I was attending the wedding of my cousin Clyde, and I was one of his groomsmen.

The church ceremony was over, and we were already at the reception. I was sitting beside the bridesmaid who was my partner during the ceremony. When we had walked through the aisle during the processional, we had a small talk.

I had begun by stupidly asking her name. Of course I shouldn't have asked her because our names were written on the invitation. It turns out, a groomsman was expected to read and remember his partner's name. But as a perfect excuse, and what really happened was, I had forgotten her name. I didn't really pay attention to the name of the bridesmaids and even the other groomsmen. But she had just smiled at me and didn't answer my question.

She must have thought I was joking. I let it go and had told myself that it was not important. Instead, I had told her that the groom was my cousin, and she had told me that she was cousins with the bride.

Clyde and her wife, Karen, were on the center, swaying to the music for their first dance as husband and wife.

"Ugh. I love them and I'm happy for them. But I still don't believe in forever," my bridesmaid partner said.

I glanced at her sideways.

"What?" she asked me.

"Why do you sound so bitter?" I asked her as I watched the dancing couple.

"Maybe because I am?"

I looked at her and cocked an eyebrow. I didn't want any further discussion. It wasn't like I was interested with why she was bitter.

The reception ceremony went on, and then it was time for dinner, then back to the party. Really, I just want to get this over with and head home. I had enough of socializing for the day.

"May we request the bridesmaids and groomsmen to go up front?" the master of ceremony called our attention.

"Shit. Let's get out of here," my bridesmaid partner said.

"What? Why?" I asked, confused.

"Trust me. You wouldn't want to be the groomsmen who will put this thing up on some bridesmaid's legs."

As the other secondary sponsors stood up to walk in front, we stood up and she held my wrist and pulled me out of the reception hall.

As soon as we were out in the garden, I felt the warm summer air. It felt hot even though it was already night time. I took off my suit jacket and loosened my mint green tie.

"Now what?" I asked.

"Now we go somewhere else—someplace more quiet?"

We walked along the concrete pathway through the garden filled with recently trimmed bushes, and we found a gazebo in a safe distance from the reception hall. Nobody would think we would be here, unless the other guests—our family included, realized that we're missing, it would only take several minutes before they find us here.

She sat down, opened her purse and took a black ponytail. She pulled her hair up in a neat ponytail and somehow it reminded me of how Kane fixes her hair.

I sighed.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," I answered. There was no way I was going to tell her that she ties her hair the same way my first love does. "What exactly are we gonna do here?"

"Do you have anything in mind?"

"No. Aren't you the one who pulled me out of the reception hall?!"

"Chill...I'll be right back," she said, and left me standing in the gazebo.

I took out my phone from my pocket and saw a missed call from Brian. I decided to call him back.

"Where are you?" he asked as soon as he picked up. "We're waiting for you."

"Sorry I'm at a wedding and I can't go home just yet."

"Right. We forgot about that. I thought it was next weekend. So you're not coming?"

"Unfortunately," I answered. But I'd rather go hang out with them than to hang out with this bridesmaid who just left me.

"Anyone interesting?" Brian laughed.

"If you find it interesting that your bridesmaid partner pulled you away from the party and walked to the gazebo then left you a minute later and you have no idea what's going on, then yeah, she's interesting," I answered.

"Oh man," he laughed. "What's her name?"

"I don't know. I forgot and she wouldn't tell me."

"What? I'm sure you have an invitation."

"Yeah she's about 5 foot 8." I chuckled. I had to give Brian a heads up in case he was interested in getting to know this chick. He would never date someone who was as tall as him.

I heard Miguel and Vino laughed. Brian must have put me on speaker phone. I saw the girl walking back to the gazebo.

"I have to go, she's here," I said and hung up.

"Who were you talking to?" she asked.

I looked down on her hands and she was holding two bottles of beer. Wow. She left me to get some beer. I wonder how she was able to get those.

"A friend."

Should we tell each other who we're talking to on the phone? I don't think so.

She handed me the bottle of beer and asked me to sit down.

"So, this is your plan?" I asked.

"Sorry to disappoint you but I don't have much planned. I just really wanted to get out of the party. If you were expecting something else, well this is all I've got," she answered and gulped on her bottle of beer. "Do you love weddings?"

"How am I supposed to answer that question?" I raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, I'm happy for whoever gets married. At least they found someone who they can share their life with."

"You believe in forever?"

"I don't want to answer any more of your questions."

I wanted to say stupid questions, but out of courtesy, I tried to filter my words carefully.

"You know what, I find you cute especially with that dimple."

I pressed my lips together. Growing up, I had heard too many compliments about my dimple. Mommy said it was one of my assets. This and my eyes.

"But you're such a snob," she added, apparently annoyed at and by me.

I smirked. I don't need to impress her.

"Why don't you ask me a question instead?" she asked.

"Why don't you believe in forever?" I asked, knowing that she had been dying to talk about it.

"Because there's no such thing. Simple," she said, looking away.

Ugh. Great. She wanted me to ask her a question and all I got was a shallow answer?

"Have you ever loved someone and they don't love you back? Or at least they don't love you as much as you love them?" she asked me instead.

I looked down on my feet, or my polished brown leather shoes rather. Why did she have to ask that question? I knew it was just a question in general but it felt like she was asking about Kane.

"Yeah," I murmured.

"Can we have an honest conversation here?"

"Do I sound like I'm lying?"