"Where are we going? And why did you ask me to wear a dress?" I asked Anna and Reysel. We were riding in a taxi going to some hotel.
"Actually Nicolle, we have another surprise for you!" Reysel said smiling.
"What is it?"
"It's a surprise DUH!" Anna laughed. I looked at their idiotic smiles. What could be their surprise?
Anna looked out the window and told the driver to stop. "We're here!" she said excitedly.
I looked at the new hotel. What are we going to do here?
An usher escorted us into the event hall where a woman was having a speech. It looked like it's the grand opening of the hotel.
We sat down on one of the tables. I didn't pay attention to the person speaking at the podium but when she said, "oh yeah" I immediately turned and looked at her.
"Rodcen?" I whispered.
"Surprise!" Reysel whispered back.
"She's the engineer of this building" Anna stated.
Wow... I looked at Rodcen. She looked so professional and mature as she spoke infront. I almost couldn't recognize her!
Rodcen finished her speech and the audience, especially Anna, Reysel and I, applauded loudly.
Rodcen left the podium and sat with us.
"Great speech ENGINEER Rodcen!" Reysel congratulated her, emphasizing engineer.
"Thanks! Hi Nicolle! Did you like our little surprise?" Rodcen asked me.
"Of course! It's so great to see you! My gosh! You look so... so... ENGINEER-like! hahaha" I told her.
Rodcen was about to say something when the MC suddenly said, "Thank you for that wonderful speech Engineer Rodcen! Now let us welcome the endorser for Emerald Hotel, international singer, Justin Bieber!"
My eyes widened. He's the endorser for THIS hotel? So that's why he's in Bahamas right now!
"This was NOT part of our surprise" Anna told me.
At the after party which was held at a nearby club, I danced with Rodcen, Anna and Reysel just like when we were at Boracay. It felt like such a long time ago. Mikaela was still with us and I was still with... I should forget about him.
"Hey Nicolle can you get us some drinks?" Rodcen asked.
"Sure what would you guys like?"
"BEEEER!" Rodcen screamed. Rodcen likes beer?
"She's drunk" Reysel whispered with a sly smile.
"We secretly put alcohol in her pineapple juice hahaha!" Anna said.
"BEEER!" Rodcen said. I didn't notice until now that Rodcen did kinda look like she had a couple of drinks.
"Okay..." I said trying not to laugh.
"Give me orange juice" Reysel said.
"I'll just have coke" Anna said.
"BEER!"
"I know Rodcen! I'm going to the bar 'kay?" I told them and walked towards the bar.
It was a bit quieter there compared to the noisy dance floor. I looked around.
I stopped dead on my tracks. Oh my gosh... why is HE here? I stared at him before I finally managed to compose myself.
He looked at me and I pretended like I couldn't see him. I could feel his eyes on me.
"Two bottles of beer please, a glass of orange juice and a bottle of coke" I told the bartender.
"Nicolle..." he breathed.
The club fell silent for a second, it felt like it was silent for a second.
I looked at him.
"We need to talk..."
We were at the club's rooftop. The night air was so cold, it felt cold.
I couldn't look at him because I know that as soon as I see his beautiful face, my tears won't stop. Instead, I looked at the palm trees, swaying in the breeze.
There was a long silence before he finally decided to talk.
"Nicolle... I'm..." he didn't finish but I knew the next word he was going to say.
"Sorry?" I finished for him. My voice sounded different.
I turned around to look at him. I felt so many different emotions.
"It will be over soon Nicolle..." his voice was barely above a whisper, I wasn't even sure if he really said it.
"What?" I asked him.
"Just wait..." he said and walked towards the door. He stopped and turned around.
He walked back, towards me. He was only a few inches from me, it was so close.
He closed his eyes and kissed my forehead and whispered, "please wait for me...", then he left.
A cold wind blew. It was cold but I didn't feel its chill. I felt warm...
I felt... hopeful.
