A June Wedding - [WLW]

Chapter 1: A February Wedding

Screaming ensues as soon as the lily bouquet flies towards the anticipating crowd. People sway to the right, arms stretch out. A soldier has fallen! A girl wearing an olive dress steps on the wrong footing and now three more people have tumbled. More shrieks! Another woman wearing tight-fitting red maxi sprints across the lawn, obviously late to the party. Too late, too late. In mere seconds, the bouquet has landed on some lanky boy's big hands. Most people immediately clap, but some others boo. I actually laugh at the scene.

"Hey, that's Danny's brother!" Alia, the woman standing beside me, blurts. She's busy munching on her ice cream and opts not to join the gamble to see if she'll be the next one tying the knot after this. Bad back—that best buddy of mine always says.

"Oh, great. The groom's family is having good luck this year." I smile, clapping, my third wine glass of the night in hand. Oh, I love this wedding. They are not skimping on alcohol and finger foods.

Natasha, the bride, is our friend. She went to the same university as me and Alia. Danny, the groom, is her childhood friend. How cute. I have heard at least ten versions of how they met. But the bottom line is they went to the same private kindergarten. They didn't immediately hit it off. Only after they were in junior high school, they started becoming close friends. Puberty hit hard and the rest is history.

Natasha is really gorgeous tonight. Her bridal dress is meticulously designed by Ryan Chen—excellent embroidery with a silhouette to kill. I heard from Alia that she has gone on a rigorous diet regimen to fit in that dress which is not surprising. When your parents splurge billions of Rupiahs on fresh flower arrangements that rival the one you see in Crazy Rich Asians, you would want to look immaculate too.

Natasha is also lucky that the weather is really fine today. Most people wouldn't risk it to have an outdoor wedding in February, but maybe the family knows a good shaman. Bali resorts are the perfect place for this. I feel the breeze from the ocean brushing my cheeks. A famous singer gets on stage and starts singing her romantic hits. The bride and groom have moved towards the stage and began dancing, soon joined by the audience.

Frankly, it kind of bums me that I don't have a date for this moment.

"I need some refills," I tell Alia, showing my empty glass. Alcohol is a solution for many, many problems.

"Great. Let's get us some tequila," Alia grabs my hand as we march along.

*

They don't serve hard liquor before eight thirty, which sucks. Alia and I need more than twenty percent alcohol to deal with a string of colleagues from our alma mater. Most of them are married off and raising their own little devils, nannies in tow.

I'm 31 already, but marriage has never crossed my mind. I swing for the girls and just with that fact alone, I know things will not be easy. Now, add to that my collection of failed relationships. My last one was two years ago. We were not that serious, but I was still taken aback when we broke up. Kayla, my ex, is a scholar and she wants to pursue her PhD in Germany. I knew I couldn't survive a long distance relationship. So, in hindsight, I should have been grateful that she broke it off first.

I am leaning against the juice bar when Alia comes back with two glasses of old-fashioned. She is grinning and doing a little tap dance.

"I begged the bartender," she says.

"What the— thanks, though." I laugh, taking one glass from her hand.

"I said I needed this for my friend who just broke up with her boyfriend today."

"Oh, well... This is for my non-existent lovely and handsome ex-boyfriend then. Cheers!" We clink our glasses and take a sip.

I take a good look at Alia. Although she is straight, the petite woman's love life is not better than mine. She is quite pretty with her tanned skin, big eyes, and long, beautiful curly hair. She also looks rather exquisite in her coral blue dress tonight.