Run Away, Bride (as published by Lifebooks) - Complete

Chapter 12: Martyrs

SLANCE WANTED to cry. Hard. Or probably strangle someone just to feel better. Preferrably that guy named Frank. Hindi niya alam kung bakit dala iyon ni Bride sa birthday party niya at kung bakit sa mismong birthday niya iyon dinala doon. But putting Frank aside, what actually hurt him was that Bride didn't remember his birthday.

Gumising siya sa umagang iyon na nagbabantay ng text mula dito. Kahit tatlong letra lang na usong-usong gamitin ng mga bata ngayon. HBD. Pero kahit blank message ay wala itong sinend sa kanya. Umasa parin siya na may regalo ito kahit isang supot lang ng biskwit. But she arrived there with another man and she proudly told everybody they were 'getting to know each other.'

"Ang ganda ng kotse niya," komento niya.

"Mas guwapo ka, 'tol," ani Knight.

"Doctor siya."

"Mas guwapo ka, 'tol," ani naman ni Alex.

"Mukhang mayaman."

"Mas guwapo ka, 'tol," ani naman ni Sven.

"Eight packs daw ang abs niya. Six lang ang akin."

"Mag guwapo ka, 'tol!" sabay-sabay na wika ng mga ito.

Nagkatawanan sila sa gitna ng pamimintas kay Frank. Kausap nito ang mga babae habang kasama niyang umiinom sa labas ng glass sliding door ng silid sina Knight, Alex, Brent, Sven, Jared at Giles. Simula n'ong makabalik sila mula sa resort, para na siyang naging parte ng mga ito. Hindi niya alam na may kakompetensya pala siya sa puwesto.

"Mainit nanaman nga ang ulo ni Posy," ani Jared. "I think Bride's just trying to prove something. May ginawa ka ba para ma-provoke siya?"

Umiling siya. "Wala naman akong maalala na instance na naka-provoke sa kanya para maghanap siya ng iba."

"Paano mo nasabi na na-provoke siya, 'Red?" tanong ni Alex.

Kumibit-balikat ito. "Posy did something similar before. Naaalala ko, nasabihan ko siya n'on na masyado siyang lalaking gumalaw kaya mas maraming babaeng nagkakagusto sa kanya kesa lalaki. The next thing I know, I was picking her up in a lap of a man in a bar."

"Si Maji din," ani Giles. "Those three may have different personalities but there was once a time when they were almost alike pagdating sa pag-iisip nila. Maji once made me jealous by 'dating' my best friend. Dahil lang sinabi ko sa kanya na masyado siyang timid."

"I can't remember an instance when I told her anything offensive," aniya.

"Dami talagang issues ni Bride." Si Alex.

Natawa sina Jared at Giles.

Napakunot-noo silang natira.

"Bakit?" ani Alex.

"How long have you been wed, Alex? Sven?" tanong ni Jared.

"More than a year," ani Alex.

"Six months," ani Sven.

"Ah. Newbies. You know, once you decide to commit yourself to a woman, you have to know her issues. Every single one of them. You can't marry a girl without loving her issues. Iyon ang mga bagay na dapat niyong i-work-out as a couple. Dahil 'pag kasal na kayo, lalabas at lalabas iyang issues na iyan and you would end up hating each other kapag hindi niyo iyan napag-usapan. You don't marry a girl just because you love her. You marry her because you accept her and her existence is vital in yours.

"Posy had so many issues. She was immature, hotheaded and downright sensitive. Gan'on ko siya nakilala at gan'on ko rin siya minahal. Throughout our relationship, I kept getting mad at her sensitivity and time to time irrational wails. Nakakairita eh. But well, welcome to the female mind. Ugali na nila iyon, ang palakihin ang maliit na bagay. They make small issues sound life-threatening. They make a big deal out of a small matter. But that's why we love them. They make our life complicated but not having them in it is a life not worth living."