There was nothing attractive about Juanito Pelaez, he had once thought. But now, as the man himself lay beside him, his arm wrapped around his waist, Placido began to understand why quite a number of females were absolutely taken with him. The moonlight streaming through the window caught on his messy, rumpled hair; on his long, thick eyelashes that rested on his cheekbones; on his shoulder, on his neck, illuminating the spots of purple and red and pink on his pale skin; on the thin sheen of sweat on his forehead. With his eyes closed, Juanito looked like an angel, the usual spark of mischief hidden behind a façade of peace and tranquility. Placido caught himself lightly tracing the curves and edges on his face: the corners of his eyes that crinkled when he laughed, the high slope of his nose …show more content…
With a start, Placido realizes that must be why he had sent the invitation: it wasn 't a goodbye like he had thought, it was a plea to come and rescue him from a fate he didn 't want. If Juanito had seen him, would he have run away? If he had attended the wedding like he should have, in a barong and slacks and a forced smile plastered on his face instead of a scowl and sheer anger, would Juanito choose him?
Placido grits his teeth and shakes his head--it wouldn 't have made a difference. This is real life, not a fairytale, and Juanito sure as hell isn 't a prince. Resentment rears its ugly head in Placido 's gut; it rams into the fury in his chest and burns in the embers of his pain. If he wasn 't brave enough to tell him he was getting married; he couldn 't be brave enough to do what Placido imagined he would do.
"I--"
Juanito tears his face away from his guests, turning to Paulita