YOU'RE GROWN UP

fter thirty minutes in the car, they finally arrived at

Marla’s place. It was a long drive but she never got

bored with Cathy. Her friend has so many stories to

tell even if they are always together.

They come down from the car.

Their eyes looked around and they could see that all the cars

parked at the side of the road were pretty expensive.

“Wow, look. There are a lot of luxurious cars here,” Cathy

said as they walked inside Marla’s house.

“So true. It seems that the party already started, Cathy.” The

party already began because they could hear the music from

outside.

“Yeah, but I don’t think we have missed anything yet.”

“I guess so. Let’s be quick,” Mary Ann said, walking a bit

fast.

“Hey, wait for me,” Cathy said as she tried to catch up on

her.

The party is held at the backside of the three-story house.

There’s a kidney-shaped swimming pool.

The area is ornamented with colorful fancy lights and

decorative plants embellishing the beauty of the place.

A photo shoot booth is at the main entrance. Marla loves to

take photos, so for sure, this is her idea.

From their position, they could see the table of the celebrant

with her three-layered cake.

At the side located are the spritzer bars which will give the

guests mixing their own spritzer for fun.

And, there’s a barbecue grille too.

“She said it’s a simple party,” Mary Ann said.

Cathy chuckled. “Define simple for her.”

She shook her head.

They finally saw Marla among the crowd.

She saw them waving her hand so they started walking

towards her.

“Here you are, I thought you're not coming!” Marla

welcomed them with a big hug.

She looked angelic in her light pink and white off-shoulder

mermaid gown.

“We made a promise.” She smiled at Marla. “I am sorry if

we are late.”

“No... no... no. You just came on time. Thank you for

coming.” She held both Cathy and Mary Ann’s hands. “Come

guys, I'll introduce you to my big brother and his friend.”

Marla guided them and they walked together.

Their friend’s father is a government official but aside from

that she really came from one of the richest families in the city.

She’s the youngest. She has a big brother so that’s why she

shouldn’t be surprised at how big the party has been thrown for

her.

Marla is one of our closest friends and at the same time their

classmate in high school. They just got separated when they

were going to college.

Marla took up nursing while she and Cathy decided to take

business administration.

She isn’t mistaken. There are a lot of guests already when

they arrived.

Some look familiar to her and she knows some of them.

She smiled and waved her hand when she saw a familiar

face; one of her classmates in high school. She couldn’t stop to

say hi because Marla is holding her hand.

Many of the guests are their old classmates and friends,

while the others may be her new classmates and Marla’s

relatives.

“You aren’t mistaken,” Cathy murmured to her.

“Huh?”

“You are right saying this is a reunion.”

“I told you,” she said and smiled.

“This looks more like our high school reunion than her

birthday,” she continued to say. She could see the familiar faces

from their high school class.

Finally, they reached a table and Marla had them sit down

and left to look for her brother.

“Alright, girls. Just stay here. I will go and grab my

brother,” the celebrant said with a smile at them.

“Okay, don’t worry about us.”

Just in a few minutes, Marla came back but this time she

had her big brother with her.

“Hi, guys,” Marla said to catch their attention. “Uhm...

Remember him?” she asked them while her eyes were so bright.

She looked at the guy intently and tried to remember who

he was.

“Oh, come on. This is my big brother,” she said, “This is

Mary Ann and Cathy. They are my friends and classmates from

when I was in high school.” Marla tries to remind her brother

who they are.

Arnel stared at her and Cathy.

“Seriously?” Marla said and shook her head. “They are the

girls who I always have here at the house to do a group project.”

Mary Ann saw Arnel pointing her fingers at her as if there’s

like a bulb that lights up inside her head.

“Oh yes, I remember you,” he uttered. “And, you.” This

time she pointed to Cathy.

They both smiled at him.

“You remember them now?” Marla asks her brother.

Arnel nodded. “Wow... You're both grown up and pretty.”

Surprise drew to his face.

Mary Ann couldn’t say a word. She could feel her face

burning hot from the compliment. She is aware that she’s

blushing.

Arnel has been her crush since high school. Whenever they

have a group project she usually chooses Marla to be a group

mate so they can go here and she can see Arnel.

Arnel was already in college at that time. She just

responded with a polite smile.

“Oh, by the way, let me introduce to you my friend, John.”

Mary Ann turned her gaze to the man beside Arnel. She didn’t

notice that there was another man standing in front of them.

The man is tall with a medium body build. He has fair skin

for a man.

His face is round in shape with high cheekbones. She

looked at his brown curly hair perfectly paired down to his thick

arched eyebrows.

She was captivated by his brown eyes that had long

eyelashes. It seems his eyes are enchanting.

His pointed nose and full red lips make him more attractive.

He is wearing a plain white polo shirt. She noticed his big

arms and under that shirt, she could see a nice chest.

He paired his blue ripped jeans with converse shoes.

The guy smiled at them. “Hi, I am John and pleased to meet

you,” he said with his manly voice that sounds with natural

hoarseness.

He extended his hands for a handshake.

Mary Ann gently shook her head as she came back to her

senses. She stared a bit longer than expected at the guy in front

of her. She hopes that John didn’t notice it.

“I am Mary Ann. Marla’s friend and this is Cathy,” she said

and politely accepted the guy's hand as soon as she recovered.

The temperature in his palms passed into her cold hands and

into her blood. Mary Ann's fingers trembled slightly and she

could feel weak in her knees.

After introducing and getting to know each other, Marla

excused herself to entertain some of her guests.

“Guys, I hate to leave but I need to go and check the other

guests,” she said looking apologetic to them.

“No, that’s okay. We can manage,” Cathy said.

“Go, don’t worry about them. We won’t leave them,” Arnel

said to his sister.

“Thank you, big brother. Please make sure that they will

enjoy the party,” she said and smiled at them and then turned her

back to entertain the other guests.

The four of them were left on the table.

“Girls, do you want to have some drinks?” Arnel asked.

“Only pineapple juice for me, please?” Mary Ann said.

“Apple juice...” Cathy said.

They haven’t tried to drink any alcohol before and she

cannot drink because her grandmother will get angry if she will

smell her with alcohol when she comes back home.

“Oh, you are still little girls then,” Arnel said after hearing

what they wanted for their drinks.

She just smiled as a response.