CHAPTER 3: THE WEDDING REHEARSAL

CHAPTER 3: THE WEDDING REHEARSAL

“Is your bestfriend coming? Did you get to convince him?” Bryan knew that my best friend hates me, he just didn’t know the details.

I’ve been looking at my watch and the entrance of the hall where we are having a rehearsal. Everyone from the entourage, except the sponsors, are supposed to be here. It was actually Bryan’s idea. If it’s just me, I would have settled for impromptu. But then, Bryan’s family is rich, and this is how they do things, so I just went along. Anyway, majority of the entourage is from his side and they all seem to have all the time in the world for something like this.

Rev is the only part of the entourage that is from my side. I insisted on it from the start.

At last I saw Rev entering the hall. No one else here knows him but me. I went to meet him.

“Thank you for coming. I was afraid you will stand me up.”

He just looked at me and walked past me. Grumpy.

“Aren’t we going to start yet?” he asked. Really, he had the nerve when he’s the one who came in late.

Bryan stopped me by the arm when I was going to follow Rev.

“Is that your bestfriend? He looks like a total jerk to me.”

I felt irritated at the remark. No one calls Rev a jerk. Especially not in front of me!

I calmed myself. He’s my groom, anyway. He’s my lifeboat, so I will this pass.

“I told you he hates me.”

“Then why do you insist that he takes part in our wedding?”

“Are we going through the same argument again, Bryan?”

Bryan and I stopped arguing when Rev approached us again.

“Are we going to rehearse or should we postpone it until you, guys, are through with your chitchat? I have no time idling around here.”

“Ah..yeah. I mean, we’re proceeding with the rehearsal. But before that, please meet my fiancé, Bryan. Hon, this is Rev, my bestfriend.”

Bryan extended his right hand towards Rev. He did a good job hiding his irritation. Rev lazily took it.

I called the organizer and asked her to proceed. She called everyone to their places.

I introduced to Rev the girl he will pair up with. He didn’t even bother looking at her.

He’s frustrating! This can’t go on like this. I need him to relax and start becoming himself again. I need him to forgive me.

The rehearsal restarted several times because Rev wouldn’t follow the organizer. The other participants look pissed for his lack of cooperation. It seems he just came to say he attended.

If our relationship is still like before, I would have punched him several times already, but no, I cannot do that anymore.

It’s almost lunch time but we haven’t finished a whole set yet. And we only reserved the venue until 12 noon! We’re running out of time!

“Everyone, that’s all for now. We’ll be back next week for final rehearsal,” said Bryan.

“Thank you for your time, everyone.” I added. The participants started leaving one by one.

“Talk to your friend. He can’t go messing up our wedding.” Bryan said, annoyed. Then he left.

That was when I realized I was left alone inside the hall. I saw Rev’s retreating back. I chased him.

“Can I hitch a ride?”

“What? Where’s your asshole of a boyfriend?”

He called my boyfriend asshole and I didn’t even mind. What’s with me?

“He’s got another appointment so he couldn’t bring me home.”

“Take a cab.”

“But I want to hitch.”

He glared at me so I smiled awkwardly.

“I also have an appointment.” Rev answered.

I pouted. I didn’t get over that habit. Back then, whenever I wanted him to do something for me, I will pout at him if he said no. His habit is saying no, just to tease me.

But it seems he’s gotten over the charm of my pout. Seems like his ‘no’ really means ‘NO’ now.

He opened the door of his car and sat on the driver’s seat. I also opened the door to the passenger side and went in.

“What the-?”

“Please Rev. I really need your help right now. I was out of the country for five years, I just got back. I have no communication with anyone of our friends, so I can only pester you. Please, accompany my just this once.”

“Accompany you?! You said earlier you’ll just hitch, now you want me to accompany you?” he looked at me incredulously. “I can’t believe you!”

“Hmm.. You want more? Then, let’s also eat afterwards. Of course, your treat!” I grinned.

“Shut up!”

“And we can also watch movie after, I haven’t watched any movie for five years.”

“I’m not in the mood to fool around!” he hollered, his veins popping out.

“Okay, we will also go to an arcade!”

He closed his eyes in an act of trying to control his anger.

I smiled awkwardly.

“He..he.. he.. I’m just kidding, just give me a hitch to your house. I will just ask Auntie to accompany me to the couturier.”

“What?? You’re going to the couturier but your jerk of a boyfriend cannot go with you?!”

“It’s because he’s busy..”

“What kind of a man would let his bride do that alone??” He looked more pissed. Could it be that he’s still concerned with me? Is this a chance for us to patch things up between us?

He saw my smiled getting wider and his face suddenly turned serious and formal.

“Don’t make stupid assumptions!” He angrily roared at me.

“O-okay, boss.”

“Where’s this couturier?”

I told him the building where my couturier’s shop is located. He remained silent for several minutes so I also kept quiet.

“You don’t know how to use a seatbelt?” He asked sarcastically after a while.

‘How would I know that he was just waiting for me to put on my seatbelt?’ I made face at him.

He was shaking his head when he suddenly reached for my seatbelt, but I also reached for it instinctively that we accidentally touched each other. The contact sent sparks flying that I flinched inwardly.

“I’ll do it!” he barked and snatched it from me. Then he fixed it and drove the car.

*Maybe you’re the one, maybe I love you..*

That’s a song from one of my favorite K-Dramas, Dream High. I made it into my message alert tone. I saw Rev shaking his head in disbelief, though he knew I really like K-Dramas ever since we were students.

“Hon, really sorry for not coming with you today. I know I acted like a jerk earlier. Shouldn’t have, really. I’m sorry. I planned to accompany you today but I thought maybe you can use this time to be with Rev. I know you really just want to patch up things with him. Let’s meet later tonight. I love you.”

I replied ‘ok’ and put it back inside my bag.

“Uhm..Rev?”

“Don’t talk to me. I will just drop you off and then we’re on our own.”

“O-okay.. Yeah, that would be great. Thank you.” I looked on the fingers that I am twisting on my lap. I don’t know, I am not really supposed to expect good treatment from Rev, but his coldness still wounds me. Even though he no longer cares, I cannot bring myself to let go of the Rev I used to know, the guy I loved so much, my best friend.

He stopped the car in front of the couturier’s boutique. With slumped shoulders, I went out of his car after murmuring a soft ‘thank you’. When it comes to things that are emotional, I easily chicken out. Especially when it has something to do with Rev. Since then and until now, I am a coward. I cannot fight for what I feel. With just a hint of resistance from him, I will retreat.

“Hey!”

I looked back and saw that Rev. Puzzled, I watched him hand over his car key to the valet parking staff.

“Didn’t you say you have an appointment?” I asked when he caught up to me.

“Well, your ally- which is my mother- took the liberty of cancelling everything for me. And I didn’t want to hear her sermons again so I will just have to go with you.”

I smiled at that.

“Waaah! Thank you so much! I so really love you!” I was about to hug him tight just like before when his dagger look nailed me to my place.

“Don’t even think that I’m doing this for you.” He warned.

“I know..”

We both fell silent as we walked side by side.

“I know you’re not doing this because you want to. I know that it’s because of Auntie Eva that you are suffering my presence. But still, I appreciate it. You’re a really good person, Rev.”

He cleared his throat. “Where’s your couturier?”

We went to the shop that is in the adjacent building of a five star hotel.

“You should try it on to see if it will fit perfectly,” Rina, who is previously Rino, told me. She owns the boutique.

I changed inside their fitting room. When I went out, Rina clapped.

“Very beautiful! It suits you so well, darling! You look like a princess in a fairy tale. Right, Fafa?” Rina consulted Rev who maintains his poker face. It’s annoying that he wouldn’t even pretend to find me pretty.

“My opinion doesn’t matter, as long as that’s according to her groom’s choice.”

“Oh, but it’s not his choice. It’s hers. It’s her design.” Rina pointed out.

Rev didn’t show any sign of recognition. I remember clearly that i showed him this design years ago, when we were still..uh.. best of friends. And he said it’s beautiful.

I took a deep breath.

“This will be fine. I will take it now.” I told Rina and turned around to go back to the fitting room but Rina held me back.

“You should try out different hairstyles for that gown. So that you can decide which hairstyle to use on your wedding. You should look like a beauty queen on your wedding day.”

“Doesn’t matter.” I felt lethargic.

“She has a point.” Rev agreed with Rina who smiled at his confirmation.

“I’ll do your hair!” Rina excitedly made me sit down in front of the vanity mirror and started twiddling with my hair. He would consult Rev from time to time while doing different styles.

She tried curling my hair. Then decided to try straightening it.She also tried tying it in a bun, in a semi-bun, braided, semi-braided like in fairy tales and Greek mythology movies.

“That one suits her best.” I heard Rev commented. “She has prominent shoulder blades, it exposes them. But at the same time, it accentuates her classical face very beautifully.”

Did i just hear a compliment? My heart is beating so fast.

“Perfect!” Rina exclaimed. “And I have just the right choker for you!”

Rina put on the choker she mentioned. And true enough, it went well with the dress and the hair.

“Rina, I don’t have my checkbook with me, can I just send the check for the choker to you later?”

“No problem, darling.”

“I’ll pay for that.”

I looked at Rev in surprise. What on earth-?

“You really don’t have to do that.” I told him. But he’s already giving Rina his check. She accepted it while smiling widely.

“Hmm, you’re not just handsome, Fafa! You’re also generous! If Reina is not marrying Fafa Bryan, you and she would look good together. Oh my lips! What am I saying! Sorry, Rein, just kidding!”

I just smiled at her and went back to the fitting room to change clothes. I wanted to wipe away from my mind the sight of Rev’s expression when he heard Rina’s joke. His jaw clenched and he looked livid. That raw rage is so similar with what I saw in his face years ago.

When I came out of the fitting room, Rev already left for the car and will just wait for me outside. Rina’s staff helped me carry the box of gown and the choker that Rev bought for me.