"The challenge is just very simple, Zach. Can you do it?"
Zachary chuckled at his bandmate, Eli, sudden remark. Katatapos nga lang nilang mag-after party, kung anu-ano na ang naiisip ng mga ito. Papauwi na kasi sila sa kani-kanilang bachelor's pad and he would admit, most of them were now very drunk because of the party. Kahit siya ay mismo ay medyo nakain
om na.
Nagkaroon kasi sila ng concert ng banda niyang 7PM sa coliseum. Many people witnessed and joined their concert and inevitably, natapos ang concert nila, mga madaling araw na. Then somebody from the crowd, kung tama ang pagkakaalala niya, isang babae, may-ari ng isang prestigious club ay inimbita sil
a na mag-after party pagkatapos ng concert niya. And well, all of his bandmates, including him, wanted some booze and fun, pumayag sa alok nito.
The after party they attended was very wild. Drinks, music, fun and women were everywhere. Kahit 'dun sa club na pinuntahan nila, marami pa ring nakakilala sa kanila. And everyone of them were on their 'high and wild' state.
"Anong oras na ba?" Zach asked his bandmates instead. He was the one currently driving their luxurious convertible car and his three bandmates were just sitting, blubbering something else. Apat lang kasi silang miyembro ng banda. He, the lead singer and the lead guitarist of the band, Eli, the guita
rist and sometimes the keyboardist of the band too, Floyd, the basist and Isaac, the drummer. Matagal-tagal na rin silang nagkakasama sa banda and the band were already formed many years ago at masasabi na nga nilang they already built some names in the line of music industry.
"8am? Maybe." Eli replied dryly.
"Fuck you." Zach swore at his friend laughingly. Alas otso pa pala ng umaga, sino naman ang magpapakasal ng ganung kaaga?
Well, wala naman talaga siyang alam kung anong oras usually ginaganap ang mga kasalan. Hindi pa kasi siya nakaattend kahit isang kasal man lang. Yes, there are some celebrities na iniimbitahan siya, but he always declined it. For him, the thought of attending a wedding in the church, it's like he's
the next going to be tied up in a ridiculous trap called marriage. Para sa kanya, he's allergic to commitments. Why would he commit himself to one woman only when there are plenty of women in the world whose gonna give him pleasures in life? Aaminin niya, dahil sa reputasyon niya, ang mga babae na
mismo ang lumalapit sa kanya.
Some would say he's in the right age to marry, but for fuck's sake, hindi pa niya naeenjoy ng husto ang bachelorhood niya. He's only damn 26 years old.
"May magpapakasal ba ng ganito kaaga?" He asked as he maneuvered their car to the left. Parang wala naman ata magpapakasal sa mga oras na iyon. Sa mga naririnig niya, mostly, nasa 10am na o mga hapon na ginaganap ang mga kasalan.
achary, just do it man. Uuwi lang naman din tayo kaagad. Malay natin, may excited pala at magpapakasal ng ganito kaaga. Just suddenly enter the church and shout na ititigil mo ang kasal, o tumututol ka then everyone will be shocked and obviously will recognize you as ZK, lead singer of 7PM, baka n
ga matuwa pa sila kasi aakalain nilang may affair ang bride sa celebrity na gaya mo," Eli answered simply. Para yata rito, madali lang ang lahat. "Baka nga matuwa pa ang bride at sasabihing may affair pa kayo at iiwan pa ang groom." Pagkatapos 'nun, nagkatawanan silang lahat.
Just tell them after na you were just kidding and you'll give the newly-wed couple a free VIP ticket para sa concert mo." His bandmate added.
Zach grinned at the thought, "Well, it sounds fun. Challenge accepted." At least hindi boring ang simula ng araw niya ngayon and maybe, the challenge he will do will make a publicity stunt for their band's image.
"Then let's find a church." Zach finally said and they started searching for some churches in the place.
"Bro, this is it." Anito ni Eli sa kanya nang dumating na nga sila sa isang simbahan.
"Parang wala naman atang nagaganap na kasalan dito." Zach retorted as he scanned the parking lot near the church. May nakikita naman silang mga kotse na nandodoon, and he would say, all of it were sophisticated and expensive cars. At nang napatingin siya sa simbahan, walang masyadong decorations na
makakapagsabi na may kasalan ngang nagaganap.
May itinuro naman si Eli na isang kotse, specifically, a Mercedes Benz, na may bulaklak at ribbons na nakadesign sa gitna, "That is already enough evidence na may kasalan ngang nagaganap. Maybe the church looks simple pero by that car, it means, a wedding is going on."
Nagkibit-balikat na lang siya sa sinabi ng kaibigan, "I guess. Well, I'll go now." Bumaba na siya sa kotse nila.
"Zachary, you can do it man! Kung maganda ang bride, dalhin mo na agad dito!" Sabi ni Isaac sa kanya at nagtawanan na silang lahat.
Napailing na lang siya sa sinabi nito, "Umayos kayo." Pagkatapos ay napalayo-layo na nga siya sa kinaroroonan ng mga ito at papunta na sa simbahan.
Nang makalapit-lapit na siya sa simbahan, napansin niyang wala masyadong dekorasyon ang paligid nito. It looked like a very secluded and private wedding. Sa tantiya niya, konti lang ang taong nandudoon ngayon.
At nang makapasok na siya, he only saw few people in the church, maybe at least 60 people were in there, including the bride ang groom. May nakikita rin siyang mga lalakeng nakasuot ng black polo sa mga gilid ng loob ng simbahan who looked like as if they were bodyguards. Konti lang din ang mga phot
ographers na nandoon.
He was confused, sa mga nakita niyang mga kotseng nakapark sa labas, alam niyang puro mayayaman ang nasa kasal ngayon, but as what he is currently seeing now, it really looked like a very simple wedding.
"Julia Marie Silva, will you take Yvo Montemayor-"
"No!"
Lahat ng tao na nandoon sa kasal ngayon ay nagulat at napatingin sa taong biglang sumigaw.
Everyone at the wedding looked incredulous at Zachary.
"Stop the wedding." Zachary added confidently. If he could only laughed at the people's reaction at what he is currently doing right now. Especially the two soon newly-wed couple who were looking at him confusingly and disdainfully.
"I won't allow the bride to marry her groom because I should be the one marrying her." He acted and the way he said those words were really convincing. Napansin naman niya ang itsura ng bride nakakunot-noong nakatingin sa kanya, well, everyone is. "We have an affair."
Napasinghap naman ang lahat sa mga sinabi niya, everyone inside the church became noisy. Gusto na talagang matawa ni Zach sa mga itsura nito, he noticed, most of the guests in the wedding were elderly and middle-aged people.
"Diba siya yung sikat na singer ng isang banda?"
"Oo, kamukha niya, yung Zachary Knight!"
"Anong ginagawa niya rito? May ugnayan siya kay Julia?"
Pero hindi pinansin ni Zach ang mga sinasabi ng iba at nilapitan ang kinaroroonan ng bride.
"Come with me," he winked as he grabbed her hand and ran.
"Wait!! What are you doing?! Bitawan mo ko! Anong pinagsasabi mo?!" Sabi ng bride sa kanya habang hatak-hatak niya papalabas ng simbahan. Alam niyang nagkakagulo na sa loob.
"Julia, anak!" May narinig siyang sumigaw, isang boses ng matandang lalake sa likod nila.
"Guards! Arestuhin siya!"
Napahinto naman si Zach nang marinig niya ang mga salitang iyon. Arestuhin?
Napatingin naman si Zach sa bride na kasama na niya ngayon sa labas.
She looked familiar to him.
Shit. Julia. Julia Marie Silva. He knew who she was. Kaya pala medyo pamilyar sa kanya ang pangalan na narinig niya sa simbahan.
Fuck. He wedding crashed the wedding of the first daughter of their country's president, Eduardo Silva Jr.
"What the fuck."
