Kabanata 7
Based on what I am seeing now, the woman started crying. I nodded to answer my question, then I thought that apart from being a playboy, Travis seems like good at making women cry. Another red flag, then shake my head in disappointment.
This is the second summer that he wanted his woman out of their premises before the day of their thanksgiving party. Now, I wonder if this happens every summer even before I started going here.
"Rush, Noah please let me stay." Travis' girlfriend's voice cracked as she cried and pleaded with them.
"Travis has the decision," Noah said coldly. This is the first time I am seeing Noah this cold to someone. His aura is often sweet and friendly. I never thought he could be like this.
What if it got to the point that Travis would do the same thing to me? I shake my head one after another to remove that thought from my mind.
"The van outside is ready to take you to the port." That was Noah's answer to Travis' girlfriend's request.
"But--" Travis interrupted what he was going to say.
"Just go Bea... the travel time might take some time and I don't want you to spend more time on the road." And then Travis turned his back on him.
I was so focused on listening to their conversation that I didn't even notice that Travis was no longer in their group.
The woman also called the names of their other friends one by one, asking for help but most of them just looked at her and sight because I'm sure this is not their call to decide. The others just apologized to her so her crying got louder.
"Our helpers will help you with your luggage." That's the last thing I heard before my vision was blocked. My forehead frowned in confusion. What's happening? I even asked myself.
As far as I remember there was no curtain here! Then out of the blue, I started sniffing one after another as I smelled a familiar scent.
I creased my forehead and that's when I realized that the scent, I am selling right now is Travis' perfume! My heart started to race then as I looked up, my gaze immediately found Travis' eyes.
"What are you doing here?" He asked me using that baritone cold voice. He was still not satisfied and he even glared at me. So, I ended up pouting my lips. How the hell is he here right now? When I just saw him there, with his friend and his girlfriend talking.
"I just came here..." I answered him innocently and pretended I didn't know what happened. His thick eyebrows were sticking out and it was obvious that he didn't believe what I said.
I tried to peek again to see what was going on with his girlfriend and his brothers and friends but he blocked my view using his body even more. Now I'm feeling indignant but tried my best not to let him know or see it on my face.
"Come join me for breakfast." He said to me and before I could refuse, he grabbed one of my arms and I pulled away from the hall.
"Time flies fast like you've just been in grade school but today your teenage life will begin." Mom said passionately as she gently combed my hair.
Today is my thirteenth birthday and just like in the past when it comes to my birthdays, there is another party thrown for me, in one of my city's luxury hotels.
And this time the Forgers will be attending my birthday party, so I'm even more excited. My classmates, teachers and other schoolmates are also invited.
'I'll see the Forger brothers again, especially Travis.' I said to myself in my mind. And you know what this next school year I will be in my first year of high school while Travis has also been busy working, it's been more than two years since he graduated from college.
All the news about the Forgers I get from Mom and Dad; they still talk about them when we have our food together or I'm with them in the office. And aside from that, I still spend time with the Forger siblings every summer and as often happens, they are busy with their friends and girlfriends, which I am used to. I've lost count of how many times I've ever seen the Forgers siblings flirt, especially Travis.
We heard a series of knocks and then Mom replied that whoever that person outside my room could enter and when the door opened it was my birthday organizer.
"In ten minutes, the party will start." She reminds us. Mom nodded and said we are ready; the organizer came out first before Mom and I.
"Thank you for this party, Mom. I love you and Dad so much." And then I kissed Mom on the cheek.
"I love you too honey." Speaking of Dad, I haven't seen him yet. So, I asked Mom.
"He's downstairs honey, with the Forgers. You know..." Of course, I know the reason why so I nod. Even though a few years had passed, my family is still close to the Forgers' family, however Dad is still not yet part of their board members or one of their regular engineers.
And also everything I got a chance, I always ask Dad why he is still not part of Forgers business, and I always, always got the same answer from Dad that,
'We'll be there soon, just wait hon.' I'm not very convinced by Dad's frequent answer but I also think I'm too young for the jobs of those who are older than me, so what often happens is I just nod and then change what Dad and I are talking about or he's the one who will lead the conversation into a different one.
When Mom and I made it to the backstage, Dad immediately appeared from nowhere so I just smiled and then hugged Dad.
"Dad!" I greet him warmly.
"Happy birthday, honey." And then Dad kissed me on the forehead.
"I love you, hon." He added. Once again, I hugged Dad, this time with a tighter embrace.
"I love you more Dad. Thank you for everything." And just like what the organizer said, after ten minutes, we heard the emcee talk about my birthday and then we were called on stage.
"Let's welcome Miss Kourtney Martinez, our birthday celebrant, along with her parents."
I heard the loud applause of our guests as we slowly walked to the stage.
I sat on a large single sofa chair with a design the same for the theme of my birthday party. While Mom and Dad were on either side of me.
While I was sitting in my birthday chair, I simply checked the crowd and I'm sure you already knew who I was looking for, while I was looking for him, my heartbeat became faster and faster, here is this feeling again as if your rib cage was about to break because of my fast heartbeat.
I didn't look for the Forger couple anymore because they were at the VIP table next to the table where Mom and Dad and I would sit later.
When I looked to my right there, I saw Noah, he was sitting and wearing a dark blue suit and tie. Like the usual, no matter what the Forger siblings are wearing, they are really handsome to look at so I'm not surprised that even at my birthday party it looks like there are really attentions that even if the Forgers don't ask, they still get it.
At the table where Noah was sitting, there were five women who looked close to his age or just a little younger talking to him. Noah was looking at the emcee and seemed to be trying to focus on the events of my party. However, it looks like he just can't focus one hundred percent because of those girls.
I'm sure whatever they're saying to Noah now, it's just all about flirting! I have memorized the movements of the Forger brothers' women since for the last few years I spent my entire summer vacation with them.
Are they not advised by their parents that they should have focused on what the emcee was saying? It looks like they are just here to flirt with the Forger siblings. How annoying! And before I got more annoyed at the girls at Noah's table trying to flirt with him, I diverted my gaze to another part of the event hall, to look for Travis in the crowd.
Maybe like Noah, Travis is in the same situation now. I couldn't help but feel the bitterness in my chest as I imagined Travis, at the same table with five women trying to flirt with him! Now my stomach feels sick just by the thought of it!
Just happy thoughts Kourtney! I chant in my mind, it's your birthday today! Until I saw Rush at a table, he was focused on what the emcee was saying and that's when I was pulled by a thorn in the side when I saw that the person with him at the table where he was sitting looked like Dad's business partners.
I'm not surprised though, in fact, Rush and I have an age gap of fifteen years so for sure he's getting tired of flirting and being a playboy so he has more time to talk about business since I heard he will inherit their business. For sure the wealth of the Forgers would be divided among the three of them, but since he is the eldest and his Dad is about to retire as CEO, he will be the one to take the bigger projects and job compared to his siblings.
**
Matatapos na magsalita yong emcee at magsisimula na sa second part ng program hindi ko pa din makita si Travis. San ba siya nagpunta? Muli ko na namang tanong sa sarili ko.
Tulad ng isang eighteenth birthday party, kahit na thirteen palang ako ngayong araw magkakaron ako ng thirteen candles, thirteen gifts at saka thirteen roses. Since alam niyo naman na nag iisang anak lang ako, si Mommy talaga ang nagplano ng lahat ang 'to. Eto daw kasi yong unang taon ko bilang isang teenager kaya gusto niyang maging super special, na sobrang na-appreciate ko naman.
Akala ko talaga magiging super saya ng thirteenth birthday party ko, akala ko lang pala yon... bago nag start yong taltong main na part ng party ko, nagkaron na muna nang break. Nakakahiya naman na magutom yong mga guest namin. Escort ko ang Dad for tonight kaya naman nang bumaba kami ng stage kumapit ako sa isang braso ni Dad. Habang nasa kabilang side ko naman si Mom.
Yong ibang VIP guest na malapit sa table namin agad kaming binati, happy birthday at pinuri na din ako na sobrang ganda ko daw. May mga nagsabi na kamukha ko ang Dad, o ang Mom at yong iba naman mix daw nila Mom and Dad yong itsuta ko.
Habang nagseserve naman ng pagkain yong mga ushers at usherettes naging busy na naman ako sa paghahanap kay Travis sa crowd na naiinis na ako at lahat lahat hindi ko pa din siya makita. May mga lumalapit sa table naming para magbigay ng gifts at kausap nang kaunti si Mom at Dad about sa kung gaano ka-successful yong business namin.
Kaunting kaunti nalang talaga at magtatanong na ako kina Mom at Dad kung nasan si Travis. Wala na akong pakialam kung magtaka man sila bakit ko hinahanap si Travis.
Hanggang sa hindi na ako nakatiis at bumulong ako kay Mom na kailangan kung magpunta sa powder room.
"Gusto mo bang pasamahan kita sa isa sa mga helpers natin?" At saka siya napatingin sa gown na suot suot ko. Para kasing pang eighteenth birthday gown na yong suot suot ko, kulay red siya na tube yong design. Actually, may pinaggayahan kaming design ng gown. Since isa sa mga favorite na singer ko si Taylor Swift, pinagawa ko sa designer na hinaire ni Mom yong gown ko para sa thirteenth birthday ko. Yong half ng gown ko sa ibabang part is may designs na mga roses, exactly like what the design of Taylor Swift's gown doon sa music video niya.
Tapos yong other half naman is plain lang siya. Magkakasunod naman akong umiling na naging offer ni Mom.
"Okay lang Mom, I can handle it." At saka ako tumayo sa kinauupuan ko, napalinggon din tuloy ang Dad sakin.
"Powder room." Sabi naman agad ni Mom, tumango naman ang Dad at dahil may iilan pang guest na kausap nila sa table namin, inexcuse ko na din yong sarili ko. Hindi naman talaga ako naiihi, aalis ako sa table namin para hanapin si Travis pero habang naglalakad lakad ako hindi ko maiwasang mapaisip na baka kaya hindi ko siya mahanap kasi hindi naman siya nag attend ng party ko.
Agad naman akong nakaramdam ng disappointment sa naisip, hindi naman siya nangako na pupunta siya pero nandito yong mga kapatid niya pati na din ang mga magulang nila. Nakapagbigay sila ng time para sa birthday ko kaya hindi ko maiintindihan kung sakaling wala niya siya dito kasi busy siya sa trabaho.
Habang naglalakad naman ako sa may hallway, may iilang bisita pa din'g bumabati sakin. Mas madami yong hindi ko kilala pero nagpasalamat pa din ako sa kanila at saka ngumiti at nagpaalam.
Pasimple akong lumilingon-lingon sa paligid umaasa na makita si Travis pero mas malakas yong feeling ko na wala talaga siya dito sa party ko.
"Nakita ko si Travis!" Pabulong na sabi ng isang babae sa may gilid ko. Agad namang bumagal yong paglalakad ko nang marinig ko yong sinabi ng babae pero hindi ako lumingon sa side nila at baka makahalata siyang nakikinig ako sa usapan nila ng kasama niya.
"San?" Excited na sabi ng kasama niya. Napa-irap naman ako sa naririnig. Ang lalandi talaga!
"Sa mga magkakapatid na Forger pa naman, si Travis ang bet na bet ko!" Sabi ng ikatlong babae. Mabuti nalang at may secret pocket yong gown ko kaya naibulsa ko yong phone ko sa gown ko.
Pasimple akong lumilingon-lingon sa paligid umaasa na makita si Travis pero mas malakas yong feeling ko na wala talaga siya dito sa party ko.
"Nakita ko si Travis!" Pabulong na sabi ng isang babae sa may gilid ko. Agad namang bumagal yong paglalakad ko nang marinig ko yong sinabi ng babae pero hindi ako lumingon sa side nila at baka makahalata siyang nakikinig ako sa usapan nila ng kasama niya.
"San?" Excited na sabi ng kasama niya. Napa-irap naman ako sa naririnig. Ang lalandi talaga!
"Sa mga magkakapatid na Forger pa naman, si Travis ang bet na bet ko!" Sabi ng ikatlong babae. Mabuti nalang at may secret pocket yong gown ko kaya naibulsa ko yong phone ko sa gown ko.
Kunwari ay naging abala ako doon sa phone ko kaya ako napahinto sa paglalakad para hindi sila makahalata na nakikinig ako sa usapan nila.
"Ako din! Ang gwapo na ang lakas pa nang dating!"
"At saka mas bata at mukhang hindi pa ready mag settle down hindi tulad ng mga Kuya nila."
"Pero diba ang mga Forger ay kilala sa marriage for convenience. Baka naman nakapangako na yang si Travis sa babae!" Medyo inis na sabi ng isa sa kanila.
Mas lalo namang nakuha nila yong atensyon ko sa narinig ko. Nag acting pa ako na kunwari ay mag tumawag sakin at sinagot ko agad, sumandal ako doon sa pader na di kalayuan sa kung san sila nag-uusap usap. Naging tama lang yong distance ko sa kanila para marinig ko yong pinag-uusapan nila.