Someday, I'll Find My Way Home

Axel attends the wedding!

Paula and I went to UPLB on an early morning and we talked about our favorite topic--Karl.

She was persistent that we drive to the university on 5AM, but I woke up at 6. She was fuming mad when she waited at her condo alone, her suitcase already packed and her patience nearing its peak. Marvin and Candace were booked in SEARCA Hotel the day before the actual date so they wouldn't need to travel early for preparations.

I was wearing my white short and one of my old gym shorts while driving. Good thing that the Starbuck Drive-Thru was already opened when we stopped by, or else I didn't know how I would survive the ride from Mandaluyong to Los Baños.

My guitar and keyboard were already on the backseat, along with a backpack full of extra clothes and while my attire for the wedding and reception were hanged. I didn't want them to crumple. My shoes were in the bottom in their boxes. 

To appease her anger, I bought her favorite food from Starbucks--Cinnamon Danish. After eating the whole without asking me if I wanted some, she talked.

"Are you excited?" She grinned to me. "I know you're more excited to see Karl than the actual wedding."

"Yes of course," I said. "This might be only chance to fix all the stupid things I've done in the past."

"The only thing that I'm excited too is to get drunk and hopefully meet someone cute at the reception."

"Please, no college flings."

"Hey! They might have some cute high school friends, or even gorgeous cousins," Paula said. "Although I admit, I want to see Candace's cute brother, Clementine, tomorrow."

I chuckled and said, "Just make sure you don't make anything stupid later."

"Can't promise. Drunk Paula is wild." She laughed and lightly slapped my arm. "You should be the one who shouldn't do anything stupid."

"I know."

-

We arrived at UPLB before 9AM, and we stopped by in SEARCA Hotel so we could prepare and change in our attire. Marvin booked another room for the mess headquarters. I was a little shy of taking a bath when there were a lot of people changing in the room and having their make-up done. But I also refused to go in a wedding without a proper bath; this wasn't college.

I changed with my barong and cinnamon colored linen trousers that I paired with my wood-colored leather boots. Paula was on a chair doing her own makeup. She was already dressed in her cream, body-hugging, modern Filipiniana dress with a translucent embroidered scarf enveloped on her shoulders.

The other bridesmaid wore almost the same dress as her, but she claimed already that she should be the "most beautiful maid of honor in a bad bitch make-up." True enough, her lipstick had a darker tint paired with her smoky eyes.

I fixed my hair and combed it to the side. 

After about an hour, they were finally finished. Paula and I drove to the back of the Admin Building so I could park my car there. We walked towards St. Therese with her hand on my arm. We both had our sunglasses on our eyes and I used the borrowed umbrella to cover us from the harsh sunlight.

Almost everyone was assembled in the curved benches of the church. The pillars around the church and the small stands on the aisle had vases with sunflowers and lavenders. 

I didn't recognize any familiar faces, except for Candace's brother Clementine. He was with his family on a well-suited barong for his thin physique. He was beaming when he remembered us.