MOA - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

There was a grand celebration for my best friend’s grandmother’s 90^th birthday and we were all invited. It’s not just a birthday party but also a reunion of our troupe. I haven’t met Eric since a year after my 18^th birthday and I missed my best friend badly. Although we keep in touch through phone calls and text messages, seeing each other is still different. For fifteen years, Eric and I were best of friends and had founded a circle of true friends we called “Uni”… unity, union, and uniqueness. We used to do fun stuffs together with our other friends. But from all of them, Eric was different. He was more of a friend; he’s like my brother, my companion. He’s my closest and best friend and I never hesitate to open up every secret I had to him. In my teenage days, we usually get out together, only the two of us, and we were usually teased by our group. My parents trusted Eric so much for taking good care of me and they were lonelier than ever when he left Aubrey Homes.

Now, I was given the opportunity to see him again… my best friend. Still, I felt a little bit nervous to see him and for him to see me with my boyfriend. Well, since our high school years, Eric already knew who my present boyfriend was. It was Aaron, my old-time playmate who I never talked to since Grade Four and now, I still can’t believe that he is my boyfriend. I liked Aaron for seven years but he never courted me. On my 18^th birthday, I invited him to be one of my 18 roses. And then after that, things started to join with the flow. I had told this to Eric through a phone call. He just laughed and teased me. It seemed okay for him. But inside me, I felt a little guilt. Somehow, I knew I loved Eric more than a best friend, but I still can’t accept the fact that I am in love with him.

I can never forget the day he told me that he’s going to confess something really important to me and I was a damned fool to believe that he’s going to say he really loves me more than a best friend. I still remember that day, that painful memory. He told me to meet him at the park of Aubrey Homes. I waited there for two hours. When I was about to leave, he came. I was angry with him that time but I was able to forget it when I saw his angelic face. He was so cute and more so ever, he was so admirable. He held my hands so close and was about to say those words. “Alex, I’ll be courting…” And I can’t wait to hear the next words I had waited for so long. “I’ll be courting Faye. Would you be my bridge?” I was able to say yes but deep inside my heart and soul, those words had struck my heart and I was breathless.

Few weeks later, Eric wasn’t going out with me at all but with Faye, of course. Eric was truly madly deeply in-love with her and I felt jealous. I wanted to destroy her in front of him but I can’t. Then, one lucky day for me had come. Eric and I were having a surprise visit to Faye’s house. She told him she was sick for a week and he missed her so much. The gate was open so we enter. The door was also open. As we were entering the two-story house furnished with different antiques, we heard Faye’s voice saying, “I love it, darling… I really do!” We peek at the room where the voice came from. The door was slightly open. And we were shocked about what we saw. Faye was having sex with our swimming instructor.

After that, Eric never tried to court any girls he admired again. He’ll never court me. I actually looked like a tomboy to him. I usually wear large t-shirts and pajamas at home. I never wear a skirt at the church. I prefer pants than skirts. At school, I looked like a nice lady. Obviously, some guys were attracted at me but not Eric. He knew everything about me and maybe he was turned off towards my attitude. He tried to change me. It was a success but after that, he left me. And Aaron took over. I felt sorry for Eric so I promised to myself that on the day we meet again, he’d see the new me who he tried to improve for years. He’ll be very proud of me because for his three years absence, I had improved myself better and now, I’m a lady. Thanks to him. I’ll be telling that when I reached the Kruger Hills Mansion.

We took a plane to reach the island. It was a beauty. It is more of a paradise. And at the center was a mansion that looks more like a palace. Eric’s family was really wealthy. Millionaires, I guess. The troupe was almost complete. There was Lizy, the fashion trender, Aimee, the bookworm, Dexter, the class president, Arnold, the athlete, and me, of course, the jester of the troop. The last one of us is already waiting at the mansion. He was the rich guy, the Ideal Boyfriend of the campus but never have one. Lucky for Faye… Eric had courted her. Unlucky for me.

“Alex, wake up, dear,” Aaron, whispered at my ear gently. He was so soft-spoken. I had slept for two hours and my eyes were a little bit tired with that five hours trip. I slowly opened my sleeping eyes. And I smiled to the handsome guy right beside me who was holding my hands. “Is the plane landing soon?” I asked. “Yes. I can’t wait to see Eric. Second to me, he was the Ideal Boyfriend of our high school years. Remember? I wonder what he looks like now. And I wander why he doesn’t have any girlfriend until now,” he exclaimed. Me too. And I can’t wait more than you feel.

We rode at a Mercedes Benz owned by Eric’s grandmother. We reached the gate of the mansion. The garden was wide and beautiful. There were stables of horses. Everything looks like a paradise. “Mom, is this heaven?” Kazy asked. She was Lizy’s second daughter and my goddaughter. Lizy was married to an engineer. Her husband, Kelly, was with us, too. Kelly Andrews was Eric’s second cousin and Aaron’s best friend. “No, honey. This was your uncle’s paradise,” Kelly said.

An hour later, the Mercedes Benz was stopping in front of the mansion. There was a sudden fear inside me. Suddenly, I felt I’m scared to see Eric. I’m scared to see him. We entered the mansion. The floor was made of beautiful marbles. And it looks more like a hotel. A lady walked towards us with a smile. She was wearing a maid’s uniform. “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Sir Frederick Andrews will be coming after a minute to welcome all of you. Especially you, Ms. Katherine Laurence,” she informed. “Thank you,” I replied.

“It’s been a while since I heard someone addressed you with that name, dear,” Aaron teased. Funny! Very funny, Eric. Wait till you see.

“Uni Friends!!! It’s been a long time!” a familiar voice shouted. I suddenly looked back… and there I saw a very familiar face dressed in white that looks more handsome than ever coming towards us. My face doesn’t know what to express. “Eric, boy, you didn’t change a bit,” Arnold exclaimed. While everyone welcomed him with such praises, I was just standing there staring at him unable to say anything. I was so surprised… and I can’t believe he’s there. My best friend is just in front of me. “Ms. Katherine Alessandra Laurence, how’s my dearest best friend?” he asked with that boyish smile I missed for years. “Fine, I thanked you, Sir Frederick William Andrews,” I replied. We both laughed and hugged each other as if we were sweethearts and I suddenly forgot the people that surround us. “I missed you, pal. I missed you so much!” he whispered. I smiled. And I felt a satisfaction in my heart. There was no malice in what we were doing, but then I quickly pushed Eric away.

“Oh, Eric, you sure do look great with that suit. Well, nothing has changed in me. Except for the fact that I have my dear boyfriend with me. Right, dear?” Aaron came over and held my right hand. “Eric, I guess now I’m the second of having the title of the Ideal Boyfriend of the campus. I wander why you’re still single,” Aaron said looking at Eric seriously. “No, no… actually, you still have that title, pal. As you can see, you have one beautiful lady with you. I have nothing,” he replied humbly. We laughed. “You never change, my friend. You never run out of sweet jokes for your girl but, Eric, I am not you’re girl. I can never be,” I joked. “Oh, Kate! How I wish you were!” he replied. How I wish I were…

From the stairways, a beautiful lady dressed in a long v-shaped black gown came down. She has a long black hair up to her waist, with red lips and gray eyes, good features to be defined as a beautiful lady. Everyone has caught her attention and a minute later, she was in front of us joining the conversation. “May I introduced to you my cousin…” Eric began to introduce. “Desiree?” Aaron asked as he was staring at the beautiful maiden. “A- Aaron? Is that you?” she asked. “You know each other?” Both of us wandered. “Y-yes…” they replied. And we laughed. What a coincidence! We’re talking on duets. “It’s been a long time,” she continued. She was absolutely hypnotizing my boyfriend with that v-shaped black dress. “Desiree, I would like you to meet my fiancée, Alex. Alex, this is Desiree, my childhood sweetheart,” he explained. “I thought you’ll never mentioned that to her, Aaron. You see, Alex, Aaron’s parents wanted me to be his girlfriend since grade school. But we need to separate. I had so many things to do. I thought Aaron could never live without me… for I guess twelve years, but now, here he is looking handsome than ever. Thank God he found you,” she explained. Yeah right! She’s simply boastful. I really don’t like her. That is for sure. Someone saved me! “No, Desiree, thank God I found him. Right, dear?” I replied as if I were cool enough not to show my jealousy over her.

“Well, I guess, you guys were tired. Why don’t you take a rest? Tomorrow’s night will be the big night and I don’t want you guys feeling sleepy already. I had prepared a dozen suites here for all of you. Anita will accompany you to your rooms,” Eric explained. “If you’ll excuse us, we’ve got so many things to arrange here. See you later all!” he continued. Anita, the maid, accompanied each one of us in our rooms. Each room was truly a satisfaction. Aaron kissed good night to me and entered his suite. Then, Anita & I were left behind through the pathway. The girl doesn’t look like a maid at all. She looks like a hotel attendant to me. I glanced at her one at a time studying her uniform. A maid wearing a hotel attendant uniform… now, that’s what you call rich. Anita stopped suddenly. “Excuse me, miss. Why do we stop? Is there something wrong?” I asked curiously. “No, ma’am. We were in front of your suite now. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. Sir Frederick suggested to make you the last person I’ll accompany,” she replied. She gets her key chain and unlocks the door with a golden key. “Come in, my lady,” she said.

The room… was AWESOME! It has my taste. The color, the curtains, the furniture and everything… I love it! “Sir Frederick Andrews arranged this just for you, ma’am. He had also selected a variety of clothes arranged in your closet. What can you say, ma’am?” I was speechless. What can I say? I never thought Eric is this gallant. He used to tease me and treated me like a boy. But now, everything seems to be different. I guess everything did changed.

“I… well, I wanted to talk to him. Now…” I carefully released the words. I wanted to talk to him seeing him face-to-face. Isn’t that a brave thing to do? Alex, I am proud of you. “If you’ll be delighted, ma’am,” she smiled. She quickly knocked the door in the wall. I never thought what that door is for. The comfort room is near the bedroom. What could that door be? Anita entered. A minute later, she walked towards me with a smile and she was carrying a red rose tied with a pink ribbon. “For you, ma’am,” she said as she handled to me the rose. “Gracias!” I exclaimed. “Anita, what is that door for?” I asked suspiciously. “Oh, I forgot to say. Well, you see, ma’am… Sir Frederick wanted your suite beside his room. And that door is your connection door,” she explained. “What?!” He’s still naughty. Eric never changed. He did play a trick on me. My room was far from my boyfriend’s room and yet so near with my best friend’s room. What is his purpose for doing that? “I wanted to see him right now!” I shouted. “I-I will. I’m sorry. I’ll be calling him right now…” she said in a frightened manner. I must have raised my voice too high. The connection door suddenly opened.

A familiar guy entered my room. “No need, Anita. I’m here. You could go now,” he said. The maid left immediately like a frightened cat. I stared at him with no such expression. And then, having the thought of our rooms was connected, my eyebrows begun to meet. “Why do you intend to do that, young man?” I asked suspiciously. He smiled. A simple boyish smile that had made me forgot my anger. He came nearer to me and put his hands on my shoulders. “I missed you, Alex. I missed my best friend. Didn’t you missed me?” he asked. “O-of course I did but… Eric, this is too much. You don’t need to put my suite beside yours. There’s malice in this. And I’m sure it could cause a lot of intrigues and troubles,” I explained. He lied on my bed. “Oh, c’mon, Kate. We used to do this when we were young. We usually sleep together, don’t you remember? Even in our high school life, we sleep in one bed. And there is no malice about that because we’re best friends. At least now, there’s only a connecting door in our rooms… instead of-”

“Eric, you don’t understand. I already have a boyfriend. And it could be malicious if we had a connecting door in our rooms. What would people think of us? We’re not young anymore. Everything has changed, Eric. Everything!” I interrupted. My voice was a little bit higher. There was a sudden silence inside the room. He stood up with his head bowed. “I guess you’re right, Alex,” he lifted his face with a serious look on his face. “Everything did changed. Just looking at you, I felt there’s no way I could return the past. You’re completely different. My three years absence and his three years presence had made you a lady. I thought you’d become a better person if I leave you behind. You did. It was truly a success. You’re perfectly beautiful. A beautiful young lady,” he said. He came closer to me. I wasn’t able to move. I guess I won’t move. I want to hear what he’ll say. I want to see what he’ll show. I want to feel what he’ll do. He held my cheeks gently with his hands. “Aaron was so lucky to have you, my dear best friend. I never had the intention to take you away from him. You loved him, right?”

“He’s my fiancé, Eric. Of course, I love him,” I replied. He smiled. “I know. But I love you, too, best. More so ever, I only have one week to be with you unlike Aaron. I totally missed my old time partner and I thought you’d be happy to have a week with your best friend. If ever I wished to see you, there’s the connecting door ready for me to do that. Again, I’m sorry, Alex. I’ll prepare another suite for you that it won’t” he was continuing what he was saying while suddenly I interrupted again. “No, you don’t need to do that, Eric. I understand. You don’t need to act like a poor man. It doesn’t fit you, Sir!” I teased and lifted a naughty smile on my face. He hugged me. “You’re still naughty, Alex.” “Yeah, right. But you’re trickier than I do. I guessed I missed my best friend so much and was just afraid to show it. I… I’m sorry.” I hugged him tightly. “Alex… I forgot to inform you that no one knew that there is a connecting door in our rooms except Anita and I. Would you keep it a secret, darling?” he asked naughtily. “Sure… just please don’t call me your darling. I maybe look like a lady but I can still knock your head off, Eric,” I replied.