~~~You can take everything I have. You can take everything I am like I’m made of glass, like I’m made of paper. Go on and try to tear me down, I will be rising from the ground like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper…~~~
-Demi Lovato-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Sam, are you ready?”
“Not yet, but I’m almost done.” I turned to Jack when she entered my room. I was preparing my small bag and loading it with some personal stuff. We were invited to an engagement party by one of our friends from high school.
“Hmm… I like your outfit, girl, you look fabulously beautiful, hot and elegant at the same time.” She said checking my looks from head to toe.
I’m wearing a crimson red off-shoulder dress with a high-low cut.
“Thanks, bestie, anyway, you also look sexy and stunning on your dress, Miss Agustine and I can say that the black dress suits you. She’s wearing a black spaghetti strap in mermaid cut that shows how beautiful her body is.
“Tsk. tsk. tsk, come on, you don’t have to mention it as I’ve already known it for so long.”
A light chuckle left my lips as I shake my head.
“I think we better go before my room can be destroyed by a tornado,” I said rolling my eyes.
“Oh, my God, you’re so mean, Samantha Soriano.”
“But I was just stating the truth.” I laughed at her reaction.
We were both laughing as we walked out of my room. We were in the middle of the stairs when we saw Dale coming from the kitchen and even though he’s still a bit far, I didn’t miss the look he gave to Jack after seeing her outfit.
“Where are you going?” He asked with a frown.
“I think we should ask you the same question, where are you going, Dale?” I asked him as I noticed he was also dressed.
“I’m going to my friend’s birthday party.” He replied, but his eyes were not leaving the face of my best friend who I didn’t know at that moment she’s throwing invisible daggers at him. “What about you, where are you going?”
“Uhm—” But I was shocked by Jack’s response and action.
“Tss! None of your business! Let’s go, Sam!” She took my hand and immediately pulled me towards the entrance.
“What the hell—”
“Bye, big brother,” I said interrupting him and throwing him a flying kiss.
I couldn’t help but laugh when we reached my car.
“What the hell was that?” I asked her in between my laugh.
“Let’s just say it’s my revenge as he kept on pestering me since I came back to San Francisco. Jeez! I feel like all my hair would easily turn to gray every time I see him and God—I would grow old faster every time he opens his mouth!”
“You’ve known each other for so long and you’re not yet used to each other or each other’s presence?.”
“Haist! I would never get used to your jerk of brother!”
And that’s it. The whole ride going to our friend’s party was filled with my laughter and Jack’s sentiments towards my brother.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The venue is already full of guests when we arrived. It was Liezel, our classmate from high school who invited us to join and witness one of the very important milestones in her life. It’s their engagement party and her boyfriend’s birthday at the same time.
“Whoa! Time flew so fast. I can’t believe most of our classmates back then were getting married and that we are going to leave behind.”
“Oops, you’re wrong!” I said shaking my head and she turned to me.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you’re the only one who’s getting left behind because I already have a child.”
“Tss!” She hissed. “Yes, because you’re in too much of a hurry, so you also had a child that early.”
“Haha… at least now I have a child and not to mention, I also have a boyfriend.” I proudly said with a smile to which she responded only by rolling her eyes. “Don’t worry, we don’t know maybe at this party, you will find the one that’s right for you.” I nudged her with my elbow as we started to walk inside the venue.
“Haist, I just hope so.”
“Why don’t you just go out with my brother?” I bit my lip when the silly question slipped out my lips and that made her stop in tracks and narrowed her eyes on me.
“What—?” Her eyes widened as her voice came out a bit loud, but then she noticed that she had caught the attention of the two security guards. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She said smiling at them before turning to me. “What did you just say?”
“I said why don’t you just date Dale?”
“Haha, are you out of your mind? Jeez! Never in my life nor in hell that I would date your brother, duh! I would rather grow old alone than be with him! Huh, never!”
“Okay,” I said biting my lower lip to keep from laughing.
I was just trying to ask, but her reaction was so priceless.
As we walked through the sea of people wearing expensive suits and gowns, we wandered our eyes around in search of a certain someone… Liezel Martinez.
And there we found her, looking gorgeously at her simple yet elegant white dress.
“Congratulations on your engagement, Liz.” I was the first to greet her.
“Thank you, girls, and thank you for coming. I really appreciate it.” Liezel said as she hugged me and then Jack.
“Haist, it’s okay, besides, even if you haven’t invited us, we will definitely come.” Jack started becoming ‘Jack’ again.
“Ahh… that’s what I missed you about, Jackeline.” Liezel and I shared a glance and then laughed together.
“Anyway, where’s your fiance? You haven’t introduced him to us yet or do we already know him?” Jack asked the question in my head.
“I’m not really sure if you know him, but actually he’s from the same University with your brother, Sam.”
“Oh, really? What’s his name?” I asked curiosity began to kick in me?
“His name is Lexter. Lexter Sandoval.” I guess she was really smitten with him as her eyes instantly lit up with love and excitement just by saying his name.
“Hmm… his name is kinda familiar, but I’m not sure if I’ve already met him.”
“It’s okay, I’ll just introduce you to him.”
“Yeah, that would be great, so we can also greet him for his birthday.”
She nodded, smiling. “Anyway, please be comfortable around, I’ll just try to find him.”
“It’s okay, go ahead and don’t worry about us.”
When Liezel left us for a while, Jack excused herself to use the ladies room, so I was left alone as I don’t feel like using the comfort room at the moment.
I took a deep breath and roamed my eyes around, but to my surprise, I was met by a familiar smile. His smile widened when I returned it to him and he moved closer to my direction.
“Wow!” The first word that Paul uttered when he stopped in front of me.
“Hi, you’re also here?” I couldn’t help but laugh as he continued to stare at me with his mouth slightly open.
“Wow! As in wow! You look so beautiful, Sam.”
“Ohh… is that a compliment?”
“Of course, it is.”
“Well, then thanks, you don’t look bad either.” I shrugged, smiling and he chuckled afterwards. “I didn’t know you were also invited.”
“Me too, I was surprised to see you here. How are you, Sam? It’s been four years since we last saw each other and you have become more beautiful.”
“Really?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, it’s true.” He gave me a throaty laugh.
“Hmmp!” I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, it’s been four years.” And suddenly, I remembered the last time we bumped into each other at the bar four years ago.
“Anyway, are you alone?”
“Uhm, no, I’m actually with Jack. Do you still remember her?”
“Of course!”
“Well, she’s just in the ladies room.”
“Tsk. tsk, who would forget that crazy woman? She’s like an amazon—”
“And who is that crazy and Amazon woman you refer to, huh?”
A loud chuckle cracked out of his lips when Jack suddenly appeared in front of us.
“Oops! I didn’t say that. You’ve just misheard what I said.” He tried to reason out in between his laugh.
“Hmmp!”
“It’s been a while, how are you, Jack?”
“Well, nothing has changed, I’m still sexy and beautiful.” Jack proudly stated that I just shook my head.
Paul joined us at our table and we were surprised when he told us that Liezel’s fiance was one of their college basketball team members in. And he was also shocked to know that Liezel was our classmate from high school. But deep inside me, I couldn’t help but think of the possible things that were going to happen all night.
Jack and I exchanged glances and I know she knew what I have in mind.
“I know what you’re thinking, girls, but to answer your silent questions, yes, he’s also invited.”
My head snapped at Paul. “What silent questions are you talking about?”
*************************************