THE ELUSIVE BADBOY

PROLOGUE "Heay, chill dude! Don't be too timid as if you're having a runaway bride." Rinig ni Zig na panunukso ng pinsan n'yang si Migz sa kanina pang hindi mapakaling groom na si Aiden. Tiningnan naman ito ng masama ni Aiden at halos sapukin na ito kung nasa ibang sitwasyon lang sila. "Back off, moron!" Singhal ni Aiden sa nakangising si Migz. Zig is one of Aiden groom’s men na ayaw pa nitong pumayag nong una pero kalaunan ay napilit sya ng pinsang si Marshy, ang bride-to-be ni Aiden. Matalik rin na magkaibigan ang dalawa kaya walang rason si Zig na hindi sya pumayag. Nasa likod lang si Zig habang nagrarambolan ang dalawa. He's getting bored as seconds gone by at kung hindi lang dahil sa pinsan n'ya at sa tropa n'yang si Aiden ay baka kanina pa s'ya naglaho sa lugar na 'to. "Matagal pa?" Yamot na tanong n'ya sa dalawa kaya napalingon 'to sa kanya. "Excited ka?" Kantyaw ni Migz at masamang tingin ang ginawad nya rito kaya natahimik ito at tinaas pa ang dalawang kamay na parang kriminal na sumurender. Tinapik sya sa balikat ni Aiden. "You can go else where, Zig and do your ritual but not too far. The ceremony might start in twenty." Ani Aiden dahil malamang alam nito ang gusto nyang gawin, ang manigarilyo lalo pa't naiinip na talaga sya. Isang tango na lang ang tinugon ni Zig sa kaibigan. "Just the ritual, dude not mating with some random girls around." Pahabol ni Migz sa kanya ngunit nagsimula na syang lumayo sa dalawa at hindi na pinansin ang sinabi ng pinsan at nagtuloy-tuloy na. He's ignoring anyone on his way out, especially women that obviously starving for his attention. Zig thought that it isn't the right time and place to do his dirty business. Kasal ito ng pinsan nya at ayaw nyang magkalat sa mga oras na 'to. Socializing with other people is not one of Zig's stuffs. Ayaw na ayaw nito sa mga pagtitipon o mga selebrasyon, kagaya ngayon. But he made it an exception because it is Marshy's wedding today and Marshy's the first going to tie a knot among all his cousins. He thinks, it's inappropriate if didn't make it. It's a garden wedding and it held in their ancestral homeland mansion here in Laguna. When was the last time he went here? Five years ago? Six? He can't remember anymore. He took a quick glance at the pavilion that is too crowded with the visitors and guests dahil doon gaganapin ang seremonyas ng kasal. Naghahanap pa rin sya ng pwesto na liblib at walang iistorbo sa kanya, hanggang sa nakarating sya sa may bandang likod ng mansion and he saw the familiar mini play ground where he got a lot of his childhood memories with his cousins. Napapangisi na lang ito habang isa-isang inaalala ang mga masasayang paglalaro nila ng mga pinsan n'ya rito noon. He felt bad he can't make to pay even a single visit in their mansion dahil sa sobrang abala sya. Abala sa mga walang kwentang bagay tulad ng walang kasawa-sawang bar hopping, out of town breaks, collecting girls that made him a total chuff. His life is nothing but a mess. He felt that he is the black sheep of the family. Sya ang pinakagago sa kanilang lahat. Sya ang may pinakasirang buhay at higit sa lahat sya ang walang nakagisnang magulang. Unlike his cousins that belongs to a happy complete family. Him? No one's with him aside from his annoying acting father, his Tito Zandro. The one who stood up as his guardian since his father passed away when he was eleven years old. And his mother? Well, nowhere to be found! Zig went to the huge tree which had a circular bench around its big main trunk. Lumibot sya sa likod nito at doon naisipang umupo. He took out a pack of cigarette and lighter from his blackish-blue pants pocket and got one stick. He lit it and took a puff. He laid back down at the bench and used his left arm as a pillow under his head while the other one held his smoking cigarette. He closed his eyes while still stuffing his cigarette. Pagod ang katawang lupa n'ya dahil alas dos na ng madaling araw kanina ng nakapagpahinga s'ya dahil nagkaroon pa sila ng tagay session kagabe kasama ang mga pinsan nito at alas sais ng umaga ng gisingan sya para makapaghanda sa kasal. Naubos na nito ang isang stick at minabuti nyang manatili pa roon ng ilang saglit. Hindi pa naman siguro magsisimula ang seremonya, isip n'ya. Hmm.. Hmm.. Hmm.. He suddenly shot his eyes open when he heard a humming sound. Mukhang malapit lang ito sa kinaroroonan n'ya. Don't you know that I won't do be more than just your friend Holding hands is fine But I've got.. Tuluyang napabalikwas si Zig mula sa pagkakahiga ng marinig ang isang babaeng kumakanta. Zig assumed that the woman's on the swing. "f**k! Who was that? " He muttered to himself. ..better things on my mind You know it could happen if you'd only see me in the different light.. A very unfamiliar whip hit something inside his chest while he is listening to the song. Zig can't name what was it. Not the song but the voice itself of the person who is singing. He murmured a curse inside his brain because he doesn't like what he's feeling right now. He's kinda anxious and he can't admit the fact that the voice soothes him. Say you love me, You know that it could be nice If you'd only say you love me Don't treat me like I was ice.. "That voice." In his head. Hindi s'ya makikita sa kung sino man ang kasama n'ya sa lugar na yon dahil nasa likod sya ng malaking puno. He fixed his black bow tie and his suit before he decided to stand up and look for the woman who disturbed his silence. He wanted to see who's the owner of the excellent voice. Pero bago pa s'ya makahakbang ay may narinig s'yang tumatawag na boses ng lalaki. "Hey, let's go. Magsisimula na. Bilisan mo!" The new comer male's voice said. Napasapo s'ya sa kanyang noo ng muntik na n'yang makalimutan ang kasal. "s**t!" Zig hooted. It was almost slipped on his mind because that voice occupied his whole mind for awhile. When he heard the footsteps ay saka lang s'ya lumabas mula sa likod ng puno at napako ang tingin n'ya sa dalawang taong papaalis sa lugar na 'yon. Basically to the woman's back features. She had an average tall. Same height as Marshy and Ellize, Zig's cousins. Her skin complexion is obviously as white as fresh snow but pinkish. The woman wore a beige formal dress and her silky black long straight hair that totally caught Zig's eyes.. for the first time. For the first time in his life, ngayon lang s'ya humanga sa buhok ng isang babae. He f****d up! Buhok lang yon pero kakaiba talaga ang pakiramdam n'ya, maging ang pintig ng puso sa dibdib n'ya ay hindi n'ya malaman ang dahilan. Was it all because of the strange woman and her heavenly voice? Wasn't it? Zig wasn't sure! Totally not! Zig shook off those thoughts at may kasal pa s'yang kailangang balikan. But Zig promised to himself that these day won't end without him knowing the woman behind that voice. He'll search for her! He will.