Chapter 1: Denial is a River in Egypt
"Ano na? Nasa'n ka na? Kanina pa 'ko dito sa lobby nyo."
"Wait lang! Nag-aayos pa 'ko."
Niki heard Andy click his tongue. "Niki... SABI MO TAPOS KA NANG MAG-AYOS. ANO PANG INAAYOS MO." She winced as she pulled the phone away from her ear. She did tell him that when she just got out of the shower.
"Mabilis na lang 'to. Five minutes!" she promised.
"Aakyatin na ba kita dyan?"
"Sige pero maghagdan ka. For sure tapos na 'ko pagdating mo rito."
Andy dropped the call. He seemed pissed, but that was just his usual mood tuwing may lakad sila. Palagi kasi niya itong pinaghihintay nang matagal. Mabagal siyang kumilos, but he never learns. He said he was hoping that she would change one day. So far, she has no plan to change.
"Si Andy 'yon? Ang lakas ng boses!" kumento ng housemate niya, si Myles. Six months na niya itong kasama sa condo unit niya. She had seen Andy several times because he would sometimes show up at the unit. Minsan, wala pang pasabi. Sanay na si Myles sa kanilang dalawa. She even thought that Andy was her boyfriend, which she cleared up immediately to avoid misunderstandings. "Para talaga kayong mag-asawa kung mag-usap."
"Naku, tigilan mo 'ko, Myles."
Tumawa ito. "Buti hindi ka nya iniiwan, 'no?"
"Subukan nya lang!" She put a new set of earrings on and looked at herself in the full body mirror. Inilapit niya ang mukha para i-inspect ang makeup niya.
She was going for the fresh and natural look to complement her dusty pink satin dress. One shoulder iyon at hanggang makalampas ng tuhod ang tabas. She paired it with her pair of silver strappy heels na baby pink ang ilalim. She was wearing her hair in a ponytail this time. Myles helped in straightening it.
Pinag-iisipan niya kung ano ang bag na magandang ipares sa damit nang tumunog na naman ang phone niya. Niki exhaled sharply before answering it.
"Five minutes na," paalala ni Andy.
"Madaling-madali? Ikaw ba ikakasal?"
"Sa tagal mong mag-ayos, baka pagdating natin dun tapos na 'yong kasal."
"E di mabuti. Di ba reception lang naman ang habol mo dun?" She heard Myles snicker. Nginitian niya ito sa salamin. 'Bilisan mo' Myles mouthed. Tumango-tango siya. "Pababa na 'ko."
"How much longer?" Andy asked with a grunt.
"Eto na. Bababa na. Bye." Lumingon siya kay Myles hawak ang dalawang bag na pinagpipilian niya. "Masyado bang matchy matchy?"
Myles scrunched her nose. "Medyo."
She groaned. "What if... black yung bag. Then I'll wear black earrings saka black shoes?"
"Wag na! Maganda na 'yang silver clutch. Iiwanan ka na talaga ni Andy kapag nagtagal ka pa."
She let out a sigh. "Fine." Mabilisan niyang inilagay ang mga dala sa maliit na bag. Saka niya iyon chineck nang dalawang beses para masiguradong wala siyang naiwan. She knew Andy wouldn't leave her, but she made haste just in case. Lakad-takbo siya papunta sa elevator. Thankfully, minuto lamang ang tagal ng byahe niya pababa.
She immediately saw Andy at the basement parking area. Naka-gray three-piece suit ito, without the jacket. Nainitan siguro kahihintay.
"Finally!" he exclaimed when he saw her.
"Sorry! Sorry!"
He went in while she was going around the car to the passenger seat. Andy started the car before she could even buckle her seatbelt. Understandably so. Mukhang mali-late na nga sila.
"Shit!" sabi niya nang may maalala. "Nakalimutan ko yung phone ko!"
"Sa tagal mong 'yan, may nakalimutan ka pa?!"
"Stop the car!" Andy didn't heed her and continued driving. Palabas na sila ng basement parking. "I said stop the car!"
"Iiwanan talaga kita kapag bumaba ka pa ng kotse," pananakot nito.
Ngumuso siya at naghimutok. Nagpa-cute. Nagmura. Nagpa-cute ulit. Pero walang epekto.
"I'll lend you my other phone."
"Yung iPhone?"
Andy chuckled. "Samsung."
"Ew. Android."
"It has a better camera!" he argued. "'Wag ka kasing puro aesthetic."
Humalukipkip siya. "Fine, fine. I might use up all the storage, though."
"It's okay. I don't use it that much."
Niki grinned. "Thanks."
"What would you do without me?"
"I don't need you, just your phone," she said as a matter-of-factly. Andy just shook his head and continued driving.
Almost 45 minutes sila sa daan dahil medyo traffic. Andy had been nagging her all throughout the ride. Hassle daw rito na out of the way siya. Kailangan pa raw siyang daanan kasi ayaw niyang mag-commute. Napakaarte raw niya.
Niki knew it was just all talk. Mareklamo talaga si Andy ever since they became friends. Palaging may nasasabi sa bawat pakiusap niya. Pero palagi namang ginagawa. Kaya malakas ang loob niya palagi. Kasi kahit asar na asar na ito sa kanya, sumusunod pa rin ito sa gusto niya.
Between friends, may isa talagang nagli-lead ng friendship. Niki believes it to be her.
–
Papasok na ang bride sa altar nang makarating sila ng simbahan. They quickly went inside the church and looked for their seats just before the main door opened and everyone stood up to watch the bridal march.
Karamihan sa mga bisita ay mga kaibigan ni Angel noong high school, na mga kakilala rin nila. And as expected, everyone thought that they finally got together.
Hanggang sa reception, kung sino-sino ang lumapit para i-congratulate sila. Some even thought that she and Andy were already engaged because she was wearing a ring. Niki removed it right after.
"So... you're still not together?" pang-u-usyoso ni Kevin sa kanila.
Niki exhaled exasperatedly. "Guys! It's been what? Twelve years? Hindi pa rin kayo pagod pagtatanong?"
"Parang kapatid ko na 'yang si Niki," sabat ni Andy from across the table. "Yung tipong ampon na napulot sa basurahan."
She rolled her eyes and shook her head before drinking her champagne. Andy suddenly raised his glass, which prompted everyone to raise theirs for a toast. Niki grunted because she was in the middle of drinking when he did this and when she finally had the time to raise hers, naibaba na ng mga ito ang mga baso. She glared at him, but he just laughed.
"Guys! It's time to catch the bouquet!"
All the single ladies at their table stood up to go to the clearing for the tossing of the bouquet. Nasa harap ng stage si Angel, ngiting-ngiti sa mga lumapit.
"Niki!" Jewel called.
"Ayoko!" Todo iling siya. "Kayo na lang!"
"Nicole Frances Palomino!" tawag ni Angel sa kanya. "Get your ass up here!"
Everyone looked in her direction. She was put under the spotlight, literally. Andy laughed because she looked annoyed.
"Just get up," sabi nito sa kanya. "Bouquet yung sasaluhin mo, hindi bomba."
"I don't want to!" she hissed.
"Then don't. Just stand there. O gusto mong sirain ang wedding night nina Angel at Brendon?"
She grunted and dragged herself up from the seat. The girls cheered for her when she reached the spot where they were standing. The DJ played upbeat music and the guests started dancing with Angel. Maya-maya ay bigla iyong humina nang tumalikod si Angel. Kada bwelo nito sa pagsalo ay naghihiyawan ang mga tao.
When the music came to a full stop, saka lang napansin ni Niki na nasa ere na ang pumpon ng mga bulaklak. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was coming in her direction. Fast. umurong nang umurong ang mga nasa unahan niya para saluhin ang bulaklak.
She thought she was safe at the back, pero nilakasan ni Angel ang paghagis.
Niki closed her eyes when the bouquet dropped on her shoulder. She didn't make the effort to catch it.
Nakarinig siya ng mahinang tawanan. Angel was shaking her head. The other girls saw the bouquet on the floor and just went at it. Patakbong bumalik sa table niya si Niki.
"Diring-diri ah," natatawang sabi ni Andy.
"E kasi! Bakit kasi sa 'kin ibinato!" reklamo niya.
"Hindi ka naman ikakasal agad kung ikaw man yung makasalo."
"Kahit na. Susuotan ako ng garter kung ako ang makasalo." It was a spectacle in Filipino weddings. Sasaluhin ng mga bisitang babae ang bouquet. Sasaluhin ng mga bisitang lalaki ang garter ng bride. Whoever catches the garter will put it around the thigh of the woman who caught the bouquet. She just didn't want to subject herself to that embarrassing moment.
Right on cue, the host asked the single men to go to the center to catch the garter. Isa si Andy sa mga kaunahang lumapit. She was sure that he would enjoy every minute of it, and he would be very competitive. Andy loves the attention.
Sure enough, Andy was the one who caught the garter. Tumayo si Niki para panuorin ang paglalalagay ng garter sa nakapulot ng bulaklak. Naalibadbaran siya nang lumuhod si Andy sa sahig para ilagay ang garter sa leg ng babaeng nakaupo sa harap nito. She was cringing so hard pero itong best friend niya, mas lalong ginanahan nang lumakas ang hiyawan. Naiiling siyang bumalik sa table nila.
–
"Are you sure you're okay to drive?" Ala una na ng umaga. Napagpasyahan na nilang umuwi dahil pagod na sila kakalakad at kakasalita.
"Yeah. I'm not drunk."
Inilapit niya ang mukha niya kay Andy para amuyin ang hininga nito. Bumuga naman ito ng hangin sa mukha niya. Napaurong siya bigla at napatakip sa ilong. She waved her hand to get rid of the smell.
The smell of alcohol was faint, but he should have really laid off the butter chicken.
"You're disgusting!"
Andy grinned and opened the passenger seat. Agad siyang umakyat at nag-buckle ng seatbelt.
"Ilan na lang ang hindi kasal sa section natin?" tanong nito nang makaalis sila ng venue.
Niki shrugged. "Not sure. Konti na lang yata tayo."
"Ilan na inaanak mo?"
"Dalawa. Bakit?" kunnot-noo niyang tanong.
Andy chuckled. "I already have twenty. Nakontrata ko na sina Angel."
"Ginawa mong pokemon yung mga bata," naiiling niyang sabi. "How did you even manage to have twenty godchildren?"
He shrugged. "I guess I'm very likable." Ngumisi ito sa kanya. "Kaya ikaw, mag-anak ka na. Nami-miss ko nang umattend ng binyag."
"Wala ngang jowa, anak pa kaya?"
"Lumabas ka kasi ng bahay. Pa'no ka magkaka-boyfriend kung palagi kang nasa bahay tuwing weekends? Did you even install the dating app I recommended?"
"I did!"
"Well, did you sign up?"
She gave him a sheepish smile. Andy sighed and shook his head. "You're supposed to use it, Niki."
"It's just... I don't like the idea of me selling myself like merchandise."
"It's not like that–"
"I know. I know. But that's what it feels like to me, okay? I'm not confident enough to get myself out there, like you..."
Nagkatinginan silang dalawa. Muli itong umiling. "Fine. Enjoy dying alone, then."
"As if you're in a relationship?!"
"Well, I can always get into one. Unlike you," he said with a smirk.
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest. "Whatever."
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