Memories

Chapter 12: Monica

It had been more than an hour, and I had found a lot of common interests with Estella. I did greet my other friends, but I was waiting for my one more best friend, Diana. Of course, I wasn't waiting for her because Estella was boring. Not at all. I enjoyed her company. She was funny, charming, and talkative. I was having fun sharing my interests with her, and also some of the best happy memories of me with Sarah and Diana from high school.

I must say, Estella loved hearing me. She was an excellent listener, too. Her eyes were shouting at me loudly that she found me interesting; she was eager to perhaps express her feelings to me or perhaps kiss me. Whatever the reason was, it was interrupted by Danny. Yes. Danny, the same guy whom I warned to stay away from Sarah.

I was having a sip of my wine while dancing with Estella behind the sofa. That's when the main door opened. A joyful smile appeared on my face as I found Diana entering the room. Yet, as I saw Danny entering the house after her, my smile disappeared. Slowly, anger began to boil. "What the fuck is he doing here?" I whispered.

"Did you say something?" asked Estella.

"No. I'm fine," I lied.

Estella turned around and looked at the door, following my vision.

"You whispered something, looking at them," she said.

I stayed quiet.

She turned back to me. "Is everything fine?"

"Yes. I'm fine," I lied again. "Please excuse me. I'll be back in a bit."

"Sure. You can go ahead," she said. "I'll wait for you here."

"It's so nice of you. Thank you!" I said. Then, I rushed to them.

I knew after breaking up with Sarah, Danny had begun developing his taste in Hispanic girls. Most of the time, I found him hanging out with girls from Colombia, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. I knew about it because half of those were my friends, too. It's just a different thing that I was spending almost all my time with Sarah and Diana as they were my best friends.

As best friends or you can even say sisters from other mothers, we had made a pact that we would share everything with each other. We would never lie to one another. And we would have each other's back, no matter what. But Diana acted differently.

Her face widened as she saw me nearing her. She already widened her hands to greet me with a warm hug.

"Come my birthday girl. I'm so happy about your twenty-second birthday."

I was upset seeing Rocky, but I didn't want to be rude to her because of him. So, when I stood near her, I also widened my hands, smiling, and welcomed her in a warm hug.

"Happy birthday, my magical princess," she said. "I wish all your dreams come true this year."

"Thank you for your best wishes and also for coming here."

She ended the hug.

"Have you gone mad?" she said, gently holding me by the shoulders. "Why wouldn't I come to my best friend's birthday celebration party? It's always fun."

"Thank you so much!"

"Stop all these formalities," she said. "Let's go inside."

"Sure. Let me take you to the kitchen first because what you are looking for is there."

"You always know my needs. That's the reason I call you a magical princess."

We both cracked into a quick laugh. Then we proceeded toward the kitchen.

Danny was a few steps behind us, and it was the perfect time to ask Diana what he was doing here at my house.

"What's Danny doing here?" I asked her in a soft voice. "What's he doing here with you?"

"I'm sorry I forgot to tell you I've started dating him."

"Since when?" I was completely shocked hearing her.

"Like about two months."

"You must be kidding. You know what he did to Sarah."

"I know this is the reason I was afraid to tell you about our relationship. But I thought it would be the perfect time to patch you up, guys. I don't want to lose him because of my best friend, and I don't want to lose my best friends because of him. I want all, both my best friends and him as my boyfriend."

"I know you since middle school. I know you're lying. Your words don't match your tone."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"It seems like you're lying. You're afraid. You're hiding something."

"Wh-what would I-I hide from you?"

"If you are right; if you are not hiding anything, how did you start stuttering?"

"You are making me nervous. That's all," she said, raising her voice as if she was pretending she was angry with me.

"Sarah would never accept him. You know that."

"I'm sorry, but I'm in love with him. I can't leave him because of you, guys."

"So you can end our friendship for him?"

"NO." She raised her voice. "I don't mean that. Please don't leave me alone. I want you guys badly."

"Then you will need to end your relationship with him, and you will need to tell him to leave here right now."

Diana looked behind through the corner of her eye.

Danny was out of range of hearing. He was talking to a guy named Patrick whom I knew very well from the first month of my first semester of college.

"I can't tell him to go," she said. "Please try to understand. I have something important to share with you, but I can't. So please let him be here tonight. It's only a matter of a few hours. Please tolerate his existence here, only for me."

Her voice was filled with gravity. At that moment I understood she was in some type of trouble, caught in a snare of Danny, and she seriously needed my help ... or our help, help from me and Sarah.

"I trust you," I said, gently putting my hands on her shoulders. Her eyes were almost wet. Before she could break into tears, I hugged her. "Please calm down. I promise to be with you." I caressed her back, keeping her in a soft hug. "You are not alone. Everything will be fine."

"You are the best. Thank you!"

"Don't worry. It's my duty as your best friend ... or should I say as your magical princess."

I laughed, and then she joined me, saying, "Yes. You are my magical princess. I love you."

"I love you, too!" I kept caressing her back while keeping her in my soft hug to assure her heart that I was with her and that she didn't need to worry about anything and also get scared of Danny and anyone else.