Only Liars, But We're The Best

It had been two weeks since I stayed with the guys. After that night, I distanced myself from Pete. I was still embarrassed that I had fallen asleep in his arms. When I woke up, I found myself neatly under the covers, like someone had recently tucked me into bed. I blushed profusely remembering I created such a scene in my sleepwear. Everyone saw me in just my undies and tank-top. Urgh. Thank goodness I stopped having nightmares. Wouldn't be able to face the guys again if that were to happen.

I had come to know that the guys did gigs in nightclubs to earn money. Almost every night, they were booked for a show. I felt happy for them. With Pete's condition, I was wondering how were they supposed to make a living. I asked Joe once, why didn't they go their separate ways. I mean, they don't have to put up with Pete's 'vampire' schedule. He simply said he and the rest couldn't possibly just leave Pete alone with a condition like that. "A friend in need, is a friend indeed," he quoted. So they'd stuck with Pete. I admired their friendship.

The guys had a 'vampire' schedule; they sleep during the day and awake at night. I'm the only one in the house who still functions like a normal human. The earliest that they'll wake up was around four in the afternoon. Andy would be the first to be up, followed by Patrick then Joe. Pete... Well, I only saw him at sunset.

Since I've busied myself working at the coffee house and also looking for a full-time job after graduating, I hardly saw Pete at all. My shifts were usually in the mornings and by the time I got back home, the guys would be out already. However, they did remind me again and again not to stay out after dark as this part of the neighborhood isn't safe. Pete especially, told me to request my work shifts to be in the morning so as to avoid coming back late. I oblige to his orders. I'm twenty-one and officially an adult so I'm not going to have people worrying over me like I'm some kind of teen misfit. Better to listen instructions than facing undesired consequences.

I sighed. If I didn't meet up with Ryan the day of that fateful incident, I would be in heaven together with dad and Dale. If heaven exists, that is. I wouldn't have to live with such guilt. Pete said it wasn't my fault. Nobody knows what would happen. But I shouldn't have that argument with dad. I don't have the chance to apologize now.

I stayed awhile at Ryan's place with his room-mate, Brendon, after the tragedy to complete my studies. I would have shifted in with the guys earlier if it were not for my school. Ryan and Brendon lived near the campus and I didn't want to stay at home, knowing my family was massacred in the living room.

The last few weeks of college was hell to me. I struggled with my studies. Ryan and Brendon made a surprise celebration for my twenty-first by bringing me out for a picnic. It was nice and sweet of them to help me keep my mind off the incident.

Ryan and I finally graduated. I didn't realize that Brendon's in the same college as us. He's one year my junior so he was still studying when I graduated. I skipped the graduation ceremony and came back just for my certs.

There wasn't any funeral. As for the house, I engaged a property agent to help me sell it off. I asked Pete for advise and he said that was for the best. It was then he volunteered for me to stay with him and the guys. He said he was terribly sorry he couldn't be there due to his sensitive skin. The other guys were back home with their families, so I was all alone in 'cleaning up the aftermath'. Ryan helped me to clear the house and packed whatever that was needed and which were to be given to charity. We left the furniture (except the sofa since that was a bloody mess) intact with the house.

The trip to the police station was countless. There were so many questions being asked that I lost track of them. They did ask about Pete. I told the cops what I know and they left it at that. Until now, they still haven't apprehended the culprit. My parents' case was classified as a homicide. But who would be so inhumane to do such a thing? As far as I know, both Dale and my dad had no mutual enemies. Unless they didn't tell me about it.

I'm on my way to Ryans' to bid him farewell. He's going back to Vegas, saying he couldn't find a suitable job here in Chicago. I told him to stay for awhile longer, but he couldn't afford the rent without Brendon's share. Apparently, Brendon went missing after I moved out. I wasn't really close to Bren, but I like that guy. He's a bit irritating at times, but his bubbly, chirpy persona made up for that. Ryan was somber most of the time after Brendon's disappearance.

I knocked on the door while calling out Ryan's name at the same time. There was a shuffling of footsteps heard and the door opened.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey, back," he grinned.

I went inside and crashed on one of the giant beanbags. The place was mostly empty. Ryan had done the packing already. There wasn't much stuff in the first place. Ry like to keep it minimal. I swore he should have taken up architecture or interior design instead of majoring history with me.

"I'm sorry I wasn't around to help you pack, Ry," I apologized, my fingers playing at the hem of my tee. "You helped me during times of distress. And I didn't even offer any help to you. I'm such a shitty friend."

"I don't do things to get rewarded. I don't ask for anything in return," Ryan replied nonchalantly. "Besides, you've always been shitty. You're shitty at time management, you're shitty at guitar and you're shitty in fashion as well. You want a drink?" he changed the subject abruptly.

"Fuck you, Ross," I flipped him the finger and smirked.

He gave a lazy smile and headed to the kitchen. I got up and followed.

The kitchen was also empty, aside the cabinets, fridge and dining table. There was a teapot and two medium sized cups on the counter top. Ryan poured tea into the cups. I stared at his slender fingers holding the handle of the teapot. "Don't worry, the sugar's already added," he said.

"I shouldn't have gone to stay with Pete," my voice sounded hollow in the emptiness. "He has become reclusive and I barely know him anymore. He didn't even bother to go back to the house after the incident. The excuse? His fucking disease. Okay, so he can't come out during the day. But he could take the effort to drop by at night. And it's not like he's in Canada or some fucking island! He's still in Chicago! I can't believe I was close to him once upon a time!" I didn't realize my voice had risen over an octave and it sounded really loud in the empty kitchen.

"Hey, you don't have to be so worked up over him, Mai," he consoled. "Pete is Pete. You do know he's already bipolar and had depression before. Add in this disease and it's a major blow to the dude. It's amazing how he can put up with so many disorders without going insane."

I looked up at him. "Thanks for putting it that way, Ry. I shouldn't be so selfish. I was ecstatic to meet him the very first day I reached his house, that when I finally saw him, I burst into tears!"

"You cried?! After you saw the carnage, you didn't even so much as shed a tear, and you cried when you saw Pete?" Ryan gasped, disbelief etched on his face.

"I was in major shock at that time! I can't even remember how I got you to come down," I defended.

"Then I'd guess it had to be your pent-up emotions you've been keeping for the past month or so," Ryan concluded. "Sometimes, it's healthy to let it all out, ya know?"

I sighed and brought my cup out to the living room. I crashed on a beanbag while Ryan took his place on another. We sipped our tea and enjoyed each other's presence in the peaceful silence.

"I'm going to miss you, RyRo. Au revoir."

"We'll Skype," he simply said.