His Runaway Bride

Prologue

Dr. Creed Isaiah Gozar Del Russo

Ayon sa mga pag-aaral, ang malusog na puso ng isang tao ay tumitibok ng halos isang daang beses kada minuto. Ngunit pakiramdam ko ay doble ang tibok ng akin ngayong nakatayo na ako sa dulo ng altar ng simbahan. Kahit na hindi iyon posible sa mata ng agham. Napalingon ako kay Pelocci, ang aking matalik na kaibigan, nang maramdaman ko na bahagya niyang hinawakan ang aking kamay. Nakasuot siya ng orange na dress, nakatali ang kanyang itim na mahabang buhok sa simpleng braids. Nakatitig sa akin ang kanyang mala-kapeng mga mata. She's my best man. She's my only friend. We met long before I even met Jill. We found out that we don't match in bed, but we matched as friends, so here we are.

"Chill ka lang, Isaiah. Darating din si Jill," nakangising sabi niya at bahagyang tumawa. "You guys are like perfect together, so there is no way that this day is unstoppable."

Napangiti naman ako nang marinig ko ang pangalan ng babaeng pinakamamahal ko. "I know, kinakabahan lang ako. Hindi ko pa nararanasang maikasal."

She squeezed my hand for the last time before she let it go. Huminga ako nang malalim bago ako tumingin sa paligid ng simbahan. Puno ng makukulay na bulaklak ang paligid at may mga pula at orange na tela sa paligid. Klairo loves flowers and lively colors, that's why those two colors are our wedding motif. I am not complaining at all because all I want is to be married to her—married to Jillian Klairo Esperensa.

Hindi naman ako naniniwala sa pag-ibig o kung anumang kakornihan, hanggang sa makilala ko si Jill. Her belly laughs, smiles, sarcasm, and funny comebacks swept me right off my feet. I never believed in love. I was a believer in orgasms, hot fucks, and one-night stands. That was all I believed in until her. Sex used to make my heart pump blood rapidly and enable the pleasure center in my brain. I didn't actually know what it feels like to have high levels of dopamine and norepinephrine. These hormones are released when you love someone. Those two natural chemicals in our body make us feel excited, alive, and exhilarated. These can actually cause us to have less sleep and less appetite. Kaya kapag in love ka ay halos hindi ka makakain o makatulog kakaisip sa taong mahal mo.

It is actually real and backed with science. Years ago, I thought it was bullshit until Jill. The moment she made me feel like that, I knew right away that I was screwed in a good way. At that moment, I knew that she's the one.

And so, years later. Here we are, at the church, about to get married. Lumingon ako sa aking pamilya, mababakas ang mga saya sa kanilang mga mukha. Some of our doctor friends at the hospital were here. Marami ring nurse na kaibigan ni Jill ay narito. Hindi nila ako gusto dahil noong unang dumating ako sa hospital ay mayabang ako at mataas ang tingin sa sarili dahil kakalabas ko lamang ng medical school. So, I had to learn my lesson hard, dahil kada maliit na bagay ay tinatawag ako ng mga nurse kahit hindi naman importante . . . at dalawang buwan din akong nag-rectal exams at na-assign sa paglilinis ng mga nana at paghihintay na dumumi ang pasyente upang ma-discharge sila. Instead of me being in the operating room. Jill just laughed at me because I really deserved it.

I learned my lesson, which is not to mess with the nurses ever again. They are just as important as the doctors, and I was stupid to act all high and mighty. Hell, I learned to put in an IV line because of them.

Samantalang si Jill ay mabait—she always is, to everyone. She smiles and shines them with her rainbow, kahit na prangka siya. That's the thing about her. She says whatever she has in mind. The nurses, and actually everyone in the hospital, love her because she's not only nice, but also has empathy and is easy to get along with. Which makes me realize how lucky I am to be with her.

I nervously paced in the aisle as I checked my watch. Kalahating oras na ang dumaan dapat ay narito na siya. My heart is actually beating with nervousness.