The truth is a Lie

I was exhausted. I was sleepy. 

I want coffee. I need coffee.

I swear I already had so much caffeine in my system that it was filled with more coffee than blood. And I am not complaining. Who doesn’t like coffee? 

But I swear I will kill April ones she comes out of her sedated state and get normal again. Though the coffee in hospitals sucks, it was better than anything currently. I wanted to be awake and the first one to talk to her before Nick could.

Just thinking about him my caffeine-filled body boil in rage. What idiot fights with his girlfriend that he loves ugly girls and that his girlfriend was too beautiful for him. Who even comes up with such a ridiculous reason for break up?

Nick! That is who!

I can’t believe that he fell for an ugly girl he met online, whom he has never even met. What is wrong with his brain? I honestly wanted to bash it on the floor repeatedly until it cracked open and I could see its contents. What was it even filled with? Garbage?

I gasped! What is wrong with me. This caffeine-filled sleep-deprived state is turning me into a violent person. I poured the cup and its contents in the bin and sat on my seat in the waiting room. 

Instead of bashing his head, I settled for glaring at the back of his head. Waiting for April to wake up was tiring. I saw her parents sitting in the corner snuggled up in each other. Her father was rubbing her mother’s back to console her. I averted my eye to give them little privacy as that seemed a lot intimate. I was lost in thought when I heard someone call my name.

“Ariel?”

“Yes?”

“Are you hungry. We have an extra sandwich” Sky said. Nicks's best friend. My stomach grumbled at the thought of food. I had not eaten much in the past 48 hours.

“I will take that as a yes.” He said chuckling and handed me a sandwich.

I was eating silently not in the mood to talk. I could feel Sky’s stare on my face. In any other circumstance, it wouldn’t have bothered me. I was beautiful I knew it with long red hair and eyes the color of the forest, so it was a common occurrence, guys looked at me. But I don’t know why it was bothering me now. I knew the answer deep down, but I couldn’t let my mind wrap around the truth I knew.

“You are staring,” I said nonchalantly.

“I know”

“It’s creepy”

“I know”

“Quit it!” I said irritated.

“I will.”

“When? Do you have a schedule where you dedicated yourself to stare at girls?”

“Honestly yes. I don’t have a problem dedicating my whole life staring at beautiful, hot girls.” He said grinning. I chocked on my sandwich when he called me beautiful. I didn’t know why being good looking was bothering me so much for the first time in my life.

“But I am looking at you because it’s amusing.” He said handing me a bottle of water.

“Glad to know you find my face entertaining,” I said drinking water.

“Not your face, but I have never seen someone so beautiful be interested in Nick” 

With that, Nick walked up to us grabbed Sky by his collar, and pulled him to the other corner of the waiting room.

Yeah, that’s right. My idiot of a best friend April wanted me to pretend that I liked her boyfriend and flirt with him. But Nick insisted he was in love with the ugly girl he has been chatting and talking with for the past few months called “Mae”.

I had avoided Nick since the last time we talked, which is just before we found out April met with an accident. I saw Nick and Sky in a deep conversation. Something made me feel that they were talking about me. I would have chalked it to my sleep-deprived state, but the way Nick kept looking at me from the corner of his eyes I knew I wasn’t wrong. I think they had a fight because Sky got up and left angrily. 

Nick rested his head on the wall. His dark brown almost black hair went in all directions. His stubble has grown making him look sexy. His eyes, those grey eyes looked like they could stare into my soul. Those full red lips pulled to one side showing his dimples while he was smirking.

Smirking at me knowing that I was staring at me. I looked into his eyes through his geek glasses. Those glasses just gave him a mysterious look. He was handsome in an adorable king of way. 

He got up from the seat and walked up to me. He sat on the chair opposite to me in the same position as earlier. He closed his eyes. He was smiling now, making his dimples even more prominent.

“You are staring,” He said copying me.

“I know,” I said copying Sky

“It’s creepy,” He said smiling further.

“I know,” I said smiling wider.

He opened his eyes and stared at me with a look as if he was searching for something. I stared back. I didn’t know why I wanted him to find whatever it is he was looking for. 

Suddenly he closed his eyes again and sighed.

“What happened?” I asked him slowly.

“You are beautiful,” He said as a matter of fact.

“I know,” I said slowly. I really don’t know why all this is making me sad. Maybe because my best friend was in the hospital unconscious. But I knew it wasn’t just that, as the doctor told us she will be fine and be waking up soon. It was something else. I knew what it was, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud.

“Ariel, can I tell you something?” He asked looking me straight in the eye again. When I didn't answer he said anyway.

“You are very beautiful. Apart from being beautiful you also have a good heart. For someone in your position and your looks, you are very down to earth. You are smart and always helping people. Anyone would be happy to have you in their life. Maybe if I would have met you earlier, I would have loved you. Not maybe, I am sure. But I am in love with Mae. I know you are best friend with April and its hard for you to understand that her boyfriend is confessing to you that he is love with someone else. And that someone else is not so good looking according to the same best friend. But honestly, looks aren’t something that lasts forever. Few years down the lane when you are wrinkly you don’t want someone who looks beautiful to the eyes but someone whom you love and can depend on. I know you think I am stupid for falling for a girl I haven’t met but trust me when I tell you that for me, she is the most beautiful girl. I have shared so many beautiful moments with her and all my secrets with her in such a small amount of time. I can feel this connection with her that I have never felt with anyone.  She is the most honest person I know. It’s the best feeling. You will find someone like that in your life too Trust me it’s the truth.”

I sat there looking at him numb. Before I could answer, Sky walked in cutting me off.

“She is awake!” He shouted. 

All of them walked out towards April’s room. I just sat there looking at the seat where Nick was previously seated with tears trickling down my eyes. I wanted to tell him everything.

I wanted to tell him that I knew about that feeling because I had found someone as well.

I wanted to tell him that the girl he is talking about is the biggest liar.

I wanted to tell him I loved him more than I have ever loved anyone.

I want to tell him that my middle name is Mae.

I wanted to tell him that it is I, who he had been talking to past these months through the fake ID.

I wanted to tell him that though I knew all his secrets, he didn’t know the biggest secret of mine.

I wanted to tell him that ‘The truth is a Lie’