Behind the White Rose

Nica POV

"Happy 28th Birthday Megan!!!"

We're all here now in our house celebrating the birthday of my lovely sister Megan. While my Mom is really busy checking everything in the kitchen making sure that foods are being serve on time and from time to time checking our guest to see if they like the food, my Dad on the other hand is busy playing billiard with the boys.

When I got the opportunity to have an alone time with Megan I surprise her with my gift.

"Sis! Happy Birthday to my favorite sister!", I greeted then hug her tightly.

"Yeah right! As if you have a choice I'm your only sister dummy!"

We start laughing and then I finally gave her my gift. It's a White Turn Table from Audio Technica and an LP of Taylor Swift (Evermore Album), well you know she's a Swiftie.

"Oh my god! Monica Bautista! I really love it, oh my! I love you baby sister!", she almost cried with joy. And that makes me glad knowing that I chose the right gift.

Later on Meg needs to go to her colleagues and friends to entertain them, even though most of them are drunk and some are already making out in the pool. While I'm busy uploading our photos on Instagram, there's someone who turns on the Mic and then the lights started to dim. Hmmm, let's see what we have here.

"Mic Test, Mic Test. Good evening guys, can I have your attention please!" Andrea one of my sister's friend one of her crazy friends actually, speaks while holding a glass of wine, not really sure if she's drunk though. "Please look at me, forget about Meg for the mean time. Just kidding! Anyway, we have a little surprise for our birthday girl here. A simple performance for our guests and of course for our pretty Megan. A round of applause please!"

Looks like the people in our house gets a little excited about this so called intermission number. Guys and girls who's busy with their own world in the pool and those playing billiards stops for a while and come near the four persons who's about to dance.

I looked at them, they're wearing all black from top to bottom. I saw Lyka, Mark and Joshua. But there's another person, the one in the middle. I wonder why he's not familiar, Megan is friends with them for almost a decade and I know all of her closest friends. But this one. Who is this?

The intro of the song began to play, it's Shot Clock by Ella Mai. Ohhh sexy dance. Let's see.

I can't take my eyes off of them when they started to dance. Especially that one person, the one I'm not familiar with. They dance so smooth like every move is right in tempo, every beat was hit perfectly. You will not here anyone speaking seems like all of them are captivated. A three-minute dance feels just like three seconds. When the music fades, a smile suddenly appear. Warmest smile I've ever seen.

Guests started to clap their hands endlessly and some whistled. I'm still mesmerize but got back to reality when I saw my sister ran towards this unknown guy. It's weird seeing her so clingy, actually she looks like a Koala Bear while clinging to that man. I saw Andrea hug the guy as well and the six of them started talking. Later on my sister noticed me and mouthed, come here sis.

I came to them and said hi.

"Hey sis, this is my best friend Nate, Nate meet my baby sister Monica", my sister introduced me. Nate removes his cap and smiled at me.

"Nice meeting you my best friend's baby sister."

He stretched his arm for a hand shake, with a wide smile showing his perfectly aligned teeth and his thin pinkish lips. I didn't notice I was smiling the whole time while staring at him. I grab his hand and shake it firmly. His hand is so soft and warm...just like his smile.

"Oh hello Nate, it's nice meeting you too! You got a cool performance there!"

"Really?! Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it; I hope Meg likes it too." He said while looking at my sister. His eyes are hopeful and sparkling.

"Of course Nate! Whatever you do, it always makes me happy." My sister enthusiastically answers. Well that's kind of sus.

We decided to continue talking in the living room and started to drink. Since we started talking smile never leave our lips and laughter never stops. My sister's squad is the best they're really crazy with their lame jokes but you can count on them during hard times.

Minutes pass by and I noticed that Nate only drinks Soda.

"Hey Nate! Don't you like beer?

"Oh, I still need to drive later. But I promise, next time."

"You can drink and just sleep here, no need to drive." Meg says.

"As much as I want to Meg, there still some things I need to finish before weekends. I promise next time." Nate says while comforting and assuring Meg that there's still next time.

I try to cut and ask Meg why I only met Nate today when in fact they're best friends for several years. But my Dad suddenly arrived.

"Hey guys! Enjoying the party?" Dad greeted us. All of us stand up and hug him. Mommy followed as well.

"Nate how are you my child? It's been a while since we see each other."

"Hello Tito! Yes, it's been a while. I really missed you and Tita. I'm sorry if I can't visit you as often as possible. I'm just really busy with the Bar. Guys, please excuse us for a while." Nate and Dad goes upstairs and leave us in the living room.

My mother was so happy because of the nonstop praises from my sister's friends about the food she prepares. Instead of hiring caterer my mom decided that she will be the one who will be in charge of Meg's party including the preparation of the food. We can't blame her because this is just one of the things that makes her happy. Dad never let her work and just ask mom to stay in the house, do whatever she wants to do and just take care of us. But of course as time goes by it bores her and look for some hobbies. Right now she's into cooking but have this enthusiasm with collecting teapots. Next month's new obsession? Well, that will be for my lovely mother to know and for us to find out.

It's pass 2:00AM and the noise was replaced with silence. Some of our visitors go home. Some are sleeping in the guest room. I walked around the house to make sure there are no other people in the house that we're not aware of. While Meg is helping our maids. We ask mommy to go to sleep since it's already late and we don't want her to get tired. When I go back to the kitchen I only saw our maid, France.

"France? Where's Meg?" I asked while she's wiping the plates.

"Meg was called by your Father, she's in the study room right now"

I decided to go upstairs and while I'm a few steps away from the study room I heard Dad, Meg and Nate laughing.

"So Meg, you're 28 now, a successful lawyer, thanks to me where you inherent your intelligence. And you're still sing...." Says Father who's teasing my sister now.

"...ingggle! Single!" Nate continued. The room was filled with laughter again the only difference is that this time Meg is not laughing. My sister looks really pissed right now. But after all the teasing they end up laughing again. I laughed quietly because they might caught me.

Daddy continue talking.

"You know what, why don't you two just be girlfriends? I like Nate. Responsible, smart and Nate looks good too." Then he burst out laughing. "But on a serious note Meg, if you can't find a man that you're compatible with then Nate here is the best option. I saw how Nate takes care of you and treated you. I feel at ease if you will end up together."

"Dad! First of all, Natasha Andrea and I are just friends! Second, I thought you wanted a grandchild?? How can Natasha Andrea and I create a baby??!!

"What?? Who is Natasha Andrea?" I asked myself.

"Hey Megan Bautista! How dare you call me with my real name??!! And Tito, your daughter is not my type. She doesn't even know how to cook all she knows is to eat and wash the dishes.

I tried to control myself and cover my mouth so that I don't make a sound.

Wait! What? Nate? Her real name is Natasha Andrea?? Nate is a girl?!

I can't believe it. All this time I thought he is a guy.