Secret Rendezvous

LA CASA BUENA

LITTLE did Summer know Storme never left the mall. He was hiding, listening to their conversation. Alas! 5 PM at La Casa Buena.

[Summer’s POV]

LA CASA BUENA Hotel…

When our driver dropped me off at the La Casa Buena hotel’s lobby. I saw Stella so bored kicking her luggage constantly while Nadine was patiently reading her Twilight Saga novel.

“As usual, the princess is late again!” Stella greeted me impatiently.

“What do you expect from me, Bestie? I’m always late and never change. Since when I was early? It would be doomsday if I was here first before you guys. Must be the end of the world if that happens,” I playfully answered.

“Enough whining, Stella. We are lucky we can stay at this luxurious hotel for free. Be thankful instead,” Nadine scolded Stella.

“You are right? What can we do? Summer is superb at bribing, doesn’t she?” Stella replied.

“You are so mean, Luningning Stellar. I don’t see it as a bribe. So, Summer, what floor?” Nadine asked.

“Wait. Mm-hmm. I think the 7th floor? I have to ask the receptionist,” I answered.

“Did you contact the boys? Are they coming to join us?”

“My brother Red and Bren will be here tonight, but Dhrim said he will try to make it.”

“Dhrim is not sure to make it tonight? Why is he always not around lately? If not busy, he is on a date. Even on our gigs, he’s always in a hurry to leave. Never mind. Let’s go, girls!”

We left the lobby with our weekender bags. I mean mines and Nadine's weekender bags because Stella brought a huge travel suitcase with her. I wonder if she packed all her clothes inside. I started walking towards the reception desk while Nadine and Stella waited for me by the elevator.

“Hi, pretty!” I greeted Linda, the hotel’s receptionist, Storme’s cousin.” You look gorgeous today. I like your eyeshadow and oh! Your lipstick. You're dazzling in that shade!”

“Thanks, Skylene! I’m flattered. What can I do for you?” she asked.

“It’s Summer, Linda, not Skylene. I’m picking up my room keycard. Papa reserved the presidential suite for me for a one-week stay.”

“Give me a few minutes. I’ll check.”

“Okay. No worries. Take your time.”

A few minutes had passed, and my legs were getting stiff already from standing. I still haven’t heard a word from her. I know I said, ‘ take your time but I’m becoming impatient. ” What is taking you so long, Linda? Where’s my room keycard? Is there a problem?”

“Sky—Summer, there is no reservation under your name.”

“What do you mean, no reservation under my name?” I asked politely.

“I’m so sorry. I checked a few times. It’s not written in the log and it’s not on the system the rooms are fully booked.”

“Check again Linda, maybe Aunt Devine missed logging my reservation. I will take any room available that doesn't have to be the suite. The family room deluxe should be alright.”

“Summer, I would take care of you, but I don’t have any available room right now. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. I have a guest checking out in two hours. Can you wait?”

“Wait? Unbelievable! This is impossible!” I screamed in frustration and annoyance. “I was here yesterday when my Papa called and Aunt Devine talked to him. She assured him they will take me care of,” I raised my voice in an upbeat tone, freaking out.

“Okay, calm down. Let me check again.”

While Linda is trying to help me out. Storme appeared from the back office of the reception desk.

“Hi, Sunshine! What brings you here?” He smiled, and a hint of arrogance glimmered on his eyes.

“Why do you care if I’m here? I can go wherever I want to go. How about you? What brings you here? Why are you here?” I answered him back. My voice was firm as a rock.

“This is our family business, so I must be here. Did you forget?” Storme said smiling, a brief sardonic smile.

“I know this is your family business. Oh! You probably don’t know yet. Let’s get things right, okay? If you’re not yet informed, Devin Storme. Let me enlighten you so you can learn to be a little humble about your status. You're no longer wealthier than me now, Vin. Your family, I mean the Buenaventes, does not solely own this building anymore. What I mean La Casa Buena Hotel, Buenavista Penthouse, and Restaurante Amore are not only yours anymore. My father owns half of this hotel!” Stormes’ smile faded.

“Oh! You seemed so shocked! You don’t know, Storme? Now you can pump your break a little. Jeez! Why did I bother answering your stupid question? Get out of my sight, Storme! Your face is disgusting! Jeez! Your face is so angelic, but your attitude is so demonic!” I holler out at him. Did I say that? The words left my lips before I could stop myself. I turned away from him, giving my attention back to the receptionist,” Anything, Linda?”

“I apologize, Skylene. Our presidential suites are fully occupied right now.”

“Occupied? You mean not available, right?! Not a single room? You mean no accommodation for me?!” my voice rose almost to a scream in disbelief.

“You can’t stay in that suite because I live there,” Storme said in a deep voice that seemed to vibrate along my nerves.

“Now, this makes sense. Papa reserved the suite for me yesterday, and now you are telling me it’s not available. Is this how you treat our hotel guests? You will just tell them, ‘I’m sorry it’s not available? Papa has reserved it. Are we fooling each other here, Linda?” I asked, my voice growing increasingly shaky.

I looked at Storme intensely. “I’m sure, Storme. So sure, 101 percent sure that you got something to do with this. You scheming little punk! I’ll make sure Papa will know about this,” my voice shook with fury.

“What? Skylene Summer, every time something bad happens to you. You will blame it on me?” Stormes’ voice held a bitter note.

“Precisely! Every time something bad happens to me. You're involved, Devin Storme. Because little to nothing, I am certain. This is part of your dirty little scheme.” I accused Storme in a frigid voice.

From a distance, I saw Aunt Devine approaching. She’s coming from the Restaurante.

Amore, which is situated south-west of the La Casa Buena Hotel lobby.

“Skylene, look at you! You’re grown up. Are you ready for your birthday?” Aunt Devine said as if we did not see each other yesterday. I walked closer to her and did the beso-beso. Beso-beso or cheek-to-cheek-kiss is a formal greeting similar to mano. Normally with close family relatives or friends. This is also common to Hawaiians, not only to Filipinos.”My debut? I don’t like a party or celebration. I’d rather donate to the orphanage. I will celebrate with the kids in Pueblo.”

“You are so sweet, darling! Have you met my son?”

“We met the other day at the university, Aunty Devine.”

“Great! Then I don’t need to introduce you to Storme, Skylene? I guess you know each other now?” Aunt Devine asked, and I just stared at her. Isn’t it obvious? We're so close to killing each other here.

“Formal introduction is unnecessary, Aunt Devine.”

“What’s happening here? I can hear your voices from inside the restaurant. What are you fighting about? Why are you screaming in the lobby? Don’t you feel ashamed of our guests? You are the future owners of this hotel act accordingly. Get a grip on yourselves! For heaven’s sake! Especially you, Devin Storme! You’re the adult, and yet you're acting like a teenager. Is that how you will run this business? Is that the way you will take care of your guest in our hotel? You failed on your first trial, son! I’m very disappointed in you. Be ready to hear it from your father. Of all the guests? You picked Skylene?”

Aunt Devine is always soft-spoken. Today I saw it before my eyes how deadly she can be when she gets mad.

“Mom, I am just telling Summer here that the presidential suite is not available. That was it! Then she started screaming at me. She was the one yelling at me first. What would you expect me to do?”

“Then you should have given her the suite. Don Fidel requested the suite for a week yesterday. You are giving the keycard to Skylene right now Storme. You’re staying at our house whether or not you like the idea. Understood?”

" No, Mom! That suite is mine! You and Dad allowed me to stay there. Did you forget?

It’s part of our deal that's why I came home.”

“Devin Storme, enough of this. Give the keycard to Skylene now.”

“But, Mom!” Storme raked his hair with his fingers and pressed his lips together in annoyance.

“I said, give the keycard to Skylene now. No buts! Do you understand, Storme? Follow me in the office after. Please, you are no longer kids. Whatever happened in the past, fixed it. End it already, “Aunt Devine exclaimed.

I laughed at Stormes’ sudden change of heart. He was too kind in a split second. Storme has not changed. He was still the rude and conceited Storme when we were young. He likes to insist on what he wants.

I silently chuckled. “How did you become Aunty Devine’s son? You're so stupid, Storme!”

“Your language, Young Lady.”

“Oops!” I’m just stating the fact. Aunt Devine left us.

“Give me your cell phone,” Storme said.

“Why will I give you my handphone?”

“How would you get into the suite? There’s no keycard. Give it to me. I have to save the door code on your phone.”

“Nonsense excuse! I don’t want to give you my handphone. Write the code on a piece of paper.”

“Linda, hand me a pen and paper, please.”

“Here, write it down! Can you hurry? My friends are waiting.”

“Your cell phone or no suite code?” Storme held out his hand, waiting for me to give him my handphone.

“Fine.” I handed my phone to Storme. He typed numbers quickly and handed back my phone to me. As he turned around, I heard his heavy sigh before he walked away from me Tsk! He did not even wait for me to say thank you.

Immediately after, Storme handed my phone back to me. I walked back to Stella and Nadine who were bored waiting for me by the elevator.

“What took you so long, Summer?” asked Nadine.

“We thought it’s already World War III. We can hear you and your boyfriend yelling, screaming, shouting at each other all this time all the way to here,” Stella said exaggeratedly.

“Boyfriend? He is not my boyfriend! Jeez! That stupid? No way? Over my dead brain and heart. Even if he's the last man on earth, no way! He is so conceited, arrogant, rude! What a snooty?! He acts like he is the most handsome guy on earth! Grrr! I hate Storme!”

“Isn’t he handsome? OMG! Beshie, you are so blind! Can’t you see? He’s even more handsome than John Lloyd Cruz or Sam Milby. Gosh! Beshie, stop saying that. You might end up head over heels about him,” said Nadine.

“If Storme will hit on me. Gosh! I won’t say no!” said Stella.

“That if he will hit on you! You look like a witch on a broomstick at night. Do you think he will hit on you? Dream on, Luningning Stellar? Reality check sis!”

“Ouch! That hurts. I just want you and Storme to patch things up. You look perfect together, Summer. Don’t you think Nadz?” Stella said.

“They look perfect together, but they aren’t perfect for each other. Their clashing and bantering are getting overly annoying!”

“Enough about Storme. Let’s not talk about him. You know nothing about us. Don’t push my limits. I’m already upset by what happened. I am so pissed off with Storme right now. Don’t push it more Stella, Nadz, please? Or we can all go home and cancel this staycation.

“Can we go to our room now? I’m so excited! I’ve never been to this kind of hotel. This is so luxurious in the lobby all the way here. Can’t wait to see what’s inside the suite,” said Stella amusingly.

“Let’s go. I’m so tired and starving. Beshie, can we order the food for room service instead of going to the restaurant?” Nadine asked.

“You bet. What would you like to eat?”

"Do you think there’s Restaurante Amore menu in the suite?”Stella asked.

“We’ll see. If not, I can ask for them to get us one. Then, we can check it out and order after?”

“Sounds good to me. Room service it is! Let’s go to our suite,” Stella was so excited.

THERE ARE SEVEN presidential suites on the 7th floor and another three on the 8th floor of La Casa Buena Hotel. Each unit has its own swimming pool and jacuzzi spa adjoining the veranda. The luxurious hotel room has its own kitchen, living room, gym, and two bedrooms. They patterned it to a condominium, making it so cozy to stay. The mix of classic interior design and modern equipment makes it different from the other three-star hotels in the Bicol region. La Casa Buena Hotel is the only boutique hotel that offers world-class amenities in the Bicol region from mid-range to luxury accommodation. The presidential suite is in demand among foreign tourists, artists, politicians, and businessmen.

When I opened the suite, I was in awe of how everything fit perfectly. This isn’t how it looks like the last time I stayed here. Could it be? Did they renovate it for Storme according to his liking? Did he design it? One feature of the room is how I described my dream house to be. Does Storme still remember everything? Maybe this is the reason he doesn't want me to stay here. This is his haven and I am barging into his lair.

“Unbelievable! Such an astonishing suite!” Stella shouted.

“Yeah! Worth the wait, Bestie!” Nadine couldn’t agree more.

“Well, enjoy yourselves! The boys can use the room to the right. We will take the room to the left and it has two queen beds.”

Stella and Nadine are in full admiration of the suite. They were so amazed at the classic and modern style of the hotel. They toured the entire suite in and out. When Stella saw that the suite adjoining the veranda has a swimming pool, she quickly took off her summer dress and dive into the pool. Nadine followed too!

Wow! Just wow! I am not informed that these two are ready to go swimming. I am more surprised that they are in bikinis. My best friends are really enjoying the pool and have forgotten to order the food.

“Girls! Nadz, aren’t you starving? Stella, you said you're hungry. What are we ordering?

Come here quickly, look at the menu.”

“It’s okay! Order anything to your liking Bestie, We are not picky!”

“Great! Just great Nadine and Luningning! I’ve given you a free staycation and you tell me to order your food? What am I here, your maid? Personal assistant?”

“We love you too, princess!” they shouted back in unison.

I wish I could enjoy being in the water too. I am jealous. I couldn’t swim. The sight of the water scares me to death. I don’t dare come close to the pool. But I needed to show the menu to them. My body trembled and the next thing I know, I’m already having a panic attack.