Chapter 10:
AURELIUS'S POINT OF VIEW
I know that if I tell her what I've been feeling, everything will change. Maybe she accepts me, or maybe I get rejected. But I waited for too long; enough is enough. I need to have courage and tell her everything. I held Odette's hand, and she looked at me.
"Is there any problem, Aurelius?"
"I have something to say to you." I gulped and took a deep breath.
"We became friends while we were still in kindergarten. And I know if I tell you this, everything was changing for us. But Odette I just want to be true to myself. I have held onto this grief since I realized what you truly were to me. And I don't want to miss the chance to be with you. Odette, I have been in love with you since we were in high school, and I know I was a jerk way back then. But I just went out with other people to avoid breaking up our friendship. I can't even bear to see you cry over a guy who broke you. I was scared to tell you what I felt. Because I knew you just saw me as your best friend and your brother. But for me, it wasn't the same every time I saw you. When we attended our first prom night way back in 7th grade, when I first saw you when I picked you up at your house, my heart stopped beating. I can't see or hear anyone in our surroundings; my world is focused on you. Odette If this night changes everything, I'm willing to face the consequences, and I'm willing to bet everything just to be with you. Even though I know you are already dating someone, it won't change how I felt; I know it was fake just to show your dad you're getting lonely. But let's make our date real. Odette Lim, my princess, and my best friend, can I court you?" She took a deep breath and let go of my hand.
"Aurelius, you are a nice guy. I know that, but I'm sorry you can't; I don't want to be nasty to you sorry." She held down her legs and stood up. I held her hand.
"Just give us a try, please." I was holding back my emotions. But she still let go of my hand.
"I'll pay for everything. We should forget this happened too." She just smiled at me. I stood up and hugged her from behind.
"Once he hurt you, I'll be there to get you. I'm still waiting for you. I promise that." I tapped her head, and when she walked away, I fixed myself and went out of the restaurant. I saw her waiting outside.
"I'll drive you back home if you want." I offer it to her.
Nope, remember, I brought my car with me." She hugged me and smiled before she walked away. I will wait for you, Odette Lim, no matter how long it takes.
I got my car keys from my pocket and went to my car. I look at my phone and look for Zafira's message. Kian's Restobar I copy the address to the Google map and start my engine. I saw Kiel and Zafira drinking together with Kiel's manager. I parked my car and went out. When the director saw me, he stood up and offered me a seat. I refused and went to Zafira's table.
"Oh brother, you're just in time; we just started drinking. Do you want me to order you food or drinks?" Zafira offers I sit beside Kiel's manager and take a bottle of beer.
"Okay, you're not in the mood." Zafira poured beer into Kiel's barrel glass. She was touching Kiel's shoulder gently, while Kiel looked drunk. I saw a six-pack of beer in front of Kiel. How many bottles has he already drunk?
"I think I need to bring Kiel home." His manager said that and drank straight beer.
"No, the party just started, right, Kiel?" Kiel looked at her and just nodded.
Zafira took a bottle and drank while Kiel was still taking his shot. His manager can't stop staring at them. I just took another bottle and drank. I should just focus on myself. I just start drinking and avoid looking at them. Hours pass by, and I almost drink ten bottles of Some of the staff and crew went home, so it was just the four of us at the table while some of the staff was asleep at other tables. Kiel was too drunk, and his manager fell asleep at the table. Zafira was still concussed. She had a high tolerance when it came to alcohol. I was a little sleepy and laid my head on the wall.
"I think we should go home now, Zafira," I said, but it seems like she didn't hear me; she just continued caressing Kiel's face against his chest.
"When I first saw you, I was captivated by your looks and your voice. When I saw you look at me, I was irresistible to your charm. Those who are calling should take a look at you. I can't focus on other things. I was drooling over you. I can't stop thinking about you, and now that I'm with you, I'll do anything to be by your side. I'll mark it so that soon you will realize I was the girl for you." She stood up and got her bag before leaving. I saw Kiel open his eyes and look around.
"Manager Ivan." He tried to stand up, but he felt down and fell asleep. I saw Zafira coming back; she helped Kiel stand up.
"I know your awake brother; I'll bring Kiel home." She escorted Kiel going out of the resto-bar. I felt Ivan move, and when I look at him, I still have no idea what happened in his surroundings. I shook my head and stood up. I took his wallet from his pocket and looked for his address in his I.D. Craig Estate is not too far from here. I stood him and escorted him out of the restaurant bar. If he wasn't my sister's manager too, maybe I'll keep him here. He was kind of heavier than he looked.
I opened my backseat door and put him on the seat. I fix his position and close the door. I got in my car and drove swiftly. I don't know why I didn't say a word to my sister after hearing what she just said. Maybe I understand how she feels about someone, but you can't tell that person. I took a deep breath, then parked my car in front of a townhouse. I take another look at him; this does not appear to be a cozy residential house. I step out of my car and ring the doorbell. I lean on the wall while waiting for someone to get out.
A fair lady went out of the house; wait, is she? No, what is she doing here? I look at her and her manager, Ivan; what is their relationship? What's going on here?
"What can I do for you?"
"I just drove Ivan home; he was drunk too much at the party." I opened my car door and took Ivan out of the car. I helped her escort Ivan to his room.
"Thank you for bringing him home."
"No worries; I have to go now." I went out of Ivan's house and got in my car. Before I went too far, I looked in my rearview mirror. I have this gut feeling something was going on in that house, but why? Why her?
ODETTE'S POINT OF VIEW
I can't stop taking deep breaths. I walk away from Aurelius. He's been my best friend for a long time. Hearing the confession he made made me regret everything. I thought he made that kind of treatment with me way back just because he saw me as his little sister or as his best friend. But I didn't know he felt the same way about me before. I bumped my head on my steering wheel. That night changed everything about how I felt about him.
'FLASHBACK'
"Oh my gosh, baby, you look stunning. I'm sure you will be the prom queen." Mom said that while she was fixing my hair, she put her head on my shoulder.
"Look, baby, we really look identically alike. When I was a teenager, every single boy on campus wanted to dance with me. But there is a guy who was surrounding me like a bodyguard, and he would never let anyone near me ask me for a dance. And that guy never let his guard down on me; that's why..."
"Hon, my princess; oh, my guys, my baby girl is really a grown-up lady. I think we should double your bodyguard. Or should I speak to Aurelius and not let anyone come near you?" I looked at mom, and she nodded at me.
"Now I know who the guy is in your story, mom." We both laugh while my dad looks confused, then looks at my mom.
"Hon, what did you say to our princess? What story is that? Am I thinking it right?" Mom can't stop laughing when her dad suddenly carries her.
"Perhaps I shouldn't have married this girl if I let down my guard around your mother." You know I have a lot of competitors from way back, and that's why I do everything for her just to be mine. And I didn't regret doing that." Dad kissed mom on the lips and smiled.
"And I want a great guy for you, princess, and I know Aurelius is the right guy for you." My smile faded away.
"I was just his best friend, nothing more, dad." Mom and dad hold my shoulder.
"But you didn't see him just as your best friend, right baby?" Mom brushed my hair with her hand. I smile slightly.
"Of course, I saw him, just my best friend's mom." They hugged me tight and kissed my cheeks.
"Little sister, your date is here."
"Okay, thanks, bro." I hug Mom and Dad and grab my bag. I slowly went down the stairs. I saw him downstair looking at me; he looked handsome in his suit. He offered his hand, and I gave mine.
"Let's go, my princess." I smiled as I looked at my room and saw my parents and my brother waving at me. Dad nodded at me. I just smiled and stood beside him. Aurelius salutes dad as we walk out of my house. This night was perfect. My heart could not stop skipping when I felt his hand hold my hand tightly. Time flies by as the host takes the mic. Everyone was looking at the stage.
"Good evening, Sky High Academy. Tonight, as we celebrate prom night, I would like to call our Student Council President, Mr. Kent Clark Lopez, to the stage for the opening speech." The president of the student council walked up to the stage.
"Good evening, everyone. Thank you for coming tonight. As we knew, this was the second prom that I held under my officers. And for us to start this lovely evening, I would like to thank everyone who made effort to make this happen. Let's enjoy the night!" He toasts the air with his wine glass. And everyone was toasting each other. The crowd was thunderous screaming. While the music was playing, the boys began to ask their girls who they wanted to dance with.
Chelsea went to our table in front of Aurelius. Chealse has been Aurelius's crush since we were in the 5th grade.
"Hi Aurelius, can I dance with you?" Aurelius, look at me. I just smiled and nodded at him. I know he was waiting to be in high school just to have the courage to ask her out. Even though I smile, I want him to reject her offer and tell him to dance with me. But that didn't happen; he stood up and went to the dance floor with her.
"Can I dance with you?" I turned around and saw a boy who was wearing a mask offer his hand to dance with me. I can only see his blue eyes looking at me. At first I was hesitant, but I didn't know. I gave him my hand and stood up as we got onto the dance floor. When the slow music starts, all the girls on the dance floor put their heads on the guy's chest and start dancing in slow motion. I look at him and stare at the mask on his face. Even while wearing a mask, I could tell he was handsome. He looked at me and smiled. I feel his hand on my waist, and he suddenly pulls me closer to him. I don't know, but I can't let go of screaming at him. But I saw Aureli's shadow in the back of the guy I was dancing with kissing Chelsea while they were dancing. My heart shrank into pieces; I didn't notice my tears racing. I felt his hand wipe my tears.
"This night was for celebration, not crying on some jerks. Don't yourself hurt by looking at them." He put his hand in my eyes and held me on my back as we walked out of the venue.
"Sorry I ruined your night." He shook his head and held me by my cheeks.
"Nope, it's okay. The prom night was totally boring. I don't even want to attend. But I think changing my mind and coming here was kind of good. If I hadn't attended, maybe I hadn't seen a Guatemalan girl like you. So who is he?"
"That was Aurelius, my best friend. I like him since we are in fifth grade. But he didn't know about it. So why do you not want to attend the prom? A lot of students were looking forward to this event."
"I don't want to attend because if they knew I was here, maybe a lot of annoying girls would ask me to be their date. So I want to hide and wear this mask. At least I have peace right now. And my brother just asked me to come because it was his last party that we could attend. He was leaving after his graduation."
"Oh, that's why, so if you want to go back inside, you can. I'll just sit here and wait for the night to get done." He sits in another swing and looks up at the sky.
"No worries; I don't even want to go back inside. I will stay here.
I saw Aurelius go out of the venue with Chelsea and go to the back of the tree. I can see them kissing even in the distance. I can see how gently he touched Chelsea.
"I think I should go home now."
"I can drive you home or you want to join me going out and having a nice dinner?" I just smiled at his offer.
"Fine, let's have dinner." I can't ignore what Im seeing, but I try to get out of Aurelius sight. Now I knew he would never see me or like me because he likes someone else.