Broken Vows

The church doors stood tall, painted in white—pure, sacred… perfect for a wedding that was supposed to happen. Sofi Alvarez stood outside, her fingers tightly wrapped around a bouquet of white roses. Her wedding dress flowed softly with the wind, but her hands were trembling. People whispered. Guests shifted uncomfortably. Time kept moving. But James Carter never came. She checked her phone again. No messages. No calls. Nothing. “Baka traffic lang, anak…” her mother said softly, trying to sound hopeful. Minutes passed. Then an hour. Then another. The whispers grew louder. “Hindi na yata darating…” “Grabe naman…” Sofi’s chest tightened. Her grip on the bouquet loosened as her world slowly started to collapse. Her father stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Sofi… umuwi na tayo.” She didn’t move. “Anak,” her mother added, voice cracking, “please… tama na.” That’s when it hit her. This wasn’t delay. This wasn’t an accident. She was left behind. Her knees weakened. The bouquet slipped from her hands, falling onto the ground as tears finally streamed down her face. “I-I’ll wait…” she whispered, almost begging. “Baka… baka darating pa siya…” But deep inside, she already knew the truth. James wasn’t coming. The sound of waves crashed against the shore, loud and endless—like the chaos inside her. Sofi sat on the cold sand, her dress now slightly dirty, her hair messy, and a bottle of alcohol in her hand. She took another sip. And another. And another. Her tears wouldn’t stop. “Ang tanga mo, Sofi…” she laughed bitterly, her voice breaking. “Pinaniwala mo sarili mo na pipiliin ka niya…” She hugged her knees, rocking slightly as the pain consumed her. “Bakit…?” she whispered. “Anong kulang sakin…?” The wind blew harder. The night grew deeper. And then— “F*CK!” A loud shout echoed across the shore. Sofi flinched, startled. Not far from her, a man stood—his suit slightly unbuttoned, tie loose, hair messy. He looked furious… broken. He kicked the sand aggressively, breathing heavily like he was trying to hold something back. “Damn it!” he shouted again. Sofi frowned, annoyed despite her state. “Hoy!” sigaw niya pabalik. “Pwede bang tumahimik ka?!” The man turned to her, eyes sharp. “Excuse me?” “Ang ingay mo!” she snapped, standing up slightly. “May problema ka ba?!” He let out a sarcastic laugh. “Wow. Ikaw pa galit?” “Eh ikaw tong sumisigaw dito!” “Maybe I have a reason!” he shot back. “Lahat naman tayo may reason!” Sofi shouted, her voice cracking. “Hindi ka special!” Silence. The tension hung between them. He stared at her… then his eyes slowly softened. “…You too?” he asked quietly. Sofi froze. “…What?” He looked away, jaw tightening. “She didn’t come.” Sofi’s heart dropped. For a moment, neither of them spoke. “…Same,” she whispered. The anger disappeared. Replaced by something heavier… something real. The man walked closer, slowly, until he sat a few feet away from her on the sand. “Kyzer,” he said, offering nothing more. “Sofi.” Another silence. But this time, it wasn’t awkward. It was… understood. “Gaano katagal kang naghintay?” Kyzer asked. Sofi let out a weak laugh. “Too long.” “Same.” She took a sip from the bottle… then handed it to him. “Drink.” He hesitated for a second… then accepted it. “Salamat.” They drank. Talked. Laughed a little. Cried a little more. Two strangers… connected by the same kind of pain. “Akala ko siya na…” Sofi whispered, staring at the waves. Kyzer looked at her. “Yeah… me too.” Their eyes met. And for a moment… everything else faded. No guests. No church. No past. Just them. The alcohol blurred their thoughts… softened their walls. Slowly… unconsciously… they moved closer. Until— they kissed each other. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t planned. But it was real. Raw. Messy. Desperate. A kiss born from pain… and the need to feel something other than heartbreak. And in that moment— They weren’t the ones left behind. They were just two people… trying to forget.