa ba?"

"Pag-iisipan ko." I answered. "I'll check on her first."

"Kung hindi pa siya okay, please don't leave her." She muttered. "I'm sure they'll understand."

"Of course."

"Thanks, Ry."

"See you."

I hang up and went to the bathroom.

***

"Theia?"

Pinuntahan ko siya pagkatapos ko maligo. I kept knocking on the door pero walang sumasagot.

Hindi kaya--?

I turned the knob and the door opened.

Huminga ako ng malalim.

Akala ko may nangyari sa kanya.

I brushed her hair away from her face. She was sleeping peacefully.

This will soon be over, Theia.

"Ry?"

She sat up.

"Sorry nakatulog ako."

"It's okay."

"Wala pa ba sila Charm?"

"May bagong game daw silang ipapalit kasi hindi na pwede yung sa pool."

"Umuulan parin ba?"

"Yup. Mukhang hindi pa matatapos yung ulan."

"Tara?"

Hinawakan ko agad yung braso niya bago pa siya makatayo.

"You should rest." Sabi ko. "I already told them na hindi ka makakasali."

"Pero--"

"Wag ka na makulit."

"Achoo!"

Medyo natawa ako sa kanya.

May sakit na, makulit parin.

"Tignan mo, sinipon ka tuloy lalo."

"Hindi ko naman kasalanan na umulan."

"Pero pwede ka magpahinga para gumaling ka na."

"Gusto ko pa sumali."

"No way."

Sinimangutan niya ko.

"Fine." Sabi ko. "Let's call Kuya and ask him. Kapag pumayag siya, hahayaan kitang maglaro."

"Madaya."

"You know I don't fight fair."

"Oo na." Sagot niya. "Sabi ko nga matutulog nalang ako ulit."

"Good."

"Balikan mo ko kapag dinner na ha."

"Hahayaan ba kita magutom?"

Ngumiti lang siya tsaka humiga ulit.

I kissed her forehead and stood up.

"Thank you, Ry."

"Anytime, Theia."

I closed the door and left.

***

"Let's start?"

The staff told me they went to the cabin where we had the meeting on our first day.

Pagdating ko, I saw them seated on the floor forming a big circle at nasa gitna si Ms. Ces.

"Ryan, you made it." Sabi niya. "Will you join us?"

I nodded.

On the left side, nandun sila Gab, Charm, Erica, Vin and Ken.

And on the right side, there was Ivy and Nathan.

Okay na naman sila?

I sat between Vin and Ken.

"Since kakadating lang ni Ryan, I'll brief him with our game." Sabi ni Ms. Ces. "It's called Two Truths And A Lie."

Two truths and a lie?

"Everyone has to think of three things about themselves." She said. "Like what the game is called, two of those things must be true and one is a lie."

"After 20 minutes, I'll call someone to start the game and he/she will choose the next person after their turn." Sabi niya habang nakatingin sa'kin. "Do you have any questions?"

"Are we supposed to tell each other which is which?"

"Not now." Sagot niya. "We'll talk about it during the ball to pique everyone's curiosity."

"Oh.."

Interesting.

"Is that clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good." Ngumiti siya. "Your 20 minutes starts now."

Hmm..

"Ry."

May inabot sa'kin si Vin.

"Ano 'to?"

"Malay ko." He whispered back. "Binigay lang din ni mine sa'kin."

Mine? Si Erica?

"Bakit mo sa'kin inabot?"

"Para sa'yo daw."

I looked at Erica.

Palihim niyang tinuturo si Gab ng di nakatingin sa'kin.

Galing sa kanya 'to?

Ano na namang gusto niyang gawin?

I unrolled the paper and stared at it.

Napatingin ako kanila Ivy. Ngayong nakatitig na ko sa kanilang dalawa, I noticed that they don't look okay at all.

There was a gap between them.

Bakit pa sila nagtabi kung hindi rin naman sila magpapansinan?

I caught Gab's eyes.

He raised his right eyebrow.

Does he really want to do this?

"Time's up." Ms. Ces said.

I looked away and slowly nodded my head as an answer to him.

"Game?"

"Game!"

I crumpled the paper that I'm holding.

Walang dapat makaalam nito.

He's our friend. I need to trust him.

If he's really doing this for Theia, I might as well do the favor.

This time, I'll play as his bait.

Wala kang pakialam kay Theia?

Pwes, malalaman natin yung sagot ngayon.

Can you help me trigger Nathan?

- Gab

I have a very good idea on how to do that.

******