Chapter 20 --- The Anniversary

Another 3 months passed and the office will now be closed for a week on behalf of the employee�s vacation. Every year, there are always formal parties for the employees and employers. However, this year will have one of the biggest parties ever because it is the company�s twentieth anniversary.

Everybody in the office was excited because it will be a huge formal party and all the news reporters will be there. Everybody but Kat was excited. All she could think about was her family in America. She was never into dinner parties.

One of her brothers sent her an E-mail, telling her of some family problems. Her brother mentioned financial dilemmas but did not say the amount. Kat was curious about it and tried to call her parents, but no one would pick up. Because she knew her family has financial problems, she didn�t want to spend money for any dress to look nice or whatever. All she could think about was her family.

Kat was on the phone with Ken. He had called to see if she needed a ride or not. �Kat, are you ready for tonight? Do you want me to pick you up? Oh yeah, umm� will ummm� you know� ummm�will Noi come too?� Ken shyly asked her on the phone.

"Khun Ken, I am not up for the party tonight. I don�t have anything to wear, and I don�t think I want to go. And if I don�t go, I don�t think Noi will go either.�

"What? Please come, Kat. I thought you were going to help me out with Noi, you know. Hey, if you have a dress by tonight, would you come? Come on; come for Tik, if not Tik, for me and Noi. Please, Kat,� Ken was begging.

Ken wanted to see Noi, especially in a dress. He also wanted Kat to enjoy herself, because it seemed like she�s been stressing lately.

"Ken, I know you want to see Noi badly, but I really have nothing to wear.�

"O.K Kat, tell Noi to get ready. I will pick her up. And you will get your dress in an hour and someone will pick you up. Good bye and see you tonight!� Ken said without listening to Kat. He just did his thing.

"Ken..Ken...� Kat was still on the phone, and hung up after no one replied back. She then said to her self, �Damn, why do people always do that to me. First Tik, now Ken. What kind of guys are they?�

Within an hour a dressed was sent to her room. It was perfect on her. It was a light blue dress that showed every curve on her body. There was some jewelry in the box with her dress. A beautiful pair of diamond earrings that matched her dress and a pair of dress shoes.

She put on the things that were sent to her by Ken, not knowing it was really from Tik. Ken called Tik about Kat�s situation and told him Kat was not going to come. Tik was going to call her right away, but Ken told Tik his plan.

Ken went to pick up Noi after getting her address from Kat. Noi, of course, did not want to get in the car with him alone. Noi thought Kat was going to be in the car with them, and when she found out, it took Ken half an hour to convince Noi to get in the car and go. On the way to the party, both Noi and Ken were arguing, like always.

Ken couldn�t stop making fun of her and giving her nice comments about the way she looked. Noi felt uncomfortable wearing a dress, but she did it because Kat asked her to. Ken liked the fact that he got to spend time with a beautiful tomboy. He knew underneath her strong attitude, Noi was nice and pretty. He couldn�t stop looking at her and couldn�t stop giving compliments. The more compliments he gave her, the angrier she got and the more he enjoyed it, because she looked so cute to him.

Kat heard a honk outside of her place, so she ran down stairs like always, regardless if it were in a dress or her regular clothes.

As she was running outside to her ride, she saw Tik getting out of the driver�s seat. He looked very handsome with his black tux. His hair was slicked back and combed nicely. She hadn�t really seen him for the past few months, but tonight, he looked different. Not the fact that he was looking generously handsome, but he looked happy and cheerful with his smile.

Tik couldn�t stop looking at Kat as she was running out of her place. He looked at her as if she were an angel that was sent from above and running to him. He was happy that the dress he bought fitted her. He had never seen Kat in a dress before, but when he saw her in this one, he wanted her all to himself.

Tik walked up to Kat. �Kat, you look very lovely. Are you ready?�

"Ummm... hi, Khun Tik. I�m surprised you came to pick me up. I thought you would be busy or something. You know, meetings or with umm... Khun Benz.�

"Oh, are you sad it wasn�t Khun Ken that was supposed to pick you up? Too bad, Ken went to pick up Noi for you so you could have more time to get ready. I guess you are stuck with me for now,� Tik said coldly.

"Oh, I knew it wasn�t Khun Ken that was supposed to pick me up, but I thought it would be Khun Hugo.� Kat challenged.

Tik went closer to Kat and grabbed both of her arms �Kat, you do know he�s taken! If I were you, I would not get too close to him.� Tik was infuriated by Kat�s challenge.

"Khun Tik, I think we should be going now. I don�t think we should stay here any longer; I don�t want people to see us together. Now let me go, because Benz will get the wrong idea about us.� Kat was trying to get loose from him.

"I don�t care who sees us. I don�t care if it is Benz, but I just want you to know that you shouldn�t get too close to Hugo. He hurt you once and he will do the same to you again!� Tik warned her and pulled her in the car.

Benz went to the party with Hugo as her guest. Both Hugo and Benz had a plan for tonight. Hugo didn�t like the plan, but it was the only way for him to get closer to Kat.

Anna wouldn�t get divorced with Hugo unless he had someone else. Hugo wanted Kat to be his, and tonight might be the night. As for Benz, if Kat and Hugo got together, Tik would have to go back to her.

"Khun Hugo, have you seen Khun Tik yet?� asked Benz.

"No, have you seen Khun Kat?�

"No, I haven�t seen any of them,� Benz answered and than pull Hugo closer and whispered in to his ears. �Don�t forget about tonight�s plan. This is our big chance to get what we want. Don�t mess it up!� Benz reminded him.

"Don�t worry, I won�t forget. But I don�t feel right. I mean, it�s not like me.� Hugo was feeling guilty.

"Hey, look� all you have to do is dance with Kat throughout the party. As for Tik, he will be with me! At the end, you just put the thing I gave you earlier in Kat�s drinks and slowly take her out the back door. As for Tik, I will take him to my place. He won�t be sober enough to know anything, until morning comes,� Benz said with satisfaction.

"Ummm� I don�t know Benz; I hope Anna won�t be here. If she is, everything will be messed up. I don�t feel like I should do this Benz. I mean, I don�t mind if Kat doesn�t like me anymore. Us being good friends is good enough for me,� Hugo couldn�t stop feeling guilty and didn�t agree with the plan.

"Khun Hugo, listen. Anna will not be here. She doesn�t know anything about this party. And if she does, what can she do? You will divorce her anyways, right? And if you keep feeling guilty like this, you can never get closer to Kat. And if she ends up with Tik or some other guy, you won�t even be friends. So you better take this opportunity when it is just right there for you,� Benz tries to convenience him.

As Benz and Hugo walked around the party, they spotted Tik�s car. Both Tik�s and Ken�s car had just arrived at the dinner party.

"Kat, I have something to give you.� Tik turn to Kat after parking the car.

Kat didn�t know what was it, and she was surprised when he took out a diamond necklace to match her diamond earrings and her dress.

"Can you hold your hair up, Kat?� Tik said softly and put the necklace around her neck. �I wanted to give you it earlier, but I wanted to put it on you myself.� After he put around her, he gave her a peck on her cheeks.

"Khun Tik, what are you doing? Please don�t kiss me like that again. As for this expensive necklace, please take it back. I don�t think I should be wearing this,� Kat didn�t like the fact that she was wearing an expensive necklace that was not hers. She especially did not like it when he put it on her as if she would be pleased with something expensive.

Knock� Knock� Knock�

Noi was knocking on Tik�s car window. �Kat, you look so nice.�

"Thank you, Noi. Wow, you look different yourself and pretty too. I never thought you would wear a dress, even though I begged you like crazy,� said Kat

"Kat, if you weren�t a girl, I would hit you for your compliments. But I am tired of hitting people and talking back for tonight,� Noi was looking at Ken.

Ken gave Noi so many compliments in the car ride; she was tired of hitting and arguing with him.

"Tik, how was the car ride?� asked Ken

"It was good. I think we should go to the party now,� Tik took Kat�s arm and lead her towards the party. Ken then took Noi�s arm and walked behind them.

News reporters and cameras were on the two couple as all four of them walked in. Noi was surprised and did not know the party was this big. She wanted Ken to let her go so she could hide, but he only held her tighter.

As for Kat, she did not want to take pictures next to Tik because people would get the wrong idea about them. Tik knew Kat felt uncomfortable, but he wanted the news reporters to see her with him.

"Kat, you can�t hide from me now, because everybody can see you are with me tonight!� whispered Tik in Kat�s ear.

The pairs were settling down in the VIP table and getting the party started. As Tik was about to ask Kat to dance, Hugo came up to Kat and cut right in. "Umm� I don�t feel like dancing yet,� Kat slowly rejected him.

"I will wait for you until you are ready,� Hugo said patiently.

"Kat-" Tik was cut off by Benz.

"Oh� Tik, there you are. I was looking for you. When did you get here?� Benz was being sassy around him and ignoring Kat and the rest of the people around the table.

Benz continued, �Tik you have to dance with me. Let�s go� come on.�

"Benz, ummm� I just got here. Can you please sit and we will wait until the rest of the people start to dance. And of course, if I dance, I will dance with Kat first.� Tik just wanted to challenge both Hugo and Benz.

He didn�t want to see Hugo and Kat together, so he got up from his seat and pulled Kat up with him. He did not ask Kat if she wanted to dance, he just took her to the dance floor and they were the first couple to dance.

Instead of letting other people start the dance, he started it himself.

Ken followed them with Noi afterwards. Ken did the same thing Tik did; he did not ask Noi if she wanted to dance or not but just dragged her to the dance floor.

Benz was upset and couldn�t believe Tik just did that in front of everybody. Everybody knew about Benz and Tik being old lovers. Now the news sees Benz as the old lover trying to come back to him, and he is playing hard to get by using Kat to make her jealous.

Benz could not handle the humiliation, so she dragged Hugo to the dance floor and tried to cut in the middle of Tik and Kat.

"Kat, when did you learn how to dance like this?� whispered Tik. He then hugged her closer and tighter to him.

"I can�t breathe. Can you loosen up a little, please?� Kat was complaining.

"Why are you so quiet tonight? Is it because there are so many people? Or is it because you are sad that Ken and Noi are dancing together?�

"Umm�maybe both. Sad I turned down Hugo. Sad to see Ken dance with Noi and not me.� She was teasing him, and continued. �Most of all, I am sad I have to dance with you when it should be Benz dancing with you,� she completed.

She did not know why she always talked about Benz and him together.

"Kat, I don�t know why, but I feel like there is some kind of jealousy here,� Tik looked at her and continued. �It seems like we haven�t talked much, and it seems like you are hiding from me and Benz. I told you before she and I have nothing to do with each other anymore,� he explained

"Why are you telling me this? I don�t care,� she said quickly and added, �I don�t care if you are with her all day or all nigh, before your meetings and after your meetings.� It seems like Kat has noticed Benz�s appearance around Tik.

"Wow, Kat. You noticed all that? I am surprised. Am I feeling some more jealousy here?� Tik asked playfully.

"I don�t think so. Me? Jealous of who? You?� She was denying her feelings that were beginning to develop without her realizing it. She continued, �Speaking of your lover, I think she is coming this way. Oh, and she has my lover, my dear Hugo,� she said, mocking him.

"Don�t start, Kat. Don�t make me do something I don�t need to do. I know you are just saying that. Remember, he was the one that made you cry, and I was the one you cried on the whole night. I don�t think you want to go back feeling that way, do you?� he reminded her.

"And you, isn�t that the love of your life coming back to you? I don�t know why you are playing hard to get when she is right there wanting you back so badly. So bad to the point where she might as well be on her knees. I don�t think you need to use me to make her jealous!� She retorted back at him.

Tik now knew why Kat was ignoring him. She felt like he was using her to make Benz jealous. People in the office must have gossiped about the boss� love life.

"Kat, about me and Benz, it is nothing, and I am not using--� Tik didn�t get to finish.

Both Hugo and Benz came over and broke up their conversation with Benz cutting in and Hugo taking Kat to the other side of the dance floor.

Noi was about to go to Benz and slap her for doing that to Kat, but Ken held her back. �Noi, you have to behave in a place like this. I know what you want to do, but it�ll make Kat look bad, so don�t make a scene.�

"Dammit, who does she think she is, doing that to Kat, and why is Khun Tik not doing anything about it. Doesn�t he like her or something?� She questioned Ken in an angry voice.

"Noi, I can�t explain everything tonight. If you want to know, you have to go out for dinner with me and we can talk all day and all night,� Ken said with a smile.

"Shut up, I don�t have time for someone as sneaky as you. Don�t think just because I am dancing with you that I will forgive you the first time we met,� she reminded him.

"But I thought it was a good introduction for us to get to know each other, what do you think?� Ken smiled at her and held Noi tighter, not letting her deal with anybody�s problems besides them.

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