AGS 4: The Best Man's Wedding

Chapter 3: Guardians

"Kagabi pa 'yan umiiyak."

I could hear Clark explaining to Kuya Ronie and Mat why I was crying the whole night.

I didn't welcome anyone in my place apart from some guys na comfortable akong kasama. Ang welcome lang sa penthouse ko ay ang boyfriend ko, si Kuya, si Mat, and si Clark na may keycard ko rin. The rest ng barkada ni Kuya, need pa nilang maghintay sa lobby kung hahanapin ako.

"Aw, ang baby ko." Mathilda went near my bed, and this time, I cried out loud on her shoulder.

"Maaaaat!"

She was combing my hair so gently while shushing me not to cry.

"Hayaan mo na 'yon. Hahanapan kita ng mas guwapo r'on," sabi ni Mat.

Nakahiga na ako pasandal sa balikat niya para doon na umiyak nang umiyak.

Mathilda is my "former" Kuya Matthias Argente Vercelez na pinakaguwapong friend ni Kuya Ronie at crush ko ever since I was a kid—and until now, actually. Kaya kong maging bisexual basta ba siya ang jowa ko.

"Mat! Break na kami ni Ivo!" Nabo-brokenhearted ako pero ang bango kasi niya kaya lalo akong sumiksik sa leeg niya para amoy-amuyin siya.

"Sab, stop that!"

Sabay pa kami ni Mat na napatingin sa hita kong pinalo ni Kuya.

"Kuya! I'm crying, okay?" I complained.

"Crying and you're smothering Mathilda's neck! Shut the hell up, you're taking advantage. Nakakahiya ka."

Mat fleek her fingers at Kuya to stop him from hurting me. "Ronie, it's okay. Sab's crying, let her."

"Mat, hinahanap siya ni Tita Liz. Hindi pa niya nagagawa ang tux ni Patrick. Anong araw na," naiinis na sermon ni Kuya.

"January pa naman ang wedding ni Patrick!" sagot ko.

"And Pat's supposed to marry Mel last month. Pa-October na, expired na ang wedding contract niya. Until now, wala pa rin siyang tux."

"Bumili na lang siya sa boutique ni Ruford! My God, Kuya!"

Kuya Ronie really wanted to show off his annoying face at me so I could feel that he was so annoyed by my refusal of doing Patrick's suit.

January nga kasi ang wedding. Pinipilit nilang gawin last month, e ayaw nga ni Melanie, and it was already planned for January. Ewan ko ba sa mga barkada ni Kuya kung bakit kating-kati magpakasal, as if namang kasing-scary ni Mum ang parents nila!

Tita Liz is so nice and modest, and all she wanted was Patrick's happiness with Melanie. Ang wedding, walang case sa kanila as long as it would happen, and it should happen next year. Not last month, not this fucking month kung kailan brokenhearted ako!

How can I work for a wedding suit if the man I wanted to marry broke up with me? Nang-iinsulto ba sila?

"Come on, baby. I'll take you to lunch," Mat said and pulled me up off the bed.

I was hugging her as I glared at Kuya, glaring at me too. I even pointed my two fingers at my eyes for him as a warning that I was watching him. And he did that as well.

I was always the baby of Kuya's barkada. But not his college barkada. Noong nasa province pa kami, Kuya Ronie, Kuya Matthias, and Kuya Clark were my kuyas in our place before. But my Kuya Ronie was a bully during those times, so it was always Kuya Mat and Kuya Clark who took care of me when I was in my preparatory school.

But things had changed, and after a bad incident na nangyari doon sa province, hindi ko na matawag na kuya ang barkada ni Kuya Ronie, at siya na lang ang kinukuya ko for the sake of being my older brother. I even attempted to call him Ronie since we don't say "Kuya" in the US. Kaso noong unang beses 'yong narinig ni Kuya, pinakain niya ako ng buong face towel at nag-warning na subukan kong ulitin 'yon, ikukulong niya ako sa basement for the whole week.