~~January 15, 2013 [TUE] // 4:49 pm ~~
o Carol
The place was magnificent.
The cavernous party room had numerous circular tables with clean white and crimson tablecloths on each of them. The walls had been decorated with elegant banner-like cloths that spanned across the perimeter of the large room in a uniform manner. Up ahead, at the mini-stage was a lone table which I presumed to be the one my family and I would sit so everyone would be able to see me. There was also a fairly big banner pinned to the wall by the lone table, bearing several print images of myself with a wavy, curly font over them reading, ‘Happy 18th Birthday, Carolynn Quirox’.
I’m sure that I could have gone ahead and described the room even further, but there was so much detail everywhere that all I could think of was, This is all so wonderful.
The place was starting to fill up, too. My father’s and mother’s friends were pouring into the hall.
Someone suddenly came up to me as I was gazing at the room in wonder.
“So, what do you think?” Angel asked me cheerily; she had suggested in the first place that I could celebrate my eighteenth birthday here at her workplace, the Carriage House Inn.
“I think it’s just amazing,” I said brightly, emphasizing ‘amazing’.
“Glad you think so,” my best friend grinned at me, then she gave me a once-over, looking deep in thought as she did. “You look so pretty, Carol.”
I laughed, beaming at her gratefully. “Thanks, Angel,” I responded while looking down at my simple but elegant light red dress.
Someone else tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and found my mother there, looking genuinely happy.
“Carol, dear, nearly all the guests are already here and we’ll be starting the program in around five minutes,” she informed me, her hands on my shoulders.
I glanced over at the corner of the room, to the left of the mini-stage, where there were tables designated for the ‘eighteen Roses’ to sit. With one quick sweep of my gaze, I identified some of them instantly: Martin Esperanza, Dash Santos, Levi Osea, Ced Rodriguez, Neil Ocampo, Daryl Omar, Blake Versosa, and Joe Herras. But someone was missing.
“Mom, haven’t you seen Dante?” I asked worriedly, looking around the room again.
“I’m afraid I haven’t, sweetie, but I’m sure he’ll be here soon enough,” Mom patted me on the arm in a reassuring manner, “It would be best if you take a seat with your brother and sister now, because we’ll be starting shortly. Okay?”
As my mother walked off to greet the newest batch of guests who had walked in just at that moment, I turned back to Angel with an anxious look to match my worries.
“Where could he be?” I said, my mind unable to come up with any reasons as to why Dante wasn’t here. He was supposed to be here. He had to be here.
Angel seemed to be a bit worried as well. “He’s probably on the way here now, Carol. Don’t worry. He’ll turn up any minute now. Now go on, we’re about to begin. I hope you enjoy tonight – you’re only eighteen once.”
The Eighteen Roses began a little past five-thirty, and even as I took my place in the middle of the room, Dante still hadn’t shown up.
I was very worried that something had happened to Dante, and that he wasn’t coming. I desperately wanted to call him, text him, ask him what was going on, what was keeping him, but I couldn’t right now, just when I needed him to be here.
YOU ARE READING
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青少年小說Sixteen-year old Dante Evadoni is a normal boy with a normal life - he's in eleventh grade, he has a fair few friends, he's not popular and he's quiet - and a problem that has followed him for two years: he's heels over head in love with a girl he c...
