He Married the Stripper.

The Wedding.

---EMILY---

"Oh my gosh. Emily?! Kamusta ka?" Tanong ni Miggy, kaklase ko nung highschool. She stretched her arms to give me a hug kaya naman napilitan akong tumayo para i-hug siya at ang mga kasama niyang kaklase ko rin noon.

"Usap-usapan na nasa Dubai ka daw?" Sabi ni Patty.

"Oh? Ang narinig ko naman nag Japan ka." Dagdag ni Queenie.

"Hindi, nandito lang ako. Hindi ako umaalis ng bansa." Sagot ko sa kanila.

"Talaga ba? Ang tagal na kasi naming walang balita tungkol sayo e. Kaya alam mo na, kami na yung nag-pupuno sa spaces na iniwan mo."

"Medyo busy lang sa mga bagay-bagay."

"Ganun ba? O sige ha, kwentuhan mo kami mamaya. Para naman hindi kami nang-huhula. Baka naman may tinatago ka ng panganay ha." Biro ni Miggy sama-sama silang umalis na tatlo, nag-tatawanan at nag-bubulungan. Naupo lang ulit ako sa tabi ni Gelo.

"Bakit ganyan yang mga yan? Diba kabarkada mo sila nung highschool?" 

"Hayaan mo na sila."

"Sabi ko naman kasi sayo Ate, dapat sinama mo si Alex dito para shut-up yang mga yan. For sure kapag nakita nilang may kasama kang boyfriend at ganun ka-gwapo walang maipupula yang mga yan sayo." 

"We had the same plan with Anthony pero seeing as masyadong malandi yung lalaking yun, he had to go home."

"Onga pala, akala ko bading siya, so pano niya naging ex yung DJ e babae yun?" 

"Because there're people called bisexual and isa na dun si Anthony. Balita ko crush ka daw nya a. Kaya nga nag-pumilit ding sumama yun e." Biro ko sa kanya.

"Naku Ate ha, alam mo namang si Gigi ang the one for me. Tch, ayan na naman sila. Ate, alis na tayo bago ka pa nila ma-peste." Sabi niya ng mapansin ang ilan pa sa mga schoolmates ko na papalapit sa table namin.

"Gelo, nandito tayo para kay Ms. De la Cruz hindi para makipag-yabangan sa mga dati kong classmates. Besides they're not all that bad. Tsaka after tonight naman, hindi ko na ulit sila makikita. Huwag kang mag-alala, puro chismis lang naman yang mga yan e."

Katatapos lang ng wedding ceremony ni Ms. De la Cruz at ngayon naman ay nasa club house kami ng isang sikat na golf club para sa wedding reception nila. Intimate lang yung ceremony kaming mga sponsors at abay lang yung nadoon pero dahil maraming gustong maki-celebrate sa kanila marami silang inimbita para sa reception. 

Halos lahat ng bisita ay alumni at staff ng school namin. Gaya ng ini-isip ko karamihan sa mga ka-batch ko nung highschool ay naririto rin at marami sa kanila ang pinagchi-chismisan ako. Tama naman si Miggy, ako lang siguro sa kanila ang hindi nagparamdam at nagpakira after highschool kaya naman ako yung topic nila at ginagawan ng sari-saring kwento. Siguro kasalanan ko din kasi wala naman akong ginagawa or ginawa para mabago takbo ng kwento nila.

Gusto ko na sanang umalis, nagawa ko na naman ang duty ko sa kasal, nakapagpa-picture narin ako kasama ang newlyweds at sa dami ng tao ngayon dito, sigurado akong hindi na mapapansin ni Ms. De la Cruz na umalis na ako. 

I can just get up, take Angelo with me, get a taxi and leave. Ganun ka-simple lang, I can even ask John to give me a ride. Pero hindi ko magawa. My pride won't let me and his stupid word's preventing me from making a decision.

---ALEX---

"You know, bro. You really need to practice what you preach." Ed told me as we walked around the Golf Club.

"What are you talking about?" I asked him as I made my way to an electronic map.

"Wow, seriously?" He stared at me and I just stared back.

"Okay then, let me recap. So kaninang umaga nung nagkakaron nang internal crisis si Ems sa pag-punta sa reception ng kasal ng teacher nya; you basically told her to woman up and ignore her haters. She said she can't, so Anthony decided to be her moral support and proposed a brilliant plan by pretending to be her boyfriend. Then, you accused her of being immature by lying to her peers. When she told you how they're gonna be spreading lies about her anyway, you called her a hypocrite. And that resulted in her revoking our cake privileges. So anong ginagawa natin ngayon dito?"

"To get cake. They have a cafe." 

"Okay? But why here?"

"Masarap daw cake nila." Ed shook his head as he approached a passing employee and asked her a few questions after that he went back to me.

"You're not gonna find what you're looking for in there. It's supposed to be a private event."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I lied.

"Tss. Let's go." He started walking so I abandoned the computer and followed after him.

"Oi! What are you guys doing here?" Anthony asked as we saw him wandering around.

"To get cake, apparently." Ed answered, gesturing to me.

"Wow, seriously after pissing Emily, you come crawling over here?" He said with a stupid grin.

"I'm here for cake." I answered him.

"Tch, yea we're here to get 'cake', anyway anong ginagawa mo dito? As Emily's 'boyfriend' aren't you supposed to be attached to the hip?" Tanong ni Ed.

"That's the thing! That plan has failed before it can even start. I used to date the DJ, the sex was good but I didn't think we we're compatible, she thought differently and now she's still mad at me. So I was thinking na baka pag nakita nya ko lalo lang pag-chismisan si Emily. So we decided not to do that anymore."

"Wow. How is she though?"

"She's doing okay. She's the prettiest woman next to the bride. All her old teachers had good things to say about her kahit nga yung mga school staff but I can't say the same for her classmates. Almost half of them are talking shit about her, this one bitch was even spreading lies about her. Well technically not lies, coz you know... she did work as a stripper but she was saying it in a gossipy way... and it's making all the wrong impression on the horny bastards and they're eyeing her maliciously and... Ohmygod! Kung hindi lang talaga dahil kay Rimi, naku!!"

"Wedding's done, so ano pang ginagawa niya dito? If she's having a hard time staying here she can always just go home." I stated.

"Because there's an asshole back home and she wanted to prove she's not being immature or pissy or whatever the asshole accused her of being." I didn't say anything and they stared at me.

"What?!"

"Since you're here and you are technically the husband. Why don't you play the part? It would be fun to see those bitches face kapag pinakilala ka ni Ems as her boyfriend." Suggested Ed.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because Mr. Altamerana you said you wanted cake."