Chapter 35: True Feelings

This is punishment. 

            No doubt, this is heaven's reminder that I had begun to forget my own sin and divulge to my own feeling. Now…I lost the only friend I have. 

            However, I'm sure this is for the best. I don't want her to hate me more than she already had if she ever found out the truth and no one will get hurt because of it. That's why, it's best for me to be alone.

            "If you look so sour, you'll needlessly worry Claudia."

            I've been walking with my head down, I had no choice but to look up to see the boy in glasses. He had an expressionless look but his eyes was fill with emotion, is it anger or is it annoyance, I can't figure which one. However, he never gave me another look otherwise. 

            "There's no need for you to care…nor does Claudia."

            "That's why I'm here, because I care for her."

            That's right, this is the kind of relationship we're in. We're not close, but we're not just mere acquaintance, just two people who hangs together because of one person, and that one person happens to be Claudia.  

            "You should know that my face always look like this, now if you don't have anything else to say then move!"

            I hasten my steps and nudge him off, but instead of getting rid off him, he latch on to my hand instead. I gave him a disgust stare, "What on earth are you thinking?"

            "That should be my line" he said plainly, "do you know why I never like you?"

            It was a sudden, straightforward question, yet it was a question I knew the answer from the beginning. "Because I always lied."
            It was just as I said, I never was being true to them, even after knowing Eric's ability, whenever it's about myself, my family, I even lied about my favorite ice cream flavor. 

            I was desperate to hide myself, and I was desperate to have her as my friend. I ended up lying, many times that I felt grateful to Eric for never leaking it out. 

           "Why do you never told her?"

            "One thing you learn when you get this power, you don't carelessly expose people's lie." He released the grip from my hand and took a deep breath, "I got this power, way before they had our ESP Test, I was one of those who have the thing called Innate User, not that this power is something I was proud of, because knowing the world full of lies isn't a pretty things, I even felt disgusted."

            There was a small pause, as if Eric was prepared to spill his guts out and I stayed without looking him away, "Claudia was the first person who ever made me glad she lied, it was more of a prank when she first tested my power, but to make me glad someone lied was the first." There was the usual smile he had, boyish yet charming smile that could turn his glasses into his good point, one he always had with Claudia. "Second, there's no point in telling when it wouldn't change the things between us."

             "Even though you don't like me?" I asked. 

            "Yeah, being with you always giving me a headache, that's why I don't like you, but that doesn't matter to Claudia." 

           I twitched at his words and I got angry how he could say it obliviously,  "It's over, this friend game of ours, there's no point in continuing it anymore!"

            I began to walk away, somehow I don't want to hasten my pace, it would only make me look I was running away. Then, I could hear his words a few feet away, "Loranne,  I don't like you not only because you lie to others, but you also lie to yourself!" 

            My steps didn't stop, and his words began to whisk away by the wind. Unbeknownst to me, Eric was sitting on the ground, followed by a long pathetic sigh, " You so owe me for this Claudia!" He whispered gently before putting on a relaxed thin smile.

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