The Second Bride on the List

Chapter 12

"Kief," Hans greeted him as soon as he entered the bar. Kiefer approached his friends and started giving them fistbumps. "Bro," he said in response, and took a bottle of ice cold beer.

"What's this news that you are married, man?" Hans asked, winking at a random girl looking at him.

Kiefer shook his head. He knows he still has to play the part. "Yeah," he said, then raised his fingers to show the ring. "Puta, pare. That's suicidal! You can still get a good fuck without marrying anyone!" Hans exclaimed. He turned to their friends and announced, "Ako lang ba ang walang kaalam-alam that this fucker got married na?"

It was a mix of reactions: some laughed, thinking it was a joke. Some was appalled at the idea that Kiefer got married, when he can still have fun. And some were glad, now that he is out of the market.

The ladies were not that ecstatic by the news, except for Mia whose eyes shone when it was announced. Of course, she already knew it, and she even met the girl. She smiled mischievously and slid next to Kiefer. "Tempting fish," she ran her hand on his thigh. Kiefer ignored her. "Come on, Kief... don't you think it's... exciting?"

Kiefer continued to ignore her. There are far greater things in his mind right now. "Sancho, do you think... do you think I still have it?"

"Fuck, bro! Have you seen a doctor? I wouldn't know if you are loaded-"

Kiefer glared at him, "Puta naman 'to. I'm talking about playing basketball."

Sancho beamed widely. "Now we're talking!" Sancho slid between him and Mia, "Bro, alam mo naman how I have always wanted you back in the league, di ba? Ikaw lang 'tong daming excuses."

Kiefer played with the bottle of beer in his hand, wiping off the cool perspiration off of it. "Pare, I haven't decided yet. But ang tagal ko ng hindi naglalaro. I wonder if I still have it."

"Pare, maniwala ka. You still have it. I could see na meron ka lang slight hesitation, which is bad for your form, pero, Pare, you can work that out. Kelangan mo lang masabak ulit," Sancho tapped his shoulder. "Kelan mo ba balak bumalik?"

"No... I'm... I'm just thinking about it," he muttered, taking a swig off of his bottle. "Dude, masaya na ako na in-open up mo 'to sa akin. Eventually, you'll get out of your shit and stop feeling sorry about yourself," Sancho raised his beer to him, and downed half of the contents.

"I'm not sorry about myself," he muttered, swirling the bottle round and round on his hands, "You know my story."

"Alam mo, Dude, it's all a lie. At yan ang palagi kong sinasabi sa 'yo," Sancho pointed to his chest with his beer bottle, "It's not about your grandfather. At alam mo 'yan. Ikaw mismo ang takot."

Kiefer was just silent.

He could just hear Alyssa's voice... "May mga bagay din na kelangan ilaban."

He took another gulp of beer, and finished it off.

"Dude, I'm not going to be your bitch tonight, but fuck! Let's enjoy!" Sancho tapped his back, and raised his beer, while his other hand is reaching for a new bottle to hand over to Kiefer.

Kiefer couldn't count the number of alcohol bottles he has consumed for the night, and he is not just tipsy. He's dead drunk, and he could remember being carried to his car. He doesn't even know who drove him home, and brought him inside his house, but he could remember the sweet perfume of a woman.

He must have drifted back to sleep, when he heard someone open his bedroom door. "What the-"

"Puta."

Alyssa was shocked to see him in bed half-naked, covered partially by a blanket, and a woman was beside him. But she has to think fast-

"Lovebirds! Wakey!"