enjoy your birthday

Chapter 2

First meeting

"sister May Ann..." I closed my eyes with so much irritation. This is one of the things I hate about my brother. The one who forces the person who doesn't want to do what he wants and even begs him.

Dad's reminder to us is that we should never try to plead with people or beg. Just because we want it to happen. Just because of our personal interest.

"Go to the hall, Arveliah. It's your day, just enjoy your birthday. You have guests that you have to deal with today,” I told her but she shook her head because she refused to go. "Arveliah..." I uttered her name with a warning.

"You always run away from my birthday party, Ate. Why? Is it because Dad and Mom don't want to introduce you to their guests? Because you always hide behind me? Because I just made you my shadow? Sister, they are not what I need for today! What I want... all I want is to be with you even for a moment... Even just now, Sister May Ann," he said full of resentment.

My brother and sister have a good relationship, but there's just one thing he doesn't understand. To be close to each other. Since I was still young, our parents kept us apart. So if I treat him as well, it's only civil and we've never experienced bonding with just the two of us. We don't do those freaking things.

"Don't beg for me, Arveliah. Just go and leave me alone," I told him coldly and then I started walking away from him.

I stopped when I heard her sniff and she let out a weak sob. Yes, I'm a strict sister too. There are also things that I forbid him to do and he is an obedient brother, he does not become reprimanded even though there are times when I treat him coldly.

If only other people could witness the way I treated him, they would think I was a bad brother and heartless.

I turned back to him and stared at his face. There were tears on his cheeks. She's already 25 years old, but she acted like a child. She's spoiled when it comes to me.

"You know that I hate this day... Arveliah," I promised firmly and her sobbing only got louder. Because of his stooping, it looks like his neck is about to break.

I always say this to her, I told her several times that this is one of the days I hate and hate the most. Because this is also the day when my mother disappeared. So I wouldn't want to be happy just because it's his birthday. It is still more important that I visit Mama at her grave. Than to accompany my brother on his special day.

"You hate me that much, Sister? That you don't even want my birthday?" I grabbed my white handkerchief from my pants pocket and gave it to him.

“I never. Wipe your tears and get back there. As your older brother, you have to obey me," I said coldly. She lifted her face and met my eyes.

Sister...”

"I told you not to beg. Don't do that, Arveliah," I said calmly and turned my back on him. I never heard her cry anymore so I have no reason to go back to her.

I just don't want to see her cry just because of me. I'm also hurt but he can't do anything about my treatment of him. This is how our parents raised me, so he also has to follow me, if he is raised differently, that will not be an exemption.

I was about to get to the front door when I heard a man's baritone voice. His voice was also cold.

"Do you know that one of the things I hate is people who make their siblings cry?" I frowned at his question. Except for the old man I met earlier, Don Bril, we also had guests from the Philippines and he spoke to me in our own language. I heard his footsteps towards me. For no reason my heart beats so fast and the nape of my neck is also numb that little by little my hair rises. But I remained silent, I don't talk to people I don't know. Except for Don Bril, who I also didn't think was approachable. "It's her birthday, why can't you give her what she wants? Why do you hate your sister too much, Miss? You're so heartless to treat her like that,” he blurted out and I nodded my head.

That's what I thought. I'm heartless sister to treat Arveliah like that. Yes, I'm right.

He was behind me and I didn't face him. I haven't even seen his face yet, I'm nervous in his presence. I didn't get tense that he was a bad person even though he was a stranger. My heartbeat is not normal anymore. For the first time, I just now experienced the nervousness in the presence of other people, except for my Daddy who seems to have a normal reaction to me. But with this guy...

What does he know? That was all he heard and he knew nothing about my reason for wanting to leave now. That I won't give it to my brother even on his birthday. Arveliah also doesn't know why her sister always runs away on her birthday?

Because Arveliah doesn't know that we are only brothers on the father's side and I'm the only child outside. What does my brother know about that? And about me leaving just to visit my Mama. Because this was the only day I was given the opportunity to visit him.

I didn't pay attention to him anymore and I just continued walking but he took one step after another. It's dark in this place and I know he can't see my face.

“Stop.” I ignored him. Who is he to order me? "Wow, I thought Theza was the only girl I knew who was rude. There is still one and the daughter of one of the richest and business man in all the towns of California," he mocked me. Even though I can't see his face now, I know his smile is wide.

"Who are you?" I asked him coldly.

"You're so rude. You're talking to someone who's your countryman but... you're just turning your back on me? Is there something wrong with your face that makes you not want to go to your brother's party? Is that why you also run away from him? So you weren't introduced because...is there something wrong with your face?” he asked one after another and my facial expression just hardened. He doesn't know me, the only one he knows is my daddy but he's like this. He's judging me right away. "And why is it dark in this part?"

"You're just a visitor. You're not allowed to roam around the mansion,” I told him, coldly. The party was in the hall room but he still managed to wander inside our mansion?

"You're so rude, Miss." I faced him and I just saw his silhouette. I can't see his face, I can only see his hair style. Just a normal haircut that is brushed forward and the side of his head is shorter compared to the top of it.

He has broad shoulders and is very tall, if I'm not mistaken he might be around 6'0 footers or maybe more. He's wearing his black three suits and a tie pin "What are you doing here?" I asked him back and he stepped closer to me again. I also want to back off because my heart just beats faster every time he gets closer to me.

What's with him and he can make me feel my weird heartbeat and this... goosebumps?

It was not difficult for me to look up to him even though he was still very tall. I wear gray ankle shoes without heels. Because I don't wear high heels if I don't have a party to attend.

In his silhouette I can see that his nose is also pierced. I wonder what he looks like. Even though it was dark where we were now, I still looked directly into his eyes.

"Good thing I have my phone with me. Don't move and just stay." Even though I was confused by what he was saying, I still didn't move from where I was standing and I just waited for what he would do next.

I was about to go deaf from the force of the pounding in my chest when he was illuminated by the light coming from his phone. I felt like I was still out of breath when I saw his face. His eyebrows are thick and because he is bent over, his long and thick eyelashes are more defined. It seems so unfair to us girls, why does it seem so natural?

Whereas other women put on fake eyelashes and whatever else they put on to make them look more beautiful but this... His long and pointed nose. His lips...heart shape and naturally red too. His jaw...the adams apple...

"There..." I didn't even blink when he handed me his phone and the flashlight was on.

I just looked at him without emotion and I didn't react either. I saw the shock on his face. His eyes are deep, if you look at them, they are a little bigger. He also stared at me for a few seconds.

"Do you know that one of the things I hate is when he shines his flashlight in my face?" I said it's still ice cold and I don't know if he was surprised or what. Suddenly, his phone slipped and we even heard a loud noise when it fell to the floor.

"Shit!" He was still weak and I rolled my eyes.

"Go back to the party," I firmly ordered him and turned away. Suddenly he shouted.

"I'm lost!" I frowned.

"And what about me if you get lost?" I fired back. He looks like a child.

"I just arrived because..."

"I didn't ask you that. It's your problem if you get lost," I interrupted.

"You..."

"Sister? What's going on?" I looked at my sister. He was behind this man. "Why is this light off here? Just wait...” Before he could even turn on the light, I hurried to leave.

Only then did my nervousness and the fast beating of my heart disappear when I left there.

I guess Mommy was expecting me to leave again. So the guard at the gate is strict. I just closed my eyes tightly. Why? Why does he have to do this to me? Why does he always mistreat me? Why is he torturing me?

"Mama... I missed you already..." I whispered into the air and closed my eyes again.

"Ms. Ann. You're not allowed to go out."

"As I expected," I muttered and took a deep breath. But I won't let Mommy win again now. I still insisted on what I wanted and they all blocked me. "Don't you dare block my way," I warned them.

If this is the case, I'm doing only one thing. To fight with them but before I could do what I wanted, I heard Mom's voice.

"May, honey, accompany your brother to his party. Come on," he said to me softly.

“May Ann, honey, join your sister in her party. Come on, son.”

That's why he is so kind to me. Because he also has friends with him. Because I know that he doesn't want to show them the way he treated me. His being strict and cold to me. Which is also different if Arveliah is the one he takes care of.

"Mom..."

"She's your eldest daughter, Venus?" her friend who wears her dirty white dress asked her that and she couldn't even avoid not looking at me. That's why I smiled at him.

"Yes, she is," said Mom, accompanied by a nod.

"She's more beautiful than your youngest daughter. How come that we didn't meet her, Venus?” Mom just smiled at them.

"Long story, really. Come on, hon. Let's get inside." I don't have any choice but to agree to go with them.

"Go dress up, May Ann," she said and I politely said goodbye to them before I went up the stairs. I went to my room.

I stared at my dress. Mommy prepared for me. Instead of wearing that, I just chose from my closet.

I choose my violet red bangage crop top and a pair of long skirt paneled style. They still look like suits because they are the same color. I know, if I wear this it will get more attention. Because apart from the adults, they are also wearing formal clothes and the others are wearing dresses and evening gowns. But as a matter of fact, my outfit today is simple. It's not noticeable.

I looked at myself in my big mirror inside my room. Because I'm wearing a crop top, my shoulders, arms and navel are still visible, but the neckline is not low, so it's fine. My cleavage cannot be seen. Because of the brightness of its color, my white complexion is more refined.

I looked at my hair that didn't go past my waist. This is not a pure black hair, it is gray and brownish. It's naturally waivy so I didn't even bother putting anything in my hair.

To Be Continued...