CHAPTER 02: Sharing Secrets

KATE’s P.O.V.

          My driver parked our car in front of Claire’s house. It’s been a week since our first encounter with that Gabriel guy. But even so, I can still remember his face, the sound of his voice, and everything about him.

“Kate! You’re here!” Claire bounced happily towards me.

          I beamed at her, thankful that I could spend every lunch with the man I like because of her being so much friendly to everyone.

“I’m here to borrow you again from your parents.” She laughed at my statement. “Just kidding. But you know, weekend is...”

“Bestfriend time!” we both shouted before we did our secret handshake.

“So... Are you ready?”

“Uhm, yeah. I’ll just get my sleepover stuffs. Do you want to get inside?” she asked.

“Sure!”

         We walked inside of their house. It was just simple and small, yet very cozy and tidy. I’m sure that everyone will feel at home in here. As we passed by their small hallways, several photos of their family bombarded me. How I wish that I could literally be part of theirs. Looking at those pictures, it made me feel so envious. I hope Mom and Dad could be this happy too, whenever they are with me.

“Hi! You’re here again, Kate!” Claire’s Mom greeted me with a big hug and a kiss on my cheeks.

“Good evening.” I smiled to her.

“Come and have a seat while Claire is preparing her stuffs.” She offered a plate of homemade cookies and milk.

“Thanks.”

“Anything for you, dear.”

           Claire just winked at me, before she started to make her way upstairs.

“So... Claire told me that you two are very close to each other.” She smiled at me.

“Uhm, yeah...” I shyly answered, before blushing.

“Oh please, don’t be shy with me. Because you are Claire’s bestfriend, I’ll treat you as my own daughter as well.”

          I felt overwhelmed by her kindness. This kind of mother figure is the one that I’ve been I’m longing for ever since the beginning.

“Thank you so much.”

“You are always welcome. You can come here at our house any time you want, hija. How I wish I could let you two have a sleepover here. But I can’t. Our house is too small,” she stated, chuckling.

“That’s fine. As long as you’re letting me spend some time with Claire, I’ll be alright.”

“How sweet of you.”

         She’s about to start another conversation when Claire climbed down the stairs, carrying her bag of sleepover stuffs.

“I’m ready!” she happily announced.

“So, I let you two leave now. And please, Kate. Don’t spoil my daughter too much,” her Mom stated.

         Claire jokingly glared at her Mom, and she just laughed before giving her a tight hug.

“Bye, Claire. I’ll see you in the next day. Please behave at their house, okay?”

“Mom, I’m not a kid anymore.” She roll her eyes.

“Whatever, kiddo. I just wanna make sure that you’re always safe. I’ll tell your father about this when he arrived home later.”

         Claire smiled at her Mom then nodded. She gave her a quick kiss before tugging me outside of their house.

“Let’s go! I can’t wait to spend some time with you again.” She winked at me before smiling mischievously.

         I instantly got nervous knowing that she will grill me about something later. She chuckled to herself, before hopping inside of the car. I did the same before telling my driver to go.

“Let’s go.” Our driver just nodded before starting the engine.

         Claire and I just talk about some random stuffs during the whole trip. I’m very lucky to have this kind of friend that respects my privacy. She knew that I don’t want our driver to hear any of my nonsense drama in life that’s why she didn’t dare to start and talk about “that” certain topic. But I know that she’s still gonna asked me about it later.

“We are here now, Ms. Kate.” The car stopped moving.

          From the corners of my eyes, I saw how a smile slowly formed at my bestfriend’s lip. She excitedly hopped down from the car, looking at me mischievously. She pulled me outside as well, and I know for an instant that this is it.

         We ran towards the stairs, giggling softly as we climbed up. I opened the door of my room for us to get inside. I locked it. I don’t want our maids to gossip about our conversation.

“Come on, tell me now!” Claire exclaimed excitedly.

“Right now? Can we just eat or something before I share my secret to you?” I asked, blinking several times, trying to look cute.

“Nope. Tell me now. I badly wanted to know about it.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

“So... You’re keeping secrets to me now, huh?”

“No. That’s why I’m going to tell you about it right now. It’s about–”

“Gabriel, isn’t it?” She chuckled.

“I know you already knew.”

“Of course I do! How do you expect me not to get so suspicious? I can see it in the way that you stared at him and–”

“Stop! Okay, okay. I like him... So much.”

         Her eyes lighten up in amusement. She sat beside me before combing my hair using her fingers.

“You’re already a maiden.”

“Stop it. I don’t want to hear that word. It was so weird and awkward.” She laughed.

“You know what, that’s fine. Every girl in our school likes someone. I’m glad that finally, you’ve been feeling something normal.” Now it’s my turn to laughed at her response.

“Normal? Does that mean that I wasn’t normal before?”

        She lay down on my bed, suppressing her laughter. I did the same before looking at her. I wish I could act as natural as Claire in front of the boys.

“Of course you are normal before... I just... I didn’t saw you this happy before. Looks like you finally had a purpose going to our school everyday because of Gab. I hope that you will be inspired because of that feeling.”

“How did you know?” I asked curiously. “Have you been in love before, Claire? No secrets allowed, please.”

         She chuckled before answering me.

“No. I haven’t been in love before. But if I were to be, I know that moment would be far long from our current time right now. I think I’m not yet ready to fall in love as of now.”

“You think so? Then how can you make sure how love feels?”

“I just feel it. Love from my family. Love from friends... Just like you. Those love from the people I value the most is what inspires me to be better each passing day. And of course, self love. You need that, Kate. Love yourself the way you did to others.” I looked at her intensely.

“I wish I felt that love from my Mom and Dad.” She patted my back sympathetically.

“Of course they love you. Maybe you can’t feel it right now but I know whatever it is that they’re doing at this moment are all for you and your future.”

         She smiled at me and I did the same.

“Let cut the drama,” I stated before laughing.

“Sure... So what now, Kate?”

“What what?”

“What are you planning to do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Hello?! Gabriel thing, you know. Are you just going to sit there and wait for him to confess, or are you going to take the lead?” she asked.

“Well... I don’t really know.” I looked down, blushing. “I’m not as confident as you to go ahead and talk to some guy like him.”

“I just told you earlier. Learn how to love yourself. Other people will follow. Just... Be yourself, Kate. I’m rooting for you two.”

         I shrugged my shoulders before smiling to myself. I’m so lucky to have a bestfriend like her. If I was with her, I can do anything I would like. Together, we are unstoppable.

“Then... Maybe I would take the first step. I’ll start talking to him and get myself closer and closer each time.”

“That’s my bestfriend! Your plan is very great... Though...”

“Though what?”

“You two needs to be alone together.”

         So that means that Claire wouldn’t be by my side when that moment happens? I doubt that I can do that without her help.

“But...”

“Shhh... Don’t worry. Just leave it all to me. I’ll do anything for our plan.”

“But, Claire... I don’t know what to do without you,” I stated nervously.

“There is no other way that you could go with me. You need to cherish those moments with him alone. I promised that it would be worth it.” She smile widely towards my direction.

“Thank you, Claire. But how will you set us up?” I curiously asked.

“You are always welcome, and... It’s a surprise. So just sit back and relax, wait there, and see it for yourself,” she stated, smiling at me mischievously.