? TRUTH AND LIES?
(Nigel is Mico)
Episode 26
Writer: Faith Lucky.
Alyssa’s Pov:
I staggered and moved backwards and the phone I held in my hand shattered and fell on the floor. But I didn’t even bother to look at it.
My hands andl-ips were shaking and my heart was weary.
The whole thing looked like a movie to me.
No; even a movie can’t be directed this way.
Everyb©dy in the hall were all shouting and g-asping and endless flashes kept reflecting on the stage.
Tears poured from my eyes as I watched traumatically.
He looked troubled and kept running his eyes around, as if searching for someone.
But how is this possible? How can Nigel be Mico?
BFF?
The same guy I ran around the street with?
The same guy I took to be a commoner?
Could this be the reason he had refused to disclose his family background to me?
And even that day his cousins had seen us running around the street. ..had he been lying to me the whole time?
But…why?
Nigel?
More tears streamed down my cheeks and I started hyperventilating.
‘Alyssa, are you alright?” Daisy asked surprised, but I didn’t even look at her.
I turned around and started running away.
Mico’s Pov:
Oh, God, this has really happened.
My face was expo-sed.
Where’s Alyssa?
I scoured my eyes around and saw her running throu-gh the exit.
Alyssa.
Mum was holding my hand and the press men were alre-ady crowding the stage.
But my main focus was on Alyssa. I nee-ded to speak with her.
I Fred my hand from my mum’s and started walking out the state and everyb©dy turned confused.
“Mico? Wh…where are you going?” Mum asked, muddled and I turned to look at her.
“plea-se mum, I’ll be back. Just a few minutes, plea-se. I beg of you, don’t come after me; I’ll be fine. plea-se” I pleaded and started running away, signalling my guards to follow me.
The press men tried following me but were stopped by my guards.
I took the exit and started running around the silent p@$$ages, hoping to see Alyssa.
‘Alyssa!” I called but the only response I got was my echo.
I continucontinued running restlessly.
My head was sweating profusely.
“Alyssa!!!” I called again but there was still no reply.
Where did she go?
I rou-ghed my hair, alre-ady becoming frustrated.
Then I heard the echoes of someone sobbing and I took a turn and found her sitting and weeping on the floor, with her arms and legs huddled up together.
Oh, God!
“Alyssa?” I called and she lifted her head and stood up immediately.
The tears were still pouring down her cheeks and she took some steps backwards.
“Nigel…you…” she paused and sniffled and wept more.
The look in her eyes were killing.
“Alyssa, I’m…I’m sorry” I said helplessly and moved closer to her but she retreated and moved backwards.
“You…you lied to me” she whimpered and my heart melted at those words.
plea-se Alyssa, don’t get mad at me.
“I mean, you…you were Mico? Mico Salvato-re?
“But…you were my best friend. You told me your name was Nigel.
H…How did this happen?
You…you were only in disguise? You were Mico and you didn’t tell me?
Why did you lie to me?”
Her voice was breaking and it increa-sed the agony in my heart.
She was really hurt and I can’t believe it’s all because of me.
“Alyssa, I’m…”
I paused and ran my fin-gers into my hair.
This is getting more complicated than I thought.
“I’m sorry Alyssa. I didn’t mean to lie to you. I was just…”
I ran out of words.
I tried tou-ching her but she moved backwards again.
Why’s she trying to avoid me now?
She stood and stared at me for a while, as if finding the whole thing ha-rd to believe.
She was doubly shocked.
“plea-se, Nigel, I’m…” she paused and chuckled tearfully.
“I’m sorry…Sir Mico” and she chuckled again.
“I’m sorry but I…I nee-d to go. I nee-d to be alone right now.
“plea-se, don’t follow me” she added and turned around and at that moment, I felt my world falling ap@rt.
She walked some steps away but suddenly stopped and took sometime before turning around to look at me.
Her face was pale and her eyes were red and so-re as more tears kept steaming down.
“Happy birthday” she said ruefully and finally ran away and all I could do was stare helplessly.
I covered my face with my palm and fell on my knees.
This is all my fault. I created this mess.
Why did I have to lie to her in the first place?
Oh, Alyssa, I only wish you’d un-derstand.
plea-se, don’t stay mad at me.
*
*
Alyssa’s Pov
I ran into my room and locked the door, leaning my back against the door.
I bur-st into more tears as I recalled everything that had happened. The whole thing still seemed like a dream to me.
I recalled the first day I had met him as Nigel.
I had fell on him while trying to jump the fence and he had actually accompanied me that day to deliver the clothes.
I can remember he was acting a little wired and even when I had asked for his name, he had delayed before telling me it was Nigel.
Now I un-derstand why I suddenly bec@m£ so lucky during that period.
First, I had gotten a free admission into my dream school, then a free registration into the young miss beauty contest and a washing machine…everything!
Even when he had apologised to me in school.
Sandy was right. Only Mico was powerful enough to do such things.
Why didn’t I think about it?
And all those while, he had been coming to me as a friend, but I never knew he was the same person I adored so much.
No wonder he asked me to be his date to prom.
and that prom night, when I had almost been killed, now I un-derstand what he meant by all those words he said to me while I was unconscious.
I can’t believe I had been with my biggest crush the whole time, doing all those crazy things with him.
I remembered when I had for-ced him to wash clothes with me. No wonder I had gotten that washing machine the next day.
I recalled all the crazy things I had made him do and even when I had made him hawk on the street.
God; I can’t believe it was Mico Salvato-re, the almighty precious son of Virigilio Salvato-re.
I sauntered to the be-d and sat on it. I just couldn’t control the tears. I felt so heartbroken.
Although a p@rt of me was happy, I still felt heartbroken.
Why did he have to lie to me?
Alexa’s Pov:
“Come on Alexa, you might fall sick if you continue crying this way” Jeenly said to me as I sat on a wood in an isolated place, crying.
“But how did this happen?” Aj asked, bemused.
“That day when we had seen him with Alyssa he was dressed like a commoner. Could it be possible Alyssa was aware of his identify?”
“No, I don’t think so. ” replied Jeenly. “I don’t think she was aware if his identify. Remember what happened during the prom night, and even that day we had seen him as a commoner, I can recall Alyssa calling him with a different name.”
“Yes. And even when he took off the mask, I had seen Alyssa running away. It’s possible he had only been disguising himself to her”.
“What do I do now?” I cried and buried my face in my palms.
“No wonder he suddenly hated me. I had no idea he was Mico. Why did I have to slap him?”
“But this is so unbelievable” Aj said. “I can’t believe the person we had been so mean to was Mico Salvato-re. Why did he have to disguise himself?”.
“But Alexa, I don’t think crying will solve anything. Maybe you should just look for a way to apologise to him” Jeenly said.
What apology could I possibly offer?
Now I un-derstand the sudden change of attitude towards me.
I can’t believe I had la-id my hands on my Mico.
How could I be so stupid?
Mico’s Pov:
I sat on a bench in front of the pool, drinking quietly.
My guards had surrounded all the entrances so they could stop anyone from entering.
I really wanted to be alone.
I emptied the last drink in my gl@$$ and poured more from the bottle.
I was so frustrated.
Remembering my encounter with Alyssa melted me the more.
She was really hurt and it pained me to know I was the cause of it.
How do I get to explain things to her now? Because I really don’t want her to be mad at me.
Shortly, I saw my sisters and cousins walking towards me and I flin-ched.
How were they able to get p@$$ the guards?
Damn it!
I really wanted to be alone.
I clenched my hand around my gl@$$ of wine and drank angrily from it.
“Hey, Mico; we’ve been looking all over for you” Olivia said as they got to where I was and surrounded me.
“Have you ever seen a p@rty where the celebr@nt’s isolating himself, drinking alone?” Michael asked but I didn’t even try to look at them.
“You’re such a bad-@$$, Mico. Mum has planed for this day for 21 years now. But you ended up ruining it with your mood.” Octavia said.
“Mum has been trying to stall the press men. They’re all looking for you” Karen said.
They didn’t say anything for a while and Karen and Octavia sat beside me.
“So, how did it go?” Octavia asked and I sighed.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about” I said un-der my breath and sipped from my drink again.
“Of course you do, Mico. How did it go with Alyssa?” Angelo asked and it took me sometime before replying:
“She left”
“Obviously” Octavia said and rolled her eyes.
“So…was she upset?” Michael asked.
“I said she left. What else could it mean?” I asked peskily, but calmly.
“Well, what were you expecting? I knew she was bound to be angry” Karen said and I exhaled and emptied the gl@$$ again.
Then, I poured more from the bottle.
“Drinking won’t be of help, Mico” Angelo said but I turned deaf ears and drank from the gl@$$.
“She was pretty sad, guys” I said in a devastated tone. “I don’t know what to do. I can’t even reach her on phone”.
“Well…”Olivia said. “You really have to make it up to her Mico. Since she’s always seen you as a close friend, you’d have to make her feel at ease around you”.
“Yes. Make her un-derstand you’re that same person she’s always been with” Karen added.
“Still do all the things you did with her. Make her feel at ease” Michael also said.
“Yes. But I won’t suggest the crazy commoner look because if mum sees you, she’s definitely going to fly you out of the country”.
I sighed and stood up with my drink in my hand.
I moved closer to the dark waters and drank from my gl@$$.
“I don’t know, guys. I just hope it works. I’m re-ady to do anything” I said morosefully, fixing my gaze on the waters.
“Yet, he said he doesn’t love her” I heard Angelo whisper which was followed by a slight laugh from the others and I looked at them and scoffed.
? TRUTH AND LIES?
(Getting used to him)
Episode 27
Writer: Faith Lucky.
Alyssa’s pov:
I was awoken by the sound of someone Knocking on my door and I yawned out of sleep and ltched my eyes.
I glanced at the window and the sun was out. It was morning alre-ady.
How had I fallen asleep the previous night?
The knock c@m£ again on the door and I sluggishly stood up from the be-d and that was when I realised I was still on my prom go-wn- the same cloth I had taken to Mico’s p@rty.
“Kapatid!” I heard Maja’s tiny voice from outside and I levelly went and opened the door and she heaved a hu-ge sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness. You scared the hell out of me. I actually thought you were dead or something” she said with her hand on her che-st.
I turned around and headed for the be-d and she followed.
“By the way, Kapatid, I’ve got a very serious issue to discuss with you. I’ve been trying to reach you since last night, but you wouldn’t open up.
“Now, have you seen the news? Like, I’m confused as hell and I really want someone to save me from this dilemma.
“Mico Salvato-re has taken off his mask. And have you seen his real face? He looks exactly like Nigel!
“You…you were there at the p@rty, right? Didn’t you see it? Or, am I the only one who nee-ds lenses?”
I sighed and brushed my hair with my palm.
I wonder why they say I talk too much. What then will they say about Maja?
“Kapatid, come on, I’m dying of curiosity here” she said impatiently as she shook my hands.
Then I looked at her.
“Nigel is Mico” I said blearily and her face turned even more confused.
“Hold on; I…I don’t think I get it. What do you mean Nigel is Mico? Nigel is your friend, right? And…He always c@m£ here without a mask”.
I lowered my gaze and my eyes met with the wristband I was putting on which had his name on it.
I to-uched it and recalled the moment he had taken off the mask and the face I had beheld was that of Nigel – my closest friend.
“Kapatid” Maja called lowly and nudged me and I sniffed and stood up.
“He was only in disguise” I said ruefully as I left the room and walked into the sitting room.
“Disguise?” Maja asked, following me behind.
“You mean…He was pretending?”
“Yes.” I replied and took a seat and took a seat, taking up the TV remote.
“But…how? Does that mean he was hiding his real identify as Mico and was coming to you as a commoner?” She asked and I just nodded.
Talking about it made me feel a little pain.
I turned on the TV and the first channel that displa-yed was talking about Mico’s birthday.
“Oh, my God; it’s really Nigel.” Maja exclaimed as she looked at his image pasted at the top of the TV show.
I smiled fraily and admired him.
He was looking so gorgeous and dreamy. I can’t believe I had been with this guy the whole time.
I changed the channel and the next channel that c@m£ was still talking about his birthday.
Gosh; it’s all about him.
I changed it again and the next channel was no different.
“But Kapatid…”
Just then, Jake walked in, looking as if he was after someone.
“Hey, Alyssa, I’ve been waiting for you to wake up from that death of yours. Isn’t Mico Nigel?
I mean, that hungry boyfriend of yours that comes here all the time?” He asked and I glanced at him and took my eyes back to the TV.
“Yes, he is, brother Jake. He was actually in disguise and was just pretending to be someone else” Maja replied, clapping her hands.
Gosh; where did she learn that from?
“What? You mean that boy was really Mico Salvato-re?” Jake asked and got replied by Maja.
I just concentrated on the Tele as it was all about Mico. He was really so cute and I heard from the news that some ladies had actually collap-sed the previous night after taking off the mask.
I watched the preview of how he had uncannily ran out of the stage after taking off the mask and I guess that was when he was coming after me.
I watched as he had ignored his mum and the press men, coming after me.
It was so enchanting and a smile suddenly to-uched myl-ips.
Maja and Jake had been the one doing the talking the whole time and after a while, I stood up and went into my room for a bath.
Mico’s Pov:
I sat in the back seat as the driver drove me to Alyssa’s residence.
I’m really sorry nervous, I must say.
This site going to be my first time going to her as Mico. How’s she going to feel?
What would be her reaction?
I really hope things won’t turn out to be more complicated for me.
Although, I know it’s going to be tasky and funny.
she’s always crushed on me but never knew I was the same guy she spent most of her time with.
I know it might be a little difficult for her to adjust, but I just hope it doesn’t make her change how she feels about me.
Alyssa’s Pov:
After bathing, I changed into something and returned to the sitting room. But on getting there, I couldn’t find anyone in the house again.
It seems Maja had probably gone out with Jake.
Better.
I really nee-ded an alone time.
I took a seat and picked up the TV remote, switching the channel.
Just then, I heard someone knock on the door and I sluggishly stood up and went to open it.
I opened the door and shockingly – at that moment – it was Nigel…
No, Mico.
And wow!
Is this for real?
He was so richly dressed and looked gorgeously cute.
He was putting on spe-cks and the gold chain and rings he was putting on kept bringing flashes into my eyes and for the first time, I could see the real Nigel.
Now he looked like the precious Mico Salvato-re, the guy I’ve crushed on my whole life .
I can’t believe I’ve been with him the whole time.
“Ni…Nigel” I called and paused, realising I was ma-king a mistake.
“Sorry, sir…Mico” I added, lowering my gaze to the floor.
Oh, God!
Can I do this?
****
He made a slight cough and took off his spe-cks.
“Hi” he said lowly and I tried to look at him, but couldn’t.
“Uhm…come in” I stuttered and made way for him to come in and he did.
Gosh; this is just too much.
How do I cope with this now?
How do I start calling him Mico? Meaning Mico Salvato-re is actually close to me?
It’s just too shocking.
Although he still has the same face as Nigel which should have made it easy for me; but the fact that he’s Mico my biggest crush and I’d have to address him as such is just unbelievable.
And Nigel had always come to me as a commoner, looking so simple.
But the new Nigel in front of me is looking totally different.
He was looking too cl@$$ic and too rich and now the real handsomeness in him has emerged.
At this moment, I suddenly feel he shouldn’t be with someone like me.
“Uh…plea-se, do have a seat” I said as I used my hand to dust the chair.
But surprisingly, he sat on the floor.
Huh?
His dress!
“I think I like it this way” he said and my eyes deemed.
God!
I itched my nape and sat on the floor close to him.
Gosh; Mico Salvato-re is here in my house.
What do I even offer him?
“Ex…excuse me, sir” I said and tried standing up but he held me back.
“Alyssa, plea-se. My name is Mico. I don’t nee-d the courtesy” he said and I gulped nervously.
Immediately, he brou-ght out his phone and made a call.
“Come with it” he said into the phone and ended it.
Not long after then, we heard a knock on the door and he signalled me to sit while he answered the door.
He opened it and a guard was standing outside and he collected something from him.
Oh; so he c@m£ with his guards?
He returned to the floor next to me and opened the wra-pped thing he was holding and in it was mashed pumpkin.
“Got a little something for us” he said as he placed it in the centre.
I looked at the wra-p and noticed there was no spoon.
Okay; maybe I should get a spoon?
But before I could make a move to stand up, he di-pped his hand into the pumpkin and fetched a little quantity, putting it into his mouth.
Okay; this is getting a lot wired.
I know Nigel has been feeding with his hands, but mico?
“Aren’t you eating?” He asked and I cleared my throat and also took in a little quantity. .
We were facing each other with the food in between. But I couldn’t stare at him as I just kept my eyes fixed on the food.
Then, I tired to stare at him once and our eyes ran into each others and it made my heart skip a bit.
I quic-kly took mine away.
“I’ve been trying to reach you on phone but the line isn’t connecting” he said and I remembered I had lost the phone at the p@rty.
“Uh…I misplaced it last night at the p@rty” I replied and he nodded.
“By the way, Alyssa,” he continued.
“I want to apologise for what happened. I’m so sorry for lying to you about my identity.
The truth is, my mum had made me promise her I wouldn’t disclose my identity to anyone until the day of the p@rty.
So that was why I couldn’t tell you about it.
“And more so, I was scared of what your reaction would be.”
“It’s okay Mico” I cut in with a dolful smile. “I un-derstand.
“Well, I guess I also owe you an apology. I’m Uhm…I’m sorry for treating you awkwardly the whole time. I mean, I made you wash, hawk, walk…”
“Alyssa” he called softly and I shut him a stare.
“What are you saying? What exactly are you apologising for?
“Listen to me, my moments with you as Nigel were one of the best moments of my life. It made me feel the other side of life and I don’t regret any of it. So plea-se, stop apologising.”.
I smiled and bowed my head to the food. Then we ate in silence for a while.
“You know,” he suddenly said.
“The first day I had met you as Nigel, I was actually on my first day out as a commoner.
I jus wanted to walk around without my mask and feel the other side of life. But that was the day you jumped on me and I had recognised you as the waitress that poured drink on me.
“And you were so demanding and fearless, especially when you had asked me to help you out with the delivery.
Normally, I should have said no. But at that moment, unexplainably, I couldn’t.
“I helped you and surprisingly, I still found myself coming back to you, even when I had no reason to.
I think we were just destined to be friends” he concluded with a light smile and I also smiled and looked down at my food. .
But come to think of it; there was a time Alyssa had actually slapped Nigel.
Oh, my God!
She probably had no idea.
Maybe that explains why Mico’s attitude towards her suddenly changed.
After a while, the door opened abruptly and maja walked in.
Oh-oh.
Her eyes beamed immediately she saw Mico and I knew Mico was in for a serious interrogation.
“Ni…Co!” She called and I was almost for-ced to laugh.
Mico chuckled and turned to look at her.
“Hi” he said and she folded her hands.
I guess she didn’t know how address him; if it was going to be as the Nigel she knew? Or as Mico salvato-re.
“You…you’re Mico, right?” She asked and Mico replied with a nod.
Then she Fred her hands and embr@ced him.
Wow!
“I always had a feeling you were someone special” she said, still holding him.
“You didn’t have any feeling maja. Stop trying to be impressive” I said and she unlocked from the hu-g and shot me a stare.
“Of course, I did, kapatid. I just didn’t want to tell you about it.
“By the way, Ni-Co. it’s a good thing you fell on my good side when we first met. We really have a lot of catching up to do.
But for now, I’ll just give you and my sister sometime. Bye” she said as she pe-cked him on the cheek.
“Sure, cutie” Mico replied and she giggled and ran away.
I shook my head and turned back to my meal.
“She looks a lot like you” he said and I smiled.
That’s what people keep telling me.
After a long while together, he informed me he wanted to leave for an interview and I nodded and we stood up together.
While walking out of the house, he held my hand and his skin felt so cold against mine.
I don’t know why I’m just noticing all these personalities of his.
I followed him out of the gate and found about three different cars lined up with armed men standing beside them.
Holy Christ!
“Sorry, mum wouldn’t let me go out without them” Mico said, probably noticing the abacked look in my face.
I smiled and nodded.
“By the way, Alyssa” he continued.
“Could you come over to my house tomorrow for lunch? My siblings have been on my n£¢k, saying they want to spend some time with you. So, I was thinking it’d be fun if we all had lunch together”.
My heart leapt immediately.
Going to Mico’s house?
“Uhm…sure. I will” I replied and his phone started ringing.
“Sorry, got to go. See you in school tomorrow” he said as he planted a k!ss on my cheek and walked into one of the cars.
OMG!
Did Mico really k!ss me?
I stood like a statue, watching them as they drove away and I smiled.
*
*
TBC