The four of them had a joyful and peaceful birthday dinner. As Kitty had requested Darius, they all agreed that Lance would stop teasing her—at least for tonight—so she wouldn't get annoyed on her actual birthday.
After the hearty dinner, courtesy of Darius, they decided to continue the celebration at Smoke & Sizzles and Peak Bar.
"Wow, this is amazing, Papa D!" Kitty exclaimed in awe as they entered the bar, briefly looking around inside.
"Sesh, it's no big deal! This is just a one-time thing anyway, okay?" Darius replied, scratching his eyebrow. Unknown to Kitty and Gel, it was actually Lance who was covering their tab at the bar—but of course, that was a tightly kept cousin secret.
Luckily, the bar wasn't too crowded since it was midweek. They quickly found a table and ordered drinks. Despite the loud music, the conversation flowed freely, even if they had to lean in close to hear each other.
They were having so much fun that they lost track of time. Since they were on vacation, there were no classes or requirements the next day, so they went all out. They didn't expect to drink quite a lot, and when they realized that no one was in the condition to drive back to Manila, they decided to check into a hotel in the Highlands for safety—and to get proper rest after a long day.
While arranging their stay, Gel's face turned slightly red when Darius came up to her and whispered, "Love, can we sleep beside each other?"
She paused. "Sleep beside each other? No way. What about the other two?"
Darius grinned. "Oh, come on! If only you knew, love—"
"Knew what?" Gel raised a brow, trying to read his thoughts.
Darius scratched his head and raised both hands like he was surrendering. He knew there was no escape, so Gel pulled him aside for a more serious talk.
"Wait a sec, guys!" she told Kitty and Lance, who were quietly observing.
Once they were far enough, Gel shot him a sharp glare, hands on her hips. "Well, love? Got something you want to tell me?"
There was no way out for Darius. He knew that if he didn't tell the truth, it would only lead to trouble. "Uh… well…" He swallowed before finally revealing a long-kept secret.
"Whaaaat?!" Gel practically screamed after hearing the whole story—that Lance had actually liked Kitty for a long time. Back in junior high, he already had a crush on her but chose to keep it to himself. In senior high, Darius caught his cousin buying a gift and a Valentine's card for Kitty, but out of fear of being exposed, Lance never gave them. His heart sank even more when he saw someone else give her a bouquet of mixed sneakers chocolate bars—her favorite—and red roses. What he didn't know was that she rejected the guy because she simply wasn't into him.
Gel smirked upon hearing it. A plan was forming in her head. "So... we're going to get Lance drunk so he finally confesses to Kitty."
Darius blinked. "Wait, what?!" He didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for his cousin. "Love, are you serious?"
But there was no turning back. A few moments later, their beer and red wine arrived at the hotel room. Even though they booked two rooms, they all gathered in one first to carry out Gel's plan.
"Oh? Why the extra drinks?" Lance asked, puzzled.
"That's my treat! Since it's my best friend's birthday. I know you were left hanging earlier, so I'm giving you a pass tonight," Gel replied, smiling mischievously.
"Huh?" Kitty reacted as she stepped out of the bathroom.
"I ordered red wine for you. I know it's your favorite. And of course, so it's not just us drinking, I also got beer for the boys." She gave Kitty a thumbs-up, to which her friend just shook her head.
"Girl, looks like you've got plans with Papa D tonight? Just let me know so I can book another room. I don't want to get in your way!" Kitty teased, laughing loudly, making Darius blush.
"Ayieee! You two, huh! Using Kitty's birthday as an excuse when you clearly have your own agenda!" Lance added with a laugh.
But Gel remained unfazed. The truth was, she had another target for tonight's plan.
After a few more bottles, she introduced a new activity. "Let's play 20 Questions! Anything goes, but you have to answer honestly."
She noticed Lance stiffen slightly. Bingo. But she didn't rush. Kitty went first and asked Darius a question.
"It's okay if you don't want to answer, but I'm just curious, Papa D…" Kitty began with a grin. "Have you two… done it?"
Darius coughed and looked at Gel, who turned crimson. "Uh—"
"Okay, got my answer!" Kitty laughed.
The game continued until it was Gel's turn to ask.
"Now, Lance!" she said, spinning the bottle of wine between her fingers.
Lance tilted slightly, clearly feeling the alcohol. "Okay, shoot!"
Gel grinned. "Who's your crush at school? I noticed people used to send you chocolates and letters, but you ignored them."
Lance suddenly choked and spit out the beer he was drinking. He coughed hard while Darius frantically patted his back. Kitty quickly handed him a bottle of water, which he accepted without making eye contact.
"Whoa! Was my question that intense that you're sweating now?" Gel teased, spotting a bead of sweat on his forehead.
"Uh, no! I was just surprised!" Lance replied, trying to play it cool.
But when his gaze met Kitty's, he turned even redder. It was like there was no escaping the question now.
"So, what's the answer?" Gel pressed, still smiling slyly.
Lance gripped the bottle tightly. He knew there was no getting out of it.
And tonight, it looked like the moment had finally come for Kitty to learn his long-kept secret.