Chapter 4

Chapter Four

“Isabelle… what’s up?” someone caught my attention while I am busy assisting the bartender of the coffee shop that I own.

“Sandex?” I said in a surprised voice as I look at him.

“It’s been years…” he said in a soft tone. I turned my look at the bartender first to tell him that he should finish what I was asking him to do. I went out from the counter and face Sandex who’s smiling at me right now.

“Let’s sit?” I asked him and he only nodded his head and I walked towards the vacant table. He followed me and we sat together. But it’s been five minutes already and none of us wants to say something.

It’s awkward.

I never imagined that we were so close before… but now, we can’t even talk without feeling awkward with each other.

“So… how’s life?” he was the one who got the courage to finally break the silence between the two of us.

“Fine, I’m doing good!” I answered trying not to show any awkwardness.

“I see,” after that… it was followed with another awkward silence. We don’t really know what to say anymore. But the tension between us gave me the chance to stare at his face. He becomes mature but that didn’t change the fact that he is still very good looking. I noticed that some girls are even staring at him. Being matured just gave him this aura that I don’t understand, but it attracts a lot of women.

I don’t need to ask him how is he because I know that he is doing well. I always see him in some business magazine that his company is still part of the most successful businesses around the whole of Asia.

He’s looking at me as if he’s trying to analyze me. “He’s doing good, too…” the smile on my lips faded because of what he said. I feel like he felt that my mood changes because of what he said that’s why he avoided my gaze. “He’s getting married,” I looked away, not knowing what to react. That’s why I am just trying to calm my system.

“Really? Good for him,” I tried my best to show that I am not affected by what he said. He was about to say something but I stopped him. “Are you going to order something? I will call our waitress…”

He was caught off guard by my sudden change of topic. “Maybe later, I’m still waiting for Zack and the others,” in the end he just decided to just go with the flow and divert the topic to something else.

Because even after three years… I still don’t want to talk about it. It took us five minutes to talk about some trivial things before I decided to leave already because I still have something to do.

Even after all these years… they are still friends with each other. I smiled bitterly, so I am the only one who didn’t become part of the squad, huh? I was about to leave already but he stopped me by grabbing my hand. I looked down at him and he looks worried.

“Trust me, Isabelle…” his voice softens before heaving a sigh. “He didn’t like what happened between the two of you,” I just smiled at him before removing his hand away from me. My steps are big, hoping that it would help me to be away from this. I entered my office inside this shop and lock the door. I lean against the wall and closed my eyes tightly.

When I finally calm myself, I decided to sit on the couch and rest the back of my head to the wall.

Three years since he decided to just leave like that, disappear like a bubble. Three years and I can still hear his promise to come back but he never did. From that day on, I never saw him again. Ever since that day, I live questioning what the hell just happened. Why didn’t he come back? Why he never bothered to make a move and maybe text me…

And after three years… why do I have to hear that news about him. Three years of not hearing anything about him and that’s the first thing that I heard. He left me without any words and now… he is getting married.

I snapped back to reality when I felt my phone vibrating for a text message. I took it out of my pocket and saw that the text is from my friend, Francine.

Francine:

Do you want to eat dinner with me?

A grin forms into my lips as I read her text message. Because I know that she only wants to eat dinner with me so I could invite Andrei, her crush. Andrei is my friend ever since high school and when I introduced him to Francine. She said that she felt the love at first sight.

Me:

Fine, I will bring Andrei with me so you better ask Venice to come too.

Francine:

Of course, don’t want you to be a third wheel ;)

I just shook my head and laugh a bit before I stood up and started to fix my things. It’s almost five in the afternoon and I know that by seven in the evening, Francine and Venus will fetch me to my house already.

Before I went home, I texted Andrei that he should go to my house so we could go to the restaurant that Francine reserved for us. When I got home, I immediately change and ready for dinner.

I wore my favorite red backless dress and I match it with my black stiletto. I just comb my hair a little and let it that way. I was about to put on my red lipstick when I heard a doorbell. I stopped for a while before I resume back to what I am doing. A few minutes later and the door of my room open and it shows me Francine who’s wearing a boring dress and her thick eyeglasses.

I rolled my eyes and felt bad for her. Her fashion sense really sucks. Venice followed her and she is wearing a black tube dress, showing her perfect cleavage with a black high heel.

“Don’t look at me like that, Isabelle. I already told her that her clothes suck.” Venice immediately defended herself to me when she noticed that I am looking at her with my eyebrows a bit raised.

“Suck? Shut up, Venice! You guys just prepared so much. We are just going to eat dinner,” she rolled her eyes to us.

I looked at Venice before I pulled Francine’s cardigan to remove it from her. Venice went inside my walk-in closet.

“Isabelle! I looked fine in my clothes so why bother?” She pouted her lips on me. But I didn’t listen to her and just waited for Venice to pick clothes for her from my closet. This is our usual set up, that’s why Venice always wants to go here first before going out. They are going here just so she could dress up Francine.

I made Francine sit on my bed. I took my coat and wear it before I went back to focus on her. I removed her eyeglasses and she squints a bit, adjusting from the lighting. I took her bag and search for the contact lenses that we got for her so she could use it right now. I helped her wear and she’s just pouting her lips the whole time.

“Isa,” Venice called, “Skirt?” she asked me as she showed me some of my skirts. I pointed out the color light blue skirt. She shrugged her shoulder before going back inside the closet.

“Venice, I have my new white off-shoulder there and take it outside. I think it will suit her.” I heard her saying yes, so, I went back to give my attention to Francine.

I removed the lipstick on her lips using a tissue; I replaced it with an orange-red lipstick, putting some light mascara on her eyes. I don’t have to put foundation or any bb cream on her face because her skin is fair enough, I even fixed her eyebrows because it’s messy. After with her face, the next thing I fixed is her hair. I removed the ponytail and made her hair looked messy but sexy.

“Change,” I order and she obeyed. We went out to give her privacy and wait for Andrei in the living room. I even told Francine to wear some of my shoes inside.

“Ma’am, Sir Andrei is already here…” my house help told me and I just nodded to her. I saw Andrei walking towards us already, wearing a black shirt and jeans. He looks good with his messy hair. He smirks at us before he both gave us a kiss on the cheeks and sitting beside us. I looked at Venice who is busy texting her boyfriend, Nathan. Nathan is currently busy at a business meeting in Canada.

“You looked gorgeous,” Andrei compliment me. I only mouthed thank you to him. Ever since I decided to avoid my friends from before, Andrei and Venice were the ones I become friends with. That includes Francine. They are the only friends I had ever since.

“I’m done,” I smiled when I saw Francine’s look. Unlike earlier, she looked even better and classy. I don’t mean to say that her nerdy looks look awful but… that’s exactly what I am trying to say.

I looked at Andrei to see her reaction but his eyes are focused on me; I sigh before turning my gaze to Venice who is giving me an awkward look. When I turn my back to Francine, I saw the obvious sadness in her eyes even when she’s smiling at me.

“Let’s go,” Andrei told us and we all agreed.

When we got to Francine’s favorite restaurant, Andrei immediately chose the sit beside me. I am not oblivious to his feelings for me. He actually confessed to me before but I had to reject him because I only see him as a friend. Even when I never told Francine about his confession, I know that she knew about his feelings for me.

And maybe the reason why Francine doesn’t really mind that he likes me is that they all know that my heart still belongs to someone. They never ask me for his name, they just respect that I don’t want to about him anymore.

“So how’s the shop?” Venice was the one who started a topic while we are eating.

“Good,” I paused as I remembered what happened a few hours ago. “I’m planning to visit the other branches tomorrow, want to come?” I told Venice. I don’t really expect Francine and Andrei to join us because they are both busy with their work tomorrow. Unlike from Venice who does freelancing so she got all the time.

I owned coffee shops and also I am an interior designer now. My father is offering me to work under our family business but I refused. I was dedicated to having my own business because I know my brother can do well in managing our business.

“Sure!” Venice said excitedly and I felt excited too because we can go shopping after that.

We continued talking about our work while Francine and Andrei are busy talking about their project for next month. Francine is an architect and Andrei is her engineer.

“Remember my brother?” Francine suddenly said after we got done with our dessert.

“Yeah, your favorite brother from Spain, right?” Venice answered.

My attention went to Francine and we all listen to whatever she’s going to say. I remember her telling me stories about her brother. That he is the one who manages their company in Spain. She even told us that her brother actually wants to be a doctor but their parents don’t want it.

“He’s coming home this Saturday. Then this Sunday, he will have a welcome party and I heard that they will also announce his engagement with his fiancée. So… the three of you should come. I am inviting you,” she chuckled.

“That’s good to hear. Finally, we can meet your brother,” Venice said as she drinks her wine.

“You will like her fiancée, swear! She’s really pretty and nice…” she sounded proud as she said that and I only just smiled at her.

“Sure, want to go shopping before the party?” I invited them both. Because I know Andrei can just call for someone to buy him a suit.

They all agreed and our conversation continued. But my mind was wandering somewhere else. I sighed. Honestly, I can’t stop thinking about what Sandex told me earlier. That sky is getting married already. I really want to ask him if he’s already back. If where he is… but I chose to mum myself because I know I don’t have to know about his whereabouts anymore. He was the one who ended our connection three years ago. Maybe now… I can finally let myself move on especially that he is already getting married.