I Give You My Heart

THE WEDDING march felt more like a death march for Lien. She tried her best not to burst into tears as she walks down the aisle. Weddings were supposed to touch hearts, but it was breaking hers into tiny pieces. Lien was a hypocrite. She should have said no to her best friend Darren when he told her that she would be part of his entourage. She just dug her own grave. Watching her best friend, the man she loves the most, get married was one of the stupidest things she had done in her life. But when did she ever had the courage to say no to Darren? Never in her life. Because she loves him, and that feeling blinded her. She would just suffer later on.

Lien stared blankly at the altar until she heard the preacher say, “Speak now, or forever hold your peace…”

Her hands clenched into the fabric of her gown. She wanted to stand and speak, but her body won’t move as if it knew that she would regret it later. But then, her phone rang, and all eyes turned in her direction.

Lien bit her lower lip and shook her head. She forgot to put her phone in silent mode.

“I-I’m sorry,” said Lien before storming out of the church.

She let out a sigh of relief when she finally got outside. Then, she fished her phone from the clutch bag. Unique, her colleague was calling her.

“Where are you? I sent you an e-mail. I need your revised article now,” said Unique.

“For Pete’s sake, Unique, I am on leave today.” She sighed. “Didn’t I tell you that I will be at Darren’s wedding today?”

“E-eh? When did you tell me that? I can’t recall, dear.”

“Last, last night, when we were at the bar.” Lien cupped her forehead. “How could you forget that already?”

“A-ah… I’m sorry, Lien. I think I was drunk when you told me about it.” Unique laughed faintly. “I’ll just revise your article. And sorry for interrupting.”

“Nah, it’s alright. At least, I had the time to breathe. I feel suffocated inside the church.” She looked at the church’s direction. “Should I come inside, or should I just sit here and wait for the wedding ceremony to end?”

“Are you asking me for some friendly advice?”

“Something like that.”

“Lien.”

“Yes?”

“You’re stubborn. No matter what I say, you will do what you want. It’s just a waste of time.” Unique hung up.

She stared at her phone for a moment before she shoots it back to her bag. Then, she walked to her car. She decided to leave. Lien has done her part for the wedding. Darren would be so busy at the reception, he won’t notice she was gone.

“GOOD morning, Madam!” the guard greeted her.

Lien left the wedding and head straight to her favorite bar. They serve drinks in broad daylight, and that’s what she needs right now. It would appease her broken heart for a moment.

She walked straight to the bar counter and positioned herself on a stool. Lien knocked her knuckles on the counter to get the barista’s attention.

“Hello, there—oh, you look pretty on that gown,” Vien, the barista, commented.

Lien grimaced in disgust. If truth be told, she did not like that pastel gown. It made her look like a pastry.

‘Or maybe, you’re just biased because it was Darren’s wife’s creation…’ said the voice at the back of her head.

“This gown looks pretty on me, my foot.” Her lip twitched. “Come on, Vien. You’re a bartender, not a stylist. Go, serve your patron! Chop-chop!” She clapped her hands twice.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“The usual,” she said wryly.

Lien tapped her fingers on the bar counter as she waits for her order.

“Here’s your whiskey on ice with your favorite strawberry on the side.” Vien gently put down the glass in front of her.

She picked the strawberry and plopped it inside her mouth. Lien munched the strawberry before sipping the whiskey.

She closed her eyes and feel the burning sensation as the whiskey travel down her throat.

“Vien.” She called him.

“Yes?” He leaned on the bar counter.

“Have you ever love someone that even if it hurts you…” Lien could not even finish her sentence; she burst out into tears.

But Vien just stood there and watched her cry.

Love made life look hard, and she hates that. Why does it have to be Darren when there are billions of people in the world?

She was about to knock her head against the counter when Vien cupped her forehead and pushed her head farther. She could only glare at him.

“It would be best for you to go home now,” he said.

“Do you think I’m drunk?” Lien flipped her hair. “I don’t get drunk.”

“Your payment, please.”

She opened her bag and looked for money, but there’s none. It seemed that she forgot to take some cash with her. Good thing she has her card.

“Do you accept card?” She pulled her card out and waved it.

“Yes.” Vien took her card and went to the cashier.

Lien finished her whiskey while she waits. A few moments later, Vien returned with a sorry look on his face.

“What? I’m sure that I still have money on my card,” she told him.

“Yeah, but the transaction was unsuccessful. It looks like your bank is offline.”

She cussed. “They should have stopped operating if they’re not that reliable.”

Lien needed backup. She was about to call Unique when someone sat on the stool beside her and handed the bartender a five-hundred-peso bill.

“I am paying her bill,” said the baritone voice.

She turned to the man who just arrived at the scene. He was wearing a pastel green long sleeves polo on top of his fade Levis jeans. His hair was a mess that made him look like he just got out of the bed.

“Who are you?” she asked with furrowed brows. “I’m sorry, but I don’t accept drinks from strangers.”

Lien gave the man a once-over. Was he hitting on her in broad daylight?

He turned to her. His sleepy eyes almost made her heart jump out of her chest. Seriously, her heart dares to act like that when it just got broken? Unbelievable!

“You call me a stranger when you ride the elevator with me every morning,” he said.

Elevator? Every morning? Her eyes widened when the realization finally hit her.

“Y-you’re that guy next door!”

The man cocked his head and wagged his brows on her. “Yeah. That makes me your acquaintance. this one is on me.”

“Wait. Are you hitting on me?”

His jaw dropped.

“No,” he said.