LOVE PAINTED IN LIES

Eliana discovered love the year she least expected it, in a season where the sun seemed to shine brighter and school corridors felt like endless possibilities. She was the type who lived in colours and brushstrokes, whose fingers were often stained with paint, who stayed after class to perfect her canvases while others rushed home. Everyone knew her as the girl who aimed high scholarship aspirations, art competitions waiting to be won, a future she guarded fiercely.

Romance, she believed, was a distraction for people who had time to fall apart and piece themselves back together, she didn't think she was one of them.

‎Then Adrian came.

‎He transferred from another city mid-term tall, quiet, with that kind of presence that entered a room gently yet confidently. People noticed him instantly, but he wasn't loud or showy. He smiled rarely, but when he did, it reached his eyes softly, like a secret shared with the world. His first week was a blur of introductions. Girls whispered about him, boys tried to befriend him, teachers praised his smart answers. Eliana barely paid attention until the day fate decided to intervene.

‎It was a Tuesday, the kind with lazy heat pressing down on the school like a heavy blanket. Students gathered under trees during break, escaping the sun. Eliana sat alone sketching a distant church tower, lost in the rhythm of pencil strokes. She didn't notice someone approach until a shadow fell across her page.

‎"Your drawing's so detailed. You did that in one break?" a voice asked.

‎She looked up Adrian.

‎Her heart skipped, not romantically, but from surprise. She wasn't used to attention, especially from people everyone else admired.

‎"Yes," she replied, tucking a braid behind her ear. "It keeps me calm."

‎He smiled slightly. "Mind if I watch?"

‎Most people stared at her art like an exhibit, but he watched her, curious about the person behind the pencil. It felt different. He sat beside her, careful not to intrude, and asked questions about shading, perspective, her favourite paint medium. Not small talk. Real interest.

‎Break ended too soon, and they walked to class together. That was the beginning.

‎Days passed, and they found themselves paired for a history project. At first, it was just work research meetings in the library, exchanging notebooks, drafting timelines. But school projects have a way of creating moments. Their conversations stretched beyond history dates into life stories. Adrian confessed he loved music, especially acoustic guitar, though he never performed publicly. His mother wanted him to study medicine, his father pushed for engineering, but he wasn't sure what he wanted. Eliana spoke about art like breathing, about the colours that reflected her moods. They were different, yet something connected quietly, curiosity, respect, and slowly, comfort.

‎One rainy afternoon they stayed back in school to finish the final slides. Thunder echoed outside, and everyone rushed home, but electricity flickered and went out. They remained, trapped, their project only half-done. Instead of panicking, they sat near the window, watching raindrops race down the glass.

‎"It sounds strange," Adrian said, voice soft under the storm's rhythm, "but rain makes me feel less alone."

‎Eliana nodded. "It makes everything slow enough to feel."

‎He looked at her as if her words painted something only he understood.

‎That moment lingered, warm and quiet.

‎By the time the rain lightened, something unspoken had formed between them. They walked under his jacket, sharing its cover from the drizzle. Their hands brushed accidentally no confession, no dramatic music, nothing like movies, just two hearts learning to beat near each other.

‎Soon they were inseparable. Others noticed. Their classmates teased gently "Eliana and Adrian, the creative duo," "History couple," "Art and music." She blushed at jokes, but a part of her felt proud, chosen even. For someone who thought love was a distraction, she began to look forward to school more than ever. Study sessions turned into long conversations. Messages at night stretched until sleep stole one of them away mid-reply. They exchanged playlists, photos of paintings and sunsets, poems found online. Eliana felt her chest bloom with warmth she did not know how to name.

‎One evening, as they walked home from a debate event, the street was washed with golden dusk. Children played nearby, a football bouncing across the road. Eliana laughed at a joke he made a sound light and free. Adrian paused, watching her in a way she didn't notice until silence replaced his laughter.

‎"Eliana," he said, voice steady but gentle, "I think I'm falling for you."

‎The world seemed to still. Cars passed, wind rustled leaves, but her heart grew loud. She'd never been confessed to before. She looked at him, his eyes holding sincerity like an open book.

‎"But we're young," she whispered.

‎"I know," he replied. "But feelings don't wait for age."

‎She didn't answer at first. Love felt like a cliff thrilling, terrifying. Yet something inside her stepped forward. She smiled faintly.

‎"I think... I'm falling too."

‎No kiss. No dramatic embrace. Just two hearts realizing they had become each other's safe space.

‎Their relationship blossomed. They sat together in class, shared meals during break, competed playfully over grades. On weekends, they walked through markets and parks, sometimes silent, sometimes laughing endlessly. Adrian played guitar for her once shy fingers trembling but his voice was soft and beautiful. She painted him a small portrait, one he said he'd keep forever. They made promises to support each other's dreams, to stay honest, to never let misunderstandings break what they had.

‎Love was simple. Pure. Like a sunrise before the clouds form.

‎Eliana didn't know then that the brightest sun casts the darkest shadows. She didn't know that love can be tested, stretched, or shattered. At that time, she believed forever was easy just two hearts and a promise.

‎If someone told her betrayal waited just beyond the horizon, she might have laughed and said their bond was too strong.

‎But life writes its own chapters.

‎And this was only the beginning.

‎

‎

‎ A week after their anniversary, everything still looked perfect on the outside eliana and adrian walked the hallways together, shared lunch, exchanged notes with silly doodles in the margins, people called them the couple everyone envied, and sometimes Eliana believed they were unbreakable.

‎But the universe whispers warnings long before it shatters something beautiful,

‎It began with small changes at first, adrian cancelled two study sessions in a row"sorry, busy at home.

‎I'll make it up to you tomorrow"

‎she trusted him love teaches trust before caution

‎Then came the late replies,

‎one day, she waited three hours for a text that used to arrive in three seconds he apologized, but his eyes drifted when he spoke not guilty, more... distracted eliana told herself it was nothing people get busy life gets heavy still, something inside her pulled like a loose thread during art club break, she watched him across the courtyard he laughed really loud, the way he used to laugh with her but he wasn't alone, selena stood with him, close enough that her arm brushed his, selena, her deskmate since junior year selena, beautiful in a soft, effortless way, the type people wrote poems about, eliana blinked twice, steadying her heart they're just talking friends talk, but when he noticed eliana watching, he looked away too quickly a small, sharp truth started forming, though she brushed it aside like dust on canvas.

‎One evening, while preparing for the school art exhibition, eliana stayed late in the studio mixing paint the room smelled like turpentine and wet clay her canvas was half-finished a sunset blending into storm clouds, the kind that reflected her confusion, her phone buzzed adrian: can't come today, homework, too tired sorry; she sighed and continued painting minutes later, another message lit the screen but not for her it was a post in the school chat group a picture adrian and selena at the school cafe smiling, drinks in hand, Close too close for coincidence her heart froze not shattered just paused, like the world inhaled and forgot to exhale she stared at the photo until colours blurred her brush slipped, leaving a dark streak across the canvas like a wound she wanted to storm to the cafe and demand answers, she wanted to cry, she wanted to pretend she didn't care instead, she cleaned her brush, wiped her eyes, and painted harder each stroke felt like a heartbeat fighting not to break.

‎The next day, she tried acting normal "hey," she greeted Adrian in the hallway.

‎He smiled, but it wasn't the same smile he once saved only for her ,you look tired, you didn't tell me you were with Selena yesterday ,his expression flickered, barely noticeable like a light about to go out "oh we just met by chance she needed help with maths eliana nodded slowly, searching his eyes for honesty she found a wall instead selena passed them, waving at adrian with familiarity that stung more than words eliana forced a smile back, but the edges of her heart felt sharp she day dragged like a heavy painting she had to carry alone.

‎At home, she lay on her bed staring at the ceiling fan questions spun faster than its blades.

‎Why didn't he tell me?

‎Why does she make him laugh like that?

‎Am I imagining this?

‎Or are we fading?

‎She grabbed her sketchbook and let her thoughts bleed into art two figures holding hands while one slowly slipped away she didn't name them, but she knew who they were.Her phone beeped again, a voice note from adrian.she listened carefully.

‎"Eliana... I'm sorry for being distant lately things are complicated I'll explain soon, I promise."

‎Complicated a dangerous word it tastes like a half-truth hiding a whole lie.

‎Still, she replied softly:

‎"I'll wait just don't shut me out" but deep inside, she feared waiting might break her.

‎Two days later, fate stopped whispering and finally screamed during recess, eliana went to the music room to return adrian's forgotten notebook, she pushed the door gently, expecting an empty room, instead, she heard voices hushed, too close selena's tone was soft. "What about eliana? Does she know?" adrian exhaled, tired "no and don't tell her yet. I don't want drama" eliana froze behind the door, breath trembling the notebook nearly slipped from her hand, selena spoke again, quieter "so... was last weekend a mistake? Or are we" eliana stepped back before the sentence finished, heart pounding like fists against ribs she didn't wait to hear more she walked away fast, hallway blurring, breath shaking like someone running from a truth too heavy to hold.

‎The notebook fell and fluttered open on the floor behind her like a broken wing her world didn't explode it fractured quietly, painfully sometimes heartbreak isn't loud, sometimes it whispers while you crumble silently, she didn't confront them immediately no shouting, no tears spilled in public, betrayal deserved more than a reaction it deserved patience, understanding, strategy, she wiped her cheeks in the bathroom mirror, studying her reflection her eyes were red, but something new flickered inside them not just hurt.

‎A spark,

‎A promise to herself,

‎If love could paint joy, betrayal could paint strength she wouldn't break quietly she would rise in colour they never expected, she stepped out of the bathroom with steady breaths and lifted chin, the pain was real, but so was her resolve.

‎This was no longer just a love story this was the beginning of a transformation, a storm brewed quietly in her chest and storms, when they finally arrive, are unforgettable.

‎

Eliana woke the next morning with a heaviness she couldn't name sleep had been a tangled mess of questions, half-formed thoughts, and blurry dreams of shadows whispering her name. She sat at the edge of her bed for a long moment, breathing slowly, reminding herself that strength sometimes begins with simply standing up. Today, she told herself, would not defeat her.

She arrived at school earlier than usual, the corridors were still waking up lights flickering on, cleaners sweeping floors, a few students yawning as they dragged their bags behind them eliana clutched her sketchbook tightly, a shield for her shaking heart.

‎As she turned into the courtyard, she saw Adrian and Selena standing together near the fountain adrian's hands were shoved into his pockets tense, selena's expression was uneasy, eyes darting around as if afraid of being seen, eliana felt her stomach twist. They didn't notice her at first, she stood still, watching, studying their body language like a painting she wished she didn't understand adrian leaned closer to selena, saying something too soft for eliana to hear. Selena nodded, lowering her gaze. When she looked up again, her eyes widened she had spotted eliana.

‎"Eliana!" selena called, too brightly "hey!" adrian turned his smile looked forced, weak around the edges. "Morning" eliana managed a calm nod, "morning" her voice surprised even herself steady, clear, betraying no tremor she walked past them without slowing down.

‎Behind her, she heard selena whisper, "She's acting weird..." and adrian reply, "Just give me time, okay? I'll figure it out."

‎That sentence echoed in her chest long after she reached her classroom.

‎The first bell rang, students filled the room with noise, gossip, and energy, eliana sat at her desk, staring blankly at her notes, her best friend, mara, slid into the seat beside her, "you look like you didn't sleep," mara said gently.

‎"I didn't.", "Is it adrian?"

‎Eliana hesitated she hadn't told Mara about what she overheard in the music room saying it out loud might make it too real.

‎"Something's off," she admitted. "I just don't know what yet."

‎Mara squeezed her hand. "Then let the truth come. You don't have to chase it."

‎Eliana nodded, appreciating the comfort. But deep inside, she felt the truth wasn't coming fast enough and she refused to be the last to know.

‎During break, she made a decision if adrian had secrets, she would stop waiting for them to break her,she walked to the music room again, the corridors were noisy, but the room itself was quiet, sunlight glowing on the wooden floor, she entered slowly, half-expecting to find them together again. But the room was empty.

‎Her eyes drifted to the piano. On top of it sat a small notebook adrian's handwriting on the cover personal Journal her heart raced, she shouldn't open it she knew that but the pain, the uncertainty, the confusion, they all pushed her hand forward before she could overthink it, she flipped it open she didn't read everything, only a single page just enough to confirm what her heart already feared.

‎I don't know what to do selena says her feelings are real, eliana doesn't deserve this, I never meant to hurt anyone why did things have to get so complicated Eliana closed the notebook, fingers trembling she didn't cry the tears sat behind her eyes but refused to fall, stuck in that space between breaking and holding on, she backed away from the piano, turning quickly and bumped straight into someone.

‎"Looking for something?"

‎Adrian stood at the doorway, eyes sharp, voice low. Eliana froze. She didn't know if he saw her with the journal or if she looked guilty enough to suspect, he stepped forward, confusion and worry written across his face.

‎"Eliana... are you okay?"

‎She swallowed hard. "Are you?"

‎He blinked. "What do you mean?"

‎She exhaled, the words burning. "I heard your in here with Selena."

‎His face went pale. "Eliana"

‎"Don't lie," she whispered. "Please... not anymore."

‎He looked at her for a long moment, jaw tightening.

‎Then he said the one sentence that made the ground shift beneath her:

‎"It's not what you think but I can't explain. Not yet."

‎Her chest stung. "Why? Why can't you just tell me the truth?"

‎His silence was louder than shouting.

‎Then, quietly:

‎"I don't want you involved."

‎"Involved in what?" she breathed.

‎But he shook his head. "Please, Eliana. Trust me one last time."

‎Trust. A word that felt like a knife now.

‎She left the room before her heart shattered in front of him.

‎The day passed in a blur her teachers' voices sounded like distant waves, she drifted through hallways, hearing fragments of whispers that may or may not have been about her, by the time the final bell rang, she was exhausted emotionally more than anything, she stayed behind after school to work on her exhibition painting. The art room felt familiar, safe, brushes, paints, silence, things she could control, she began mixing colours, brushing strokes onto the canvas, letting her emotions pour into the artwork , she didn't hear footsteps behind her until someone cleared their throat.

‎Selena stood in the doorway.

‎"Eliana," she said softly. "We need to talk", eliana didn't answer she continued painting selena stepped forward, "Please... I'm not trying to take him from you."

‎Eliana paused, brush hanging in midair. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

‎Selena bit her lip,"what's happening isn't what you think, adrian didn't tell you because he's trying to protect you."

‎Eliana turned slowly "Protect me from what?" Selena hesitated too long.

‎"Selena," Eliana said, eyes narrowing, "what are you hiding?" selena looked away, voice cracking "I can't say I promised him", eliana dropped her brush, paint splattered like a burst of emotion across the floor.

‎"You're both lying to me," she said quietly "both of you." Selena stepped back, guilt flooding her face. "Eliana... just be careful, okay? Please things are going to get worse before they get better."

‎Before eliana could respond, a voice echoed from the hallway:

‎"Eliana! Are you still inside?"

‎Mara.

‎Selena panicked and slipped out the back door, disappearing like a guilty shadow.

‎That night, Eliana lay in bed staring at the ceiling her mind refused to rest.

‎Adrian's journal, selena's warning, their secret, their lies, their fear.

‎What could possibly be so serious that both of them were afraid to speak?

‎And worse...

‎Why did they both think she needed protection?

‎She grabbed her sketchbook, flipping to a blank page her pencil moved on its own, guided by instinct more than thought.

‎When she finished, she stared at the drawing three figures drowning in a swirl of shadows, a bright light behind them, and in the centre... one girl standing alone, watching the storm spread toward her.

‎A chill ran through her.

‎For the first time, she realised something:

‎This wasn't just about betrayal.

‎Something bigger was happening.

‎Something none of them were saying.

‎And somehow... she was in the middle of it.

‎Her phone buzzed suddenly a message from an unknown number:

‎"ELIANA, YOU DON'T KNOW THE FULL STORY MEET ME TOMORROW. ALONE."

‎Her breath caught.

‎The sender?

‎Selena.

‎