Stealing Attentions

Chapter 9

Veronica's POV

Smiling at my reflection, I realized how much I resembled my mother. The dress I was wearing, one she lent me before I left for the U.S., held more meaning than just its beauty. She'd told me, with that familiar warmth in her voice, that it looked better on me than it ever had on her. But I knew the real reason she gave it to me. I couldn't afford a new dress, not for a party like this. Growing up, we counted every penny, and it was the same for me now. Party dresses were a luxury I couldn't justify. So, I brought most of my clothes from Mexico. Tina and Veronica understood; I'd explained my situation to them, and they never made me feel less for it.

Yet here I was, all dressed up for Joe's birthday party, my stomach in knots. I'd been faking enthusiasm for days, pretending to be excited, but the truth was... I wanted out. I'd spent hours trying to find the right words to tell Trisha and Veronica that I wasn't up for it. I didn't belong at parties. Not in places where laughter bounced off walls and conversations blurred into noise. The thought of being there, in the middle of it all, made my chest tighten.

How could I tell them I didn't want to go? I'd been trying for years to be "normal," to fit in. But my past. My past always found a way to pull me back. I wasn't made for this. Crowds suffocated me. Loud music set my nerves on edge, as if the vibrations would crack me open and expose everything I tried so hard to keep together. The panic attacks... they never warned me when they'd come, but when they did, it felt like drowning in a sea of people who couldn't see me struggling.

I glanced at the clock. I was supposed to be at the party in an hour. My heart raced, each tick of the second hand feeling like a countdown to my own undoing. What excuse could I give? What could I say that wouldn't make them hate me? I'd be a traitor, wouldn't I? Bailing at the last minute would be worse than going, and they'd probably see me as unreliable. Weak, even. The thought made my chest tighten further.

My heart pounded so loudly it drowned out my thoughts. I felt lightheaded, dizzy, as though my body was already trying to escape. I forced myself to take slow, deep breaths. You can do this, Veronica, I told myself. Remember, you survived your cousin's graduation party before coming here. You made it through, and nothing bad happened. Tonight will be fine. Tina and Trisha will be there... you're not alone.

But no matter how many times I repeated those words, the dread clung to me. I'd been through so much already. Financial struggles, moving away from home, the weight of responsibility that came with every choice I made. And now, this? Just showing up at a party felt like the hardest thing I'd ever had to do. How was I supposed to keep facing the world when even small things like this felt like mountains I had to climb?

Suddenly, my phone buzzed in my hand. I almost jumped, the vibration snapping me out of my thoughts. A message from Trisha: I'm already at your place, so hurry up.

My throat tightened. There was no backing out now.

With trembling hands, I smoothed down my dress and forced myself to the door. You can do this, I repeated. You have to do this. I couldn't lock myself away forever. There was a whole world out there, full of people I would have to face eventually. Mom used to say that the more challenges I faced, the stronger I would become. But why did it have to feel like every challenge was tearing me apart?

I plastered on a fake smile, the kind that masked the fear swirling inside me, and stepped outside to greet Trisha. She was waiting, impatient, but she didn't see the battle I was fighting within. She didn't see how close I was to running back inside and locking the door behind me.

Tina's POV

Looking at myself in the mirror, all dressed up for the party, I couldn't help but think twice about whether I was perfectly dressed. I smoothed the fabric of my rose gold, full length dress, the slit running daringly up from the knee. The silver necklace with its rhinestone pendant gleamed against my bare skin, and the small diamond earrings sparkled under the soft light. After checking myself for the second time, I took a deep breath and decided, This will do. Slipping into my black stiletto heels, I pulled on my fur coat since my dress was sleeveless with thin straps. Grabbing Joe's present, I headed out.

The cab ride took about thirty minutes, but my nerves had me tapping my foot the whole time. I stared out the window, the city lights blurring past. What if I was overdressed? What if Tamara was going to be there? Off course she would be.I shook the thought away. I had planned to enjoy the night, no matter what.

When I arrived, the venue was breathtaking. Garden lights lit the walkway, casting a warm, inviting glow that contrasted with the cool evening air. The massive building loomed ahead, its classical design giving the place an air of timeless elegance. As I followed the other guests inside, my heart began racing. What if I shouldn't be here? I felt like an outsider now. Which by the way I was. I felt a little ridiculous with my sweaty palms. Calm down, I told myself.

A butler offered to take my coat, and I handed it to him with a quick smile before scanning the crowd. I was supposed to meet Veronica and Trisha, and they'd already texted me, so it was just a matter of finding them. Luckily, I spotted Veronica near the waiting area. She waved, looking a little anxious herself. At least I'm not the only one.

"Hey, gorgeous," she greeted as I reached her. "You look amazing. Not bad, huh?" She gave me an appreciative once over.

"Yeah, all thanks to you and Trisha." I hugged her, feeling slightly more grounded. "Where's Trisha?"

Veronica chuckled. "Oh, you know her. Already hitting the bar like it was her last night on Earth."

Of course, I thought, smiling as we made our way through the crowd. The hall was alive with laughter, chatter, and the occasional clink of champagne glasses. But I wasn't paying attention to any of that. My eyes were searching for one person. And there he was. Joe, standing with a group of guests, looking effortlessly handsome in a navy blue two-piece suit with a black bow tie. How does he always manage to look like he stepped out of a magazine? I couldn't tear my eyes away from him, even though I tried to.

Then he saw me. Our eyes met, and my heart did that stupid thing where it skipped a beat. I quickly looked down, but when I dared to glance back, he was smiling at me. That soft, disarming smile that made everything else disappear for a moment. God, I want to kiss him.

But then I saw her. Tamara, standing close to Joe, her hand casually resting in his. My stomach dropped, jealousy surging through me like a cold wave. Of course she's here. And of course, she's with him. I tore my gaze away and tried to focus on Veronica instead.

I tried to ignore the gnawing feeling in my gut as Tamara's hand lingered on Joe's arm. Was it just a friendly gesture, or was there something more? My mind spiraled. I had no claim on him. No right to feel this way but that didn't stop the jealousy from rising up like bile.

"I need a drink," I muttered.

Veronica raised an eyebrow but didn't ask. She was always good about not prying. "Well, if this gets any more awkward, I might just start doing shots," Veronica whispered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. I stifled a laugh. Trust her to keep things light, even when I was spiraling into a mini crisis.

Before I could respond, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned, half expecting Joe, but it was Trisha, looking effortlessly gorgeous in a wine red long dress, her hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. "You okay?" she asked, her face scrunched with concern.

"Yeah, just... long day. You know, lectures, assignments, and now this party." I faked a laugh, trying to shrug it off, though my mind was still reeling from seeing Joe and Tamara together.

Before I could dwell on it any further, a familiar scent filled the air. Joe's cologne. I turned, and there he was, standing right behind me. Veronica and Trisha went silent, their eyes fixed on him.

"Hey," he said, his voice sending a flutter through my chest.

"Hey..." I managed, extending my hand. "Happy birthday."

He took my hand, and for a second, everything else faded. Is it just me, or is the air between us different? I thought as warmth spread from his touch.

"Thanks for coming. It really means a lot to me," he said softly.

I tried to respond, but my words seemed to slip out before I could think. "Of course. I couldn't turn down an invitation."

Joe's smile widened when our eyes met, and for a split second, I felt like I was the only one in the room. But before I could move closer, before I could say anything, Tamara's voice pierced through the moment. I froze. She was making a toast, and the way she looked at him like he was her whole world. And made the air around me feel suffocating.

The soft murmur of the crowd felt distant now, replaced by the sharp clink of glasses as Tamara's voice filled the room. The warmth of Joe's hand still lingered on my skin, but it was quickly replaced by the icy grip of uncertainty.

"To the boy I've always admired and loved," she began, her voice confident and unshaken. Loved? I barely heard the rest of her words. Something about how Joe had always been there for her, how she treasured him. My mind was stuck on that one word. Loved.

Joe's smile faltered for a moment when Tamara spoke, but he quickly recovered, flashing her that same warm grin. Was it just my imagination, or was there something in his eyes. Hesitation, maybe?

She raised her glass higher. "Here's to your twenty-first!"

Twenty-first? My heart stopped for a second. He's... twenty-one? How did I not know that? I just knew it was his birthday. I didn't know it was his twenty first. My mind raced. How could we be in the same batch if he was three years older than me? I stood there, frozen, as she walked over to Joe, clinging onto his arm like it was hers to hold.

Three years. What happened in those years? I didn't have an answer. But right then, none of it seemed to matter. Because Joe's smile-bright and warm as always was enough to make me forget everything.

Twenty one. The word kept on repeating inside my head. Three years older than me. My heart pounded as the realization hit. How could I have missed that? Did he think I was too young for him, too naïve? My mind raced through every conversation we'd ever had, wondering if there were signs I'd been blind to.

Joe's POV

Tamara still held my hand tightly as guests wished me a happy birthday. I felt like a puppet smiling, nodding, while my mind was somewhere else. Glancing back, I noticed Tina staring at me, lost in her thoughts. Was she upset? Or just tired? God, I hoped she wasn't mad at me. I felt remorseful for how Tamara had pulled me away from her. I didn't mean to ditch her, but how do you tell your childhood best friend, 'Hey, can you stop monopolizing my birthday so I can hang out with the girl I really want to talk to'?

It seemed like Tina wanted to express something but refrained. Or maybe I was imagining things? Either way, I was dying to get back to her. I could tell from her eyes that she wasn't comfortable. Despite my attempts to return to her, the excited guests engulfed me with their well-wishes and hugs. I was drowning in birthday affection, and all I could think was, 'Get me out of here.' I felt utterly helpless for not being there for her.

When I looked at Tina again, she was laughing with Trisha and Veronica, and a wave of relief washed over me. Okay, she's not mad. Crisis averted-at least for now. Tamara had worked tirelessly with Mom and Jia to organize the party, and I sensed she needed my attention since I owed her one. Besides, how do you ditch someone who's thrown you the best birthday party you've ever had?

"Happy birthday, Joe," Mrs. Givens said.

"Thanks, Mrs. Givens," I replied, trying to snap out of my Tina-induced haze.

Mrs. Givens was Tamara's mom, a single mom who had raised Tamara alone after her dad passed away when she was five. She had remarried Mr Givens since then.

"Where's Mr. Givens?" I inquired.

With a somber expression, she murmured, "Oh, sorry about that. He had to attend a business meeting, but he sent this," handing me an envelope.

"Make sure you take good care of the birthday boy, Tamara," she smiled.

"Yes, Mom, I'll make sure your birthday boy is pampered today," Tamara giggled.

Pampered? Oh no, what does she have in store?

Tamara signaled the DJ to change the music, pulling me onto the dance floor. This is my life now, dancing for Tamara's entertainment. Watching her so happy, I decided to join in and match her moves. At least I can dance without embarrassing myself.

To my surprise, I noticed Tina dancing with Trisha and Veronica. She looked...amazing. Was I staring too much? Yeah, probably. Seeing her enjoying herself made me feel a little better. Okay, Joe, breathe. She's not mad. You can fix this. Maybe ask her to dance later. Just be cool.

After dancing for a while, I joined Calvin, Justin, and my uni friends. Justin was half drunk as usual, but to my surprise, he was behaving well-probably scared of my dad. Dad always gives him the 'you should know better' speech. Works every time.

"Hey bro, happy birthday," Justin cheered, slinging an arm around me. Ah, there it is-the half-drunken embrace.

"Are you having a good time?" Calvin whispered into my ear as the music pounded.

I nodded and whispered back, "Thanks for the DJ thing. Mom told me you arranged all this."

"My pleasure. It's your birthday treat and is she the one," Calvin said with a wink looking at Tina.

"Yea", I nodded.

The word "treat" reminded me of Calvin's farewell party, which we planned to have next week on Friday since he is flying out on Sunday. Man, I'm gonna miss that guy. Maybe I should throw him a party with a DJ too. Except I'd be the one sober this time.

I excused myself, telling them that I had to meet other guests. But in reality, I was looking for Tina. Who am I kidding? I'm a man on a mission-Operation Ask Tina to Dance.

As I spotted her, my mood soured. Some guy was dancing near them, lurking way too close to her. Whoa, who is this dude? And why does he look like he's trying to steal my thunder? Not happening, pal.

I took a step toward Tina, fully prepared to rescue her from Mr. Lurky, when Jia pulled me back to the dance floor. Of course. I love my sister, but her timing is impeccable.

Before I could tell Jia to wait, I saw Tina move away from the guy and head toward the bar. Well, at least she's safe-for now. I heaved a sigh and took Jia's hand, leading her to the dance floor. Guess Operation Ask Tina to Dance is delayed... again.

_______________________________

"Sometimes, love isn't about grand gestures or perfect timing. It's about finding the courage to take the first step, no matter how uncertain the path ahead may seem."