The Wedding Day

From the building’s 5th floor pool area, you get a good view of the city. I can also see the very busy crowd in the city streets down below. The cool breeze sweeps my hair as I take a sip on a glass of wine. Then out of nowhere, a girl in a white bridal gown embraces me from behind.


"Cousin!!! Thank you talaga!!!” She giggled as she embraces me tighter. “Thank you talaga sa pagdating mo!”

"Ano ka ba, Ate Toni?” I answered. “Puwede ba namang di ako magpunta?"

"Grabe ang laki na talaga ng pinagbago ng pinsan ko. Kaya na kitang yakapin ngayon. Ang gwapoooo mo!!!" she shouted she continued embracing me in front of all the guests.

"Ano ka ba ate? Baka kung ano isipin nung mga bisita. Bumalik ka na dun sa asawa mo,” I insisted.

"Hahaha, alam nila na pinsan kita. Sige na, enjoy mo lang party. Hinay lang sa food, baka tumaba ka ulit ha. Cute mo talaga", she said as she pinched me on my cheek.

"Sira ka talaga. Sige balik na dun", I said then I rub my cheek.

It’s almost weeks since I arrived in Manila. Everything is going smoothly. So far, I spent all my time reuniting with relatives by attending reunions and family events like this. Ate Toni is one of my favorite cousins. One day, she called and invited me to her wedding. Of course, who am I to reject her request? That is why I'm here at a building overlooking Mandaluyong, Pasig and San Juan, attending the most memorable moment of my cousin's life.

I'm enjoying silence as my eyes wander all over the city. I’m about to take another sip of my wine when I noticed my glass is almost empty. Then suddenly, a tap on my shoulder just snapped me into reality.

"Nung mataba ka pa, pinanggigilan ka na ni Ate. Tapos ngayon namang pumayat ka na, lalo pa yatang nangigil sa 'yo. Ibang klase ka rin ‘insan", the guy in a black suit said.

"Hahaha ewan ko ba, Jonathan. Di ko na nga alam kung saan ako lulugar", I answered as we both laugh out loud.

The guy’s name is Jonathan, Ate Toni's younger brother. Other than sharing the good looks of our gene pool, we are almost the same age, so that makes us very close pals ever since we were kids. This guy is the epitome of a typical Filipino nice guy. He never cheats and only has one girlfriend ever since he started having an erection.

"Kumusta naman sila Tita?" he asked as he poured more wine in my glass.

"Well, they are doing great. Mom is working in a day care. Dad is busy with his carpentry business. Loraine and Third are still attending school", I answered as I fixed my hair being blown by the strong wind.

"Wow, it seems everything is doing fine in New York", Jonathan said.

"Jersey, they are in New Jersey. I'm the only one in New York", I said. "But they visit me often naman sa New York if they have time and likewise."

"Wow! You are really embracing the life of a bachelor. So pinsan, ikaw? Kailan ka naman magpapakasal?" he asked.

"Hahaha, at bakit naman napunta dyan ang usapan?" I answered. "Ang sarap ng buhay binata, pasasakitin ko lang ulo ko. At isa pa, wala nga akong girlfriend, paano ako ikakasal?"

"Weh lokohin mo ako,” my cousin mocked. “Sa tipo mo ngayon, mahirap paniwalaan na wala kang girlfriend. Tsaka nakita ko dun sa Facebook mo. Sino yung magandang girl na lagi mong kasama nagpaparty? Huwag mong sabihing di mo girlfriend 'yun?"

At that moment I know that Jonathan is talking about Victoria. I did meet a lot of girls in NY and some of them I shared some intimate moments with but my relationship with Victoria is nothing compared to anything. Victoria is not perfect, eventually we broke up after I caught her cheating right inside my own pad. But the night before my trip to Manila, she appeared in front of my bed and next thing I know, we are already making Love. I thought everything's gonna be fine.

But when I woke up the next morning, Victoria was gone. She left a note with the word "sorry" written on it and under it is a white envelope addressed to me. I opened it and found a card—a wedding invitation to Victoria and Max's Wedding ceremony.

To be honest, I didn't know what to feel after I saw that card. We didn't have any commitments. I can say everything was just an affair. But a part of me wanted to burst. The nail being drilled onto my chest was constantly giving me pain and suddenly I felt weak. I dropped on the bed and curled like a hopeless kid.

"I will not cry", I said to myself as I squeezed the bed as hard as I could.

And after several minutes, I got up, took a shower, get changed and walked out of my pad without looking back.