BIRTHDAY NIGHT WITH IVAN

Kaye ran as fast as he could back to her room. She immediately look for her phone which threw away earlier.

While waiting for it to turn on, she changed her dress into simple clothes. She kicked her heels and looked for her white rubber shoes.

"Come on! Why won't you turn on immediately?!" she lost her poise and was cursing to her phone while changing.

She didn't wait for her apps to load up. She grabbed her phone, wallet and keys before running out of the house.

People were wondering what she was up to and even her mother was confused. "Kaye, where are you going?" her mother called out to her before she could get inside her car.

"Mom, I have to go somewhere. I'm sorry I have to leave. If I won't, I would regret this my whole life." she entered the car and wind down the windshield. "I'll call you okay. Please help me entertain the guests. Love you." she bid her farewell and stepped on to the accelerator.

Margaret stood in her place with a shock and confused face. She didn't really know what was going on but remembering her child's pleading look, she decided to let her be.

"Where is she going?" Grace asked when Maggie came back. She felt bad for Kaye specially that Ivan didn't come to celebrate her birthday. She thought Kaye was upset and ditched the party.

"I'm not really sure myself. She was in a hurry cause she might regret this her whole life. I don't know what could it be." Margaret was helpless towards the crowds inquiry. She didn't have any idea what her daughter was up to.

Meanwhile, Kaye was on the road with so much fear and anticipation. She was losing focus and she was panicking. She was afraid that she's too late.

She had checked her phone earlier when she was at a stop light. Ivan had been calling her for more than twenty times. He left her a message that he'd wait for her in a restaurant that was reserved to celebrate her birthday.

He gave her the location and Kaye was on her way. Tears started streaming down her face when she remembered what was written on the paper. "I FELL IN LOVE WITH MY BEST FRIEND. THE SWEETEST CHILD I'VE EVER MET WHEN I WAS TEN." It was attached to her picture.

She was still far from the place and the rain started pouring down already. "Shit! I hate this! Of all times, didn't he say he would propose today? Was it postponed? How come he likes me? The girl he likes was me? This is ridiculous!" Her thoughts were a mess. She had so many questions but the person that could answer her probably left already.

Kaye wiped her tears and concentrated herself in driving. She couldn't leave now. She had to find him.

She drove for almost an hour before she arrived at the place. She got out of her car with an umbrella and jogged towards the restaurant. Just as she had expected, the things she feared the most - the restaurant was closed.

Her face was expressionless but her heart and mind were in turmoil. She was late. Too late already. She turned around heels ready to leave the place. Her eyes were blurry from her tears and she was having a hard time, catching her breath.

"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! Why didn't you wait a little more?! Why did you give up so early?! I hate you so much!" she screamed at the top of her lungs but her words were drowned by the sound of the rain and thunder. She was depressed and frustrated.

"Who said I didn't wait? Who said I gave up on you?"

Two questions made Kaye turned around abruptly. It hadn't registered to her yet but a warm hug enveloped her damp self.

"I'm glad you're here." Ivan whispered on top of her head while giving her gentle kisses. "I was scared you'd never show up."

Kaye sobbed silently in his arms. She gripped his shirt tightly, not giving him a chance to escape. "I thought you would really not celebrate my birthday with me. I was upset and turned off my phone." her voice was muffled since she had buried her face on his chest.

"I'm sorry. I was planning to surprise you but I think it would be better to get you dress up in warm clothes." Ivan could feel her shivering in his arms so he suggested that.

"I don't care about the surprise. I just want to be with you." Kaye responded with a sad face. "I just really want to spend time with you."

"I feel the same sweetheart." Ivan caressed her hair while he rubbed her back with his other hand. "Come here." he held her hand and walked her to her parked car.

Kaye stepped into the passenger seat. She followed Ivan with her eyes as he moved to the driver's seat.

Looking at her confused face, Ivan fasten the seatbelt around her. "I will answer all your questions once we're home. I don't think we could still proceed with my surprise with this heavy rain."

He had prepared an outdoor surprise for Kaye at the rooftop of the restaurant but the rain surely made a mess of it already.

"It doesn't matter." Kaye whispered before leaning the side of her head on the headrest. She was watching Ivan as he drove her car to his own villa. They sunk into silence but it was a comfortable one.

Ivan turned on the heater for her to keep her warm, though half of her body was wet. Since it was late at night already, Ivan sped up and reached his villa in less than half an hour.

Kaye grabbed her things and walked inside the house. Ivan led her directly to her room and prepared a hot bath for her.

"We'll talk after you take a shower. I'll find something for you to wear." then he left after Kaye went inside the bathroom.

Kaye was exhausted from the rollercoaster of emotions. When she dipped her body on the hot bath, she started to relax her nerves and she gradually fell asleep.

Ivan went in and out of her room twice already but she hadn't come out yet. Worried that something happened to her, he knocked on the bathroom door.

"Kaye?"

Silence bounced back at him.

"Kaye, are you alright?"

Still, there was no answer.

Ivan decided to open the door and what greeted him was Kaye's sleeping face.

"Oh god! Are you trying to drown yourself?!" Ivan scolded her in a whisper but Kaye only opened her eyes groggily and tried going back to sleep.

Left with no better choices, Ivan carried her off to her bed and wiped her dry with a towel. He dressed her with his large t-shirt and sweat pants. He helped her sit up and leaned on him as he dry her hair with a blow dryer.

After making sure that everything's fine, Ivan carried her to his room since her bed got wet from the droplets of water.

Ivan covered her with a thick quilt and turned on the heater. He went back to her room and picked up her clothes. He left them in the washing machine while he changed her bed sheets. After cleaning her room, he went back to his laundry and hang them to dry before he got himself to bed and sleep beside her.

That night, Ivan and Kaye slept peacefully beside each other.