CHAPTER 15: High School Reunion

KATE’s P.O.V.

“Why haven’t you tell me your name before? You know, I waited for you at the rooftop of the tallest building in our school right after our graduation ceremony but you didn’t come. Tell me, did I do something wrong to you, Kate?”

I looked away, afraid to be trapped by his intense stares. I decided to lie and don’t tell him the truth. Since now that I finally realized that Claire and Elijah have some kind of relationship with each other like what we have before. Looks like they are friends too.

“No, you haven’t done anything wrong. My Mom just wanted to celebrate my graduation day so we leave in the school earlier than I expected.”

“You forgot about me just like that?” he asked, then pouted.

“Uhm... Nope. I haven’t forgot you, Elij...”

“Then why aren’t you answering my calls?”

I sighed, looking for a perfect alibi to tell him. I need something that will make him believe that I didn’t cut everything that may lead to our friendship before. I don’t want him to think that I did that on purpose.

“Well... That’s the problem. Someone stole my phone so I haven’t been able to contact any of my classmates specially you before we leave the country... And also, I don’t know your address nor any of your social media account... So that’s it. It took me another eight years just to see you again,” I lengthy explained.

“Okay. I understand. Though it still doesn’t saved you from all those years that we should be talking to each other...” he whispered, and I just chuckled as a response.

He started the engine of his car before he drove me home. The whole trip, we talk about everything that he wanted to know about each. I’m very happy to meet him and have a peaceful mind away from my chaotic world even just for a moment.

Until time flies so fast. It’s been three weeks and tonight will be our high school reunion. I’m going to see Claire and Gabriel again, and Darren will probably be there too since he’s Claire’s husband. I bit my lower lip, trying to look in the brighter side of the things. Elijah will also be there, so maybe the night wasn’t going to be as bad as I expected.

I arrived just in time, looking for Elijah for he’s just the only one I’ve been looking forward to see tonight. I’m wearing a red, deep plunged tube dress matched with the color of my lipstick. I haven’t had that much time to prepare so I just randomly chose this dress from my closet.

Just as I think that I couldn’t get much luckier, someone behind me just arrived in the entrance hall, snatching the spotlight away from me. As they walked towards the main reception, they stole all the attention and stares from people all around us.

“Is he the great Darren Herrera of Herrera Corp.? Why is our batch mate with him?”

“Are they married?”

“Claire got lucky.”

Those are the few whispers that I overheard and surely, Claire did too. I wanted to tell them the truth, that for the second time around, Claire stole the man I’m supposed to get married to. But I know that will only cause a scene in here. And if Dad finds out about it, he’s gonna scold me that much. So I decided to just shut my mouth up.

But at least I have a chance to ruin Claire’s night. I badly wanted to be the cause of every disaster in her life. I’m gonna make sure that she’s not going to enjoy this high school reunion of ours.

“Well, well. My ex-fiance and my ex-bestfriend are already here... Bravo,” I bitterly stated.

Claire look stiffened because of my presence. I wanted to laughed at her nervous expression, but I tried to suppress it. As I’ve said earlier, this is not the time to cause a scene.

“Please don’t make a scene here, Kate,” Darren almost pleaded.

I wanted to slap it to their faces that I’m not making any scene. But I enjoy teasing them and making them think that I will. In that case, they will be bothered all night long.

“Oh! Now you’re being affected by my words, Mr. Herrera. And please note the sarcasm. That wife of yours doesn’t deserve you. Let alone, she doesn’t deserve any man. She doesn’t deserve to be happy. Am I right, Mrs. Herrera?”

I looked at Claire, before raising one of my brows. I heard some people gasped because of what I’d just said. Fools. They’re still the same when we were in high school. All they ever good at is to gossip among other people’s lives.

“Kate... Please, let’s talk about this on a more private place. Let us not ruin the night,” Claire stated, looking at me with her pleading eyes.

“Wow, coming from a bitch like you,” I answered.

I saw how Darren glared at me, maybe wanting to slap me for calling his wife a bitch. Before I could say anything more, Elijah walked in and came towards our direction. I think he’d just arrived in here. I wanted to greet him, but I remained calm. I know that Claire and him are already friends now, so maybe I’ll leave it here. I wouldn’t bother them anymore as long as Elijah is around. In fact, they should be thankful to him.

“Bro! You’re here... And Kate.”

He looked at me before flashing a tiny smile. But I decided not to smile back. I just rolled my eyes instead before finally leaving them alone.

“What happened?” I heard Elijah curiously asked to them.

I just shook my head then find a table for myself. Whatever it is that they’re talking about, I don’t freaking care. They can talk about me as much as they want tonight. But I’m not going to stop at my limits every time that I got the chance to make Claire feel uneasy.

I stopped for a moment when the speaker announced something that caught my full attention. A name that will surely brought an unbearable tension to Claire specially now that Darren is with him.

“Please welcome, our guest of honor and speaker tonight, our class valedictorian, Gabriel Elizar! A round of applause, please.”

The crowd gone wild at the name of that guy. I looked at Claire, only seeing her surprised face. After a few moments, I saw a man right there, standing arrogantly in front of all of us while staring directly at one person... That is no other than Claire.

I keep my eyes on her while she discussed something with Darren. Until finally, she decided to stood up so I grabbed that chance. She took one glass of strawberry punch from the buffet before sipping into it. She looked up, surprised to see me again, I quickly plastered a bored expression upon my face just to show her how disgusted I am to her.

“Kate...” she uttered my name.

“So, have you already talked to Gab?” I asked, raising one of my brows.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh come on, Claire. I know you. As if you weren’t planning to see him tonight,” I sarcastically answered.

“I’m really not looking forward for that, Kate.” As if she’s sure with that.

“Really? Of course you would deny it, because you are with your husband, right?”

“I don’t have time for this. I need to go.”

She tried to leave me but I suddenly grabbed her arm, not allowing her to escape from our conversation.

“I’m still talking to you, bitch.”

“Please get your hands off of me. It’s too tight.”

I heard her complaints, but I still acted like I didn’t care. In fact, I squeezed her arms even tighter this time, making her wince in pain.

“Stop it!”

“Don’t you dare tell me what to do, Claire!” I shouted at her face.

“What’s going on here?”

We are both shocked when we heard a familiar voice. A voice from a long time ago. And the owner of that voice was no other than the man who ruined our friendship.

“Gab...” I trailed off, finally letting go of Claire’s arm.

“Hi, Kate.”

“I can’t believe it. After all these years, you still have a guts to talk to me like that,” I stated in disbelief.

“Come on. That was a long time ago. Don’t you think that maybe it’s time for all of us to move on?”

“I’ll never forget what you two have done to me.”

“Claire didn’t do anything. So please don’t blame her. It was all my fault.”

I shook my head before looking at Claire from head to toe.

“You are unbelievable.”

I decided to walked out of their sight, leaving them both shocked and dumbfounded. I know that they’re going to catch up with each other or whatever. And this is it. The moment that I’ve been waiting for to ruin my ex-bestfriend’s night.

I saw Darren beside Elijah, so I came as low key as possible for I didn’t want him to witness how cruel I am. When I finally reached my target, I secretly whispered something into his ears. I also felt him stiffened at my sudden appearance.

“Your wife is really enjoying the night, Mr. Herrera,” I stated meaningfully.

He looked up, glared at me before his eyes searched for one person. And when he saw Claire talking to Gabriel, he instantly stood up like a mad person.

“Claire!” he shouted.

Claire looked surprised seeing her husband mad at her. She then turned her gaze towards me and I just smirked at her direction. Elijah finally realized what’s going on, so he stood up, looking at me in confusion.

“What’s happening?” he asked.

I just shrugged my shoulder, before I look behind me where Darren is currently dragging her wife out of the venue furiously. I could see that he’s already hurting Claire. For a moment, I felt guilty and I wanted to help her escape from Darren’s tight grip. But I decided not to. I was forced to be this cruel by the world, and I have nothing to do with that.

“Wait! Bro! Where are you going? The party was just starting,” Elijah stopped them midway from the exit hall.

“Get out of the way if you don’t wanna be dragged onto this, Elij,” Darren seriously stated before he continued pulling Claire away from us.

They leave from the party, and Elijah is still looking very stunned. He then averted his eyes towards me intensely, maybe realizing that I have caused that scenario.

“What?” I asked nonchalantly.

“You did that, am I right?”

“No, I didn’t. I just told Darren the truth, Elijah. That’s what I did.”

He shook his head before sending death raging glares towards my direction.

“You’re not the same person I once knew before. You changed, Kate. You changed a lot. And what I mean by that is you changed for bad. You became worst than before.”

After he said those words, he walked away, causing my heart to shattered into a million pieces. It felt strange, receiving a criticism from him. I thought I wouldn’t be affected by other people’s words anymore. But I’m wrong. I still am. Because I just found myself having a wet cheeks a few moments after Elijah left me in that party. I cried, not knowing the reason why. Maybe he’s right. I became worst than before. I’m a worst person.