The Bride, The Priest, and The Groom

Chapter 8

*flashback (3 years ago)

Jay was sitting four rows in front of the altar. They're inside Christ the King Catholic Church in San Diego. The church is crowded even though it a Saturday afternoon, because of christening. There are girls and boys ages 12-15 wearing white dresses and white polo with black slacks. They are with their parents and guardians wearing attires suited for the event.

Jay is feeling nervous, he does not know anyone here. His mother and father want the christening to be in San Diego because Jay's godfather live nearby. They went all the way from Portland to San Diego for the event. Jay and his parents did not know that there were supposedly seminars that were needed to attend before the said event. So Jay took the seminar earlier together with some who were not able to attend the seminar. But there were only three of them and the other two are adults already who needed to be christined before they get married.

Few minutes before the event started, Jay was not sure were he was supposed to be because he was not oriented. So he get up and roam around. His parents and godfather also went outside to talk for awhile.

Jay walk towards a girl wearing a white dress facing her back to him. The girl is facing a statue saint which seems to be mother Mary. She's alone and solemnly praying. She waited for the girl to finish before he talk to her. The girl has a long wavy blonde hair.

She was solemnly praying that she was startled when she turn her back. She took a step back and almost fell but Jay catch her.

"I'm sorry" Jay said while holding her shoulders supporting her from her fall.
"It's okay" said the girl then she compose herself to stand straight.
"I didn't mean to scare you, I'm just hoping to ask something." Jay said while rubbing his hand at the back of his neck.
"What is it?" The girl ask politely. Jay can't help but notice how cute and angelic the girl in front of him is. Her long wavy blond hair, big deep blue eyes and her white dress made her look like an angel. He almost forgot what he was supposed to say.

"Umm, how, what do we need to do?" Jay ask her.
"Oh, you're also part of the event?" The girl ask." I've never seen you on seminars before"
"I'm not from here, I took the seminar just earlier before this. So I don't know how this goes. I was wondering if you can help me." Jay ask

"Since you're late, I supposed you'll need to seat on the last row. There are only few of us, so you might sit on the fourth row on the right."she said. Her tone is so pleasant to hear it sounded like an angel. "And your godparent should seat on the left across the row where you're sitting." She pointed where. And your parents or company should sit at the back row also on that left side."

"Oh, thanks." Jay said with a smile
"Welcome" the girl also smile and nod, she was supposed to go when

"Umm.." Jay does not want her to leave yet. He wanted to keep asking question so that she can still talk to her. She did not seem to hear it so Jay shouted "Angel" And the girl turned her back.

The girl turned pointing her finger to her, as if asking if he meant to call her.
"Yes, you, I don't know your name yet, so I don't know what to call you, since you look like an angel I decided to call you angel" Jay said with cockiness and the girl blushed caught off guard by his compliments.

"Kendra" the girl said smiling.
"Jason" Jay offer his hand and Kendra shook it.
"Why did you call me?" Kendra ask
" umm, is there anything that I need to know? Like when and where to sit and stand or talk?"
"No, just sit in the place I told you and follow what the will be said. It's just like a normal mass, but different in the end."
"Oh, okay." Jay said while rubbing the back of his neck again. "Slight problem"

"I'm guessing you don't go to church?"Kendra said
"I'm an athlete, busy with practice with hoops."Jay throw a ball in the air and smile hoping to impress her. But instead she just roll her eyes.
"Just sit there and follow what will they say."Kendra manage a smile " I have to go, my parents will be looking for me. You should go to. The mass will start." Then she turn and walk away.

*present time

Jay just remember staring at her glancing once in a while then. The girl and their family left early after the event and that was the last he saw her.

He turned the page of the photo album again to find a picture of him again. It's a class picture of him when he was on 1st grade. He looked at the face of each person in the pic. He can't remember their names because he just know them for one year and he went to Portland when he was in 2nd grade. But to his surprise, he saw a familiar face again.

She was younger, and looked like a doll. She was standing beneath him in the picture. Kendra, now he remember, was her seatmate. He can't remember clearly but he know she was the smartest and prettiest girl in their class. Jay smiled when he remember he bully her a lot then because he likes her. He teases her so that she will look at him and not her desk once in a while.

Now it was clear to him, that's why he felt like he know her. It is because he does or he did. If Jay was not a sacristan and if he did not have to live with his fathers expectation, he will have no problem introducing himself to her. But things change, he was not the same kid he used to be, a cocky, charming, athlete everyone knows him to be.

Only one of his friends know that his a sacristan. If his other "friends" find out they might not consider him as a "friend" anymore. But one way or another, their going to find it out soon.

His other problem is to talk to Kendra. He can't just stare or take a glance at her. Now that they've known each other, maybe there's a reason for them to talk. He wants to but does not know how. Then he wonder if she wants the same thing.