Niki and Andy

Epilogue

Life has been pretty much perfect after that. Niki got the job a few days after her birthday. She was earning more while in a hybrid setup, and she still got to spend a lot of time with Andy. Since walking distance lang siya, Andy insisted on walking her to and from work every time na papasok siya sa office. The first time they held hands in public was not as weird as she expected. They used to hold hands before, as friends, but their bodies couldn't really tell the difference.

Andy would wake her up with kisses and he would put her to bed with hugs... and sometimes something else she was still getting used to.

The way they treated each other didn't change much, it was just sprinkled with romance here and there.

After a month, on Valentine's Day, the two finally admitted to their friends that they were already dating. But that was after Andy broke the news to his family. Nakakontrata na silang umuwi sa mahal na araw. Niki knew that her family also heard about the news. She asked Tita Andrea kung nakibalita ang mga ito.

Nagkikwento lang ang mama ni Andy tungkol sa pamilya ni Niki kapag nagtatanong siya. The last time that she asked about them, Tita Andrea told her that her mother finally ended things with her father. Apparently, he cheated again, and this time, her siblings stood up against him. Their mother had no choice but to accept the fact that he was not a good man.

Niki was planning on visiting them this coming April. It made Andy so happy that she gave her family another chance.

When March came, PJ and Cathleen announced their engagement to the group. And fast forward to one year later, nang medyo maluwag na ang restrictions at nabakunahan na ang mga tao, a-attend na naman sina Niki at Andy ng isa pang kasal.

"Andy! We're going to be late!" saway niya sa boyfriend. Sinasadya nitong bagalan ang pagbibihis. His shirt was already wrinkled because he refused to let go of her while she got dressed.

He began kissing the back of her shoulder again. "Maaga pa."

She leaned back and met his lips. "Stop," she said sternly.

Tumawa ito. "They don't even need us at the church. Marami ng tao dun."

Bumuntong-hininga siya at hinarap ito. He was making no effort to button up his shirt. The tie was tied in a weird way. His hair was going in all directions. Maayos pa iyon kanina, if only he would stop kissing her so she could get properly dressed!

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Naiinis na 'ko."

Andy raised his hands. "Okay. Fine. I'll get dressed."

"Zip me up." Tumalikod siya rito so he could access the zipper at the small of her back. She couldn't do it herself. Kung bakit ba naman kasi napakahaba ng zipper ng napili niyang damit. Agad siyang lumayo nang magsimula na naman itong humalik sa balikat niya. "Andy kasi!"

She heard him laugh. "I'm sorry! I can't help it!" He didn't sound sorry at all.

–

They barely made it to the wedding ceremony. Papasok na ang bride nang dumating sila. Cathleen was a vision that day. The whole church was filled with pink and yellow roses, the motif of the wedding. Classic ball gown ang style ng traje de boda ni Cathleen.

"I bet you'd look heavenly in a white dress," bulong ni Andy sa kanya habang nagmamartsa ang bride.

"That's a weird way to propose," she whispered back.

After the wedding, they all headed to the hotel where the reception was being held. Puno rin ng pink and yellow roses sa venue. PJ must have spent so much money on the wedding. From the invitation to the venue to the food and drinks, it looked like they didn't hold out.

Sa isang malaking table sila nakaupo, kasama ang high school friends nila. The teasing eventually stopped. Normal couple na sila ngayon. Which was weird to Niki because they have been teased by their friends nonstop bago maging sila.

The bouquet toss was the highlight of the event. Every eligible woman at the reception was asked to the center to catch the bouquet. Andy squeezed her arm before he let her go. "Good luck," sabi nito sa kanya.

It was crazy to think that just a couple of years ago, she didn't even want to catch the bouquet. Ngayon, nagtanggal pa siya ng heels para mas makatalon nang maayos kung kinakailangan.

"Lagot ka pare! Mukhang determined makasalo si Niki!" rinig niyang biro ni Mike kay Andy.

"Nakabili ka na ba ng singsing, Andy?" natatawang tanong naman ni Jewel.

Bumilang ang host ng tatlo bago ni Cathleen isalo ang bulaklak. Niki actually thought she wouldn't catch it because she was in the middle and there were taller women in the bunch. But the bouquet landed on her hand and she gripped it tightly para hindi iyon maagaw.

Tawang-tawa ang host nang maiwan siya sa gitna nang nakataas ang isang kamay at walang suot na sapatos. Nagpalakpakan naman ang mga kaibigan niya.

She grinned at Andy who had one hand covering his face. Tawang-tawa ito sa nangyari. Hinanap niya ang mga sapatos saka siya naglakad papalapit dito. Halos maiyak na ito katatawa nang makalapit siya. Umalis si Mike sa katabing upuan at doon siya pinaupo. She put the bouquet on Andy's lap.

Namumula na ito katatawa. Natawa rin tuloy siya.

"So kelan ang kasal?" nakangising tanong ni Babylene.

They couldn't even answer because they were laughing too hard.