CHAPTER ONE

Gripping the small bouquet of flowers near my chest, I started to bite the insides of my cheeks as I tried to stop the urge of rolling my eyes. White Ecuadorian roses were all over the place and butterflies flying around the garden and the white silk dangling at the gazebo’s ceiling and archway dances as the wind sways it. 

"You may now kiss the bride,” the pastor said. The lady beside me rests her head on my shoulder and heaves an adoring sigh. 

Hindi maitago ang ngiti niya. Naghiyawan ang lahat nang halikan ng groom ang bride at ako naman ay agad na umupo sa aking upuan. Hinilot-hilot ko ang aking paa. “Finally..” I groaned. My feet hurt from all the standing and walking. 

“Ito naman, minsan na nga lang ikasal ang kaibigan natin.” I looked at the lady who talked beside me. Hinihimas niya ang bilog na bilog niyang tiyan. I rolled my eyes at her. She laughed heartily. “Humanap ka na kasi ng boyfriend mo, Nezha, para malaman mo rin how it feels na ikaw naman ‘yung naglalakad sa aisle at nakasuot ng white dress,” wika ni Tanya. “No, thank you Tanya. Masaya na ako sa buhay ko.”

“But you gotta agree it seems like something is missing..” Nagtaas baba ang kilay niya at hindi ko napigilan na mapa-irap muli. “Not all of us are the same, for me masaya na ako na maging single muna. After all, I wanted to focus on my career.”

Mahina kong pinitik ang bilog niyang tiyan. “Also, ‘Wag ang pagiging single ko ang problemahin mo. Malapit ka nang manganak at lahat, apura pa rin ang gala mo. Baka mamaya, magulat na lang tayo, lumulusot na ‘yang bata. Hindi ka man lang ba minamanas?" 

“‘Wag mong ibahin ang usapan, Nezha. Ikaw nga apura ka pagkukulong sa workshop mo. Baka tumanda kang dalaga niyan."

I shrugged. "I don’t mind it at all.”

"Mag-isa ka naman." She insisted.

"I can always foster or adopt dogs." I shrugged again. Tanya rolled her eyes at me. “So you plan to be a furr parent na lang?"

"Well if that was my calling."

The bride walked towards our direction and hugged us both. Hansel looks beautiful wearing her white gown and her elaborated train. “Thank you, Nezha, for this wonderful dress! You made me feel like a queen today,” wika niya at niyakap ako. I couldn’t help but to smile and look at her. 

The gown is made of high quality satin and laces, it is also light to the body and hugs Hansel’s curve perfectly. The train that she specially asked me to make goes along with the gown perfectly. The designs were also her idea especially the peonies embroideries and the pearls that formed a vine connected to it.

"Baka sa sobrang tuwa mo, 'di mo na 'yan hubarin. Sinulit mo naman masyado ang binayad mo sa akin," pagbibiro ko. Mahinang tinampal ni Hansel ang braso ko. Her husband stood beside her with full smiles on his face.

“Congratulations,” nakangiti kong bati sa kaniya. Tumango naman siya sa akin at marahan na ipinulupot ang braso sa bewang ng kaibigan ko.

Hansel turned to Tanya, she caresses Tanya’s swollen tummy. "Excited na rin ako magkaroon ng baby, pero parang mas excited ako kung kailan magkakaboyfriend itong friend nating ampalaya." 

Natawa si Tanya sa winika ni Hansel. "Nako, 'yan din ang usapan namin kanina pero mukhang tatandang dalaga ito at mas gustong mag-alaga na lang ng aso buong buhay niya."

"Tigilan niyo nga ako at ang mga aso ko. At least sila, loyal. Hindi tulad ng ibang lalaki na puro pangloloko at pambobola ng babae ang alam."

Tanya and Hansel looked at each other and shrugged at my retort. "Sabi ko sa iyo, Hansel, dapat lagi nating binabantayan ang ampalaya intake ng kaibigan natin. Nasobrahan tuloy."

Natawa na lamang si Hansel. Umangkla siya sa braso ko at iginiya ako. "Don't worry, Tanya, sisiguraduhin ko na siya ang makakasalo ng bouquet mamaya." Kumindat si Hansel kay Tanya. I cannot help but to roll my eyes again. Ito ang hirap 'pag ikaw na lang ang single sa grupo. Bukod sa ikaw ay isang dakilang third wheel (minsan fifth wheel pa). But I don't care. I have my career and my dogs. I don't need a man to make a living for me and I don't feel the need to find one for myself.

Nang makarating kami sa reception hall ay halos puno na ito at tanging ang mga naka-reserve na upuan na lamang para sa close friends at relatives ng bride at groom ang hindi okupado. Umupo ako sa kung saan kami iginiya ng organizers at si Hansel naman ay pumunta na sa waiting room nila ng asawa niya.

When the bride and groom entered the reception hall, they started all sorts of ceremonies after the wedding: first dance, cutting of cake, drinking of champagne, and releasing doves.

And then here's the segment that I dreaded: the throwing of bouquet and garter.

"Where are the single ladies out there?" All single ladies raised their hands and Tanya grabbed my wrist and forced me to raise my hand up. I rolled my eyes. I really hate weddings, especially this part. If it wasn’t for my friend I would have gone out of here after making sure that the bride was all set with her wedding dress. When the emcee called out all the single ladies in the room they all enthusiastically walked towards the front. They all flocked in front of the stage where the newly wedded couple was while I preferred to stay on my seat, but Tanya kept on pushing me. But since she can't move like she did before, she has no other choice but to let me sit quietly.

When the bouquet started, Hansel turned her back from the crowd. And the cheers all echoed inside the room. The crowd started to count, but when they're about to finish counting, Hansel turned and threw the bouquet at me. I don't intend to catch it, but because it will fall on my face, I caught it with both hands. Tanya and Hansel shared a meaningful smile then Hansel winked at me, Tanya, on the other hand, enthusiastically clapped her hands. I couldn’t help but to pinch the bridge of my nose while trying to calm myself down and not throwing the bouquet away from me. The emcee laughed. "Who would have thought that our bride is this mischievous?”

The emcee stood in front of me. "May we ask you, miss, to the center?" 

"Do I have a choice?" Tumaas ang isang kilay ko pero hindi ito pinansin ng emcee at tinawanan lamang ako. 

"Actually, the question is may magagalit ba? I can see you are on your seat but ikaw ang nakakuha ng bouquet." 

"Walang magagalit don't worry. Single na single siya and ready to mingle na." Tanya interjected. I am already facepalming myself on my mind with how my friends are trying to set me up to someone. Napahalakhak naman ang emcee at nakakalokong ngumiti sa akin.

"So I guess Mrs. Javier has a good intention of throwing the bouquet to you Miss.." The emcee put the microphone near my lips. 

"Nezha Sanchez," I nonchalantly said. Mukhang wala na akong magagawa pa kundi ang makisabay sa kanila. I am already suffering a huge humiliation with what my friends did to me I don't want it to pile up by killing their joy.

"Are you the famous Nezha Sanchez?" someone from the crowd asked. I heaved a sigh and looked around. I took the microphone from the emcee and stood from my seat, one hand on my hips.

I smirked. "Yes, that's me." 

The emcee was then handed another microphone because his microphone was already in my hands. I looked at Hansel who was now sitting on her grandiose seat at the middle of the stage. Hansel flicked her hair and laughed, then winked at me. She's quite happy and satisfied with what she did. Some people set up a seat just below the stage with me now the center of their attention.

A few more questions were asked and the garter segment of the wedding started. The emcee started to call all the single men in the hall and all of a sudden around fifteen of them were standing in front of me. I wanted to get away from this chair and go home. I kept on watching as the single men are now up front, waiting for the groom to throw the garter. 

When the garter throwing began, the man that effortlessly extended his hand from the back caught the garter. The crowd roared. Tanya stood from her seat and I could hear Hansel squeal. After the throwing of garter the crowd was dispersed and the only one who remained was the one who caught the garter. 

He was standing away from me for about six feet. This man is quite tall, approximately with the height of six feet. He had fair complexion and a built not too bulky but not too thin. He was lean. His hair slicked back but what caught my attention was his brown eyes and the beauty mark under his lips. I'm the type of person who tends to look into details and this man has too many details on his face that made me stare at him. Even his moles on his face seem like a constellation you wanted to connect as they were displayed to his well defined face.

“What a lovely pair we made for this night Mr. and Mrs. Javier. Such a beautiful lady for such a handsome gentleman. Hello, may we ask the name of this gentleman?"

"Kalisto Rivera." The man's eyes now pinned on me is making me uncomfortable. I hid my exposed leg from the slit of my dress. This was the first time that I felt uncomfortable with the dresses I love to wear and I hate that a man did it to me. 

The emcee asked him to stand beside me to have a photo, but while the photographer is doing his job the emcee keeps on blabbering about things that aren't supposed to be said.

"What a feast in the eye we have here. Miss Nezha who was the designer of our bride's gown and also the bride's maid, and Mister Kalisto who was our groom's best man." My eyebrow shot up. Looks like I didn't really give a shit about the ceremony earlier and I didn't even notice him. 

After the brief picture taking. The emcee explained the little game they prepared. The man who got the garter should put the garter up to my thigh using his mouth. This is a common game I never visualized getting myself into, and never wished to play. "Are you ready, Mister Kalisto? Miss Nezha?" I shrugged while Kalisto nodded. When the emcee gave the go signal, Kalisto moved the fabric covering my leg. I shivered when the cold air touched my skin, suddenly I felt exposed even though he just simply moved the fabric that I used to cover my leg.

My body shot up when Kalisto's warm hand touched my ankles as he removed my stiletto and slid the garter to my foot, when it was already around my ankle he then began moving it with his mouth. Biting the garter, his lips touched my leg, making it hard for me to breathe. 

His hot breaths are now on my skin, going to my knee up to my thigh. His soft lips grazing on my skin sent different volts of shivers around my body. In addition his eyes were watching me intently making it harder to breathe, I didn't even know if I’m still breathing. When his teeth let go of the garter, I felt his teeth graze my skin and his lips touching it. I want to kick him and walk away but I was frozen there by the warmth of his breaths and touches. Again he gently held my ankle and slid my stiletto on after doing his part of the game, he stood up and offered his hand to me. I stared at it and realized that everyone was staring at us, even my friends, expecting for me to accept it. I ignored his hand and stood up without acknowledging his intention to help then walked away from him, walking back to my seat.

I heard him scoff, I didn't bother to know if it was in disbelief that I didn't accept his hand or not. I heaved a sigh trying to calm myself down because all I know is that my heart is still beating erratically and it seems like it doesn't have plans to calm down.

"Is it hot in here or was it because of the scene earlier?" Tanya fanned herself as she wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

"Shut up, Tanya."

I brought my gaze back at him as he effortlessly strode back to his seat. My eyes went to the garter on my thigh. I felt my cheeks burn when the scene earlier flashed back in mind.

Can I have a selective memory loss? I want to erase the memory of what had happened earlier in my mind.