Never Have I Ever

Ninth Shot

Kari

"Bridey?"

A man in a dark blue three-piece suit who was around 6'3–I think—looked at me like he knew who I was. My friends glanced at me then at him as if asking for answers. Gwapo siya, oo, pero di ko siya kilala.

"Do I know you?" I innocently asked as I tried to do a double-take of this man. He has dark blonde hair pushed back, flawless white skin and a perfectly sculpted face with arched brows, long lashes, ocean blue eyes, a sharp nose and pinkish-red heavy lower lips. And his body? He had broad shoulders but a lean waist like a swimmer's figure and I won't be surprised to find a six-pack underneath that.

He looks like a perfect example of a man who has women kissing his feet because of his godly appearance yet I don't recognize him at all. He doesn't seem like the type that's easy to forget so how come nothing rings a bell?

Elliot—Ashley's fiance—laughed in response as if I told the biggest joke of the year, "You..you don't know him?" He seemed to think that I was lying but I shook my head. Mukha ba kong nagpapatawa?

Although this man's eyes were oddly familiar and that nickname he called me was something I've heard before, not a single name or memory comes to mind. I wonder why?

"You don't remember me, Bridey?" His brows raised up as if I shot him in the heart for not recognizing him. Is he a celebrity or something?

I definitely don't know who he is yet he's acting as if I betrayed him for not remembering. Was he possibly one of the people I've kissed out of a drunken spur? That's impossible though since why would he call me 'Bridey'? It's as if he knew that I was a bride last year which was definitely not common knowledge.

"I think you're mistaking me for someone else, Mister?" I looked over Elliot who was beet red in laughter—hoping he'd introduce this guy—but Ash was shooting him glares.

"Calix. Calix Wright." The tall guy answered as if trying to jog my memory but nothing came out.

"Oh, Calix. Right. Uh, I think you have the wrong person. I'm technically not the bride, she is." I pointed at Ashley who was wearing a white sequined dress that reached her knees, standing next to Majoy who was beside me and trying to assess the situation.

Understanding my call for help, Ash displayed her million-dollar smile at him, "Hi, Calix, you must be Elliot's childhood friend who he told me so much about." She reached out her hand and Calix didn't bother to look her way. He was intently staring at me which honestly is weird. It's not giving me the creeps but it's making me feel like I was the most beautiful woman in the room as if I wasn't surrounded by such goddesses.

Kari, this guy's way out of your league. He's like a protagonist in some hit Hollywood film but for me? I'm nothing but an extra here. A side character who wants nothing but eternal peace in her life.

"Man, don't ignore my beautiful fiancee." Elliot elbowed him by his left side—he finally looked serious— and for a moment there, I saw Calix shoot a glare at him then instantly shift into a practised smile, "Right, I'm sorry. Your friend just looked oddly familiar to me. I didn't mean to be rude." He finally took Ash's hand and shook it for barely three seconds.

Then he turned his way towards me again and reached out his hand, "I'm Calix. Calix Wright." Paulit-ulit? "I'm the best man. You should be the maid of honour?" I winced at the label. I haven't actually fully decided if I will be the maid of honour or not so I don't want to be described that way yet.

I wanted to ignore his big hand with those long and thick fingers—a few veins popping out—but something tells me that if I won't take it, he really won't stop until he engraves his name into my brain.