Dedicated to: Raye

In the story of life, finding the right love is like searching for a hidden treasure.

It’s a journey filled with twists and turns, highs and lows, as we sail through the maze of relationships in chasing of your perfect match.

And now, parang gusto ko ng maniwala.

It’s hard for me to find the right one who can give me the right love.

Lahat nalang laro.

I’m traumatized.

Puro ako magmahal, ngunit ang sukli? Ginawa lang akong pampalipas oras. Ginawang ibang putahe ng kakatihan. Ginawang rebound.

Name it.

Nakakatakot ng magmahal.

I’m almost raising my white flag but the world won’t let me.

Confession Page:
accept friend request, may mensahe ka.

All my life, ngayon lang ako naka-encounter ng ganitong message request.

Doubting if it’s real or just a prank?

Pero yeah, wala namang mawawala if sabayan ko ang trip ng page na ‘to. So, I accepted the friend request.

And the seconds I know, I saw a post for me.

Confession Page:
💌to: pretty raye

I’m really looking up to you. Isipin mo nalang na maybe there’s something na nasa ‘yo that made me admire you, pero kung ano man ‘yon, secret muna.

Yeah, so goodluck on your studies! Don’t overwork yourself! I know you can do it. I never had a chance to talk to you properly but I’m always here if you need someone to talk.

💌from: basta pogi

He is…

…really cute, I admit.

But no.

I need something deeper than this. Ganito lang lagi sa umpisa. Pagkatapos nito maiiwan na naman ulit ako ng mag-isa.

Again…hindi.

I closed my phone and decided to review. May exam kami bukas at kailangan kong maka-review ngayon dahil may duty pa ‘ko sa convenience store mamayang gabi.

It’s already 2 o’clock in the afternoon.

Sa gabi ay hanggang alas-12 ang schedule ko kaya iniisip ko palang ay napapagod na ako tapos dumagdag pa sa isipin ko ‘yong confession.

Sino ba kasi ‘yon? Kilala ko ba ‘yon? O baka gino-good time lang ako ng mga kaibigan ko?

Ayoko rin namang itanong sa kanila. Ayoko na ulit magkwento ng lalaki. Maji-jinx na naman. At saka, hindi na dapat ako nagpapa-gulo sa mga lalaki.

And so, when evening comes. Ginugol ko nalang ang oras sa trabaho.

Kinabukasan ay medyo hindi ako handang sumabak sa exam. Medyo napaaga ako kaya malaya akong umupo kung saan ko gusto.

I sat beside the window in the front row. This is the best spot. Wala akong makikita sa harap na magpapa-distract sa ‘kin at malaya akong makakatingin sa labas kapag gusto kong mag-isip.

Not totally.

Nang tumabi sa ‘kin ang dean’s lister sa buong class.

Nakaka-intimidate.

I looked at him, making face. Sa buong semester, himala lang na makaka-usap ko siya. Tapos lahat pa ‘yon ay hindi maayos.

“Marami pa namang ibang puwesto. Baka gusto mong lumipat?” I sarcastically said.

He didn’t even move. Instead asked me an out of context question.

“Nakapag-review ka ba?”

Tinanong niya ‘yon na parang close kami.

I snorted. “Ano bang mapapala mo kapag sinagot ko ang tanong mo? Sa talino mo, ‘wag mo sabihing mangongopya ka sa ‘kin?”

This time, napalingon na siya. Not showing any emotions.

“What if I do?”

I gulped with his sudden stare.

“Hindi ako nakapag-review. So, may I?” He continued.

I gulped again...and laughed my ass out.

“Nasapian ka ba? Anong nangyari sa ‘yo? Ikaw? Mangongopya sa ‘kin? Need mo na ng gamot.”

He’s still serious looking at me. I felt awkward, and so I stop laughing.

“Impossible ba? Don’t look down on yourself Miss. You’re smart enough to go beyond me. Marami ka lang talaga other priorities aside your studies.”

I stayed silent. I’m really out of words. Umiwas siya ng tingin sa ‘kin bago magbitiw ulit ng mga salita.

“That’s why I admire you.”

Mahina niya dugtong ngunit ‘di ‘yon nakawala sa pandinig ko.

The next days, hindi ako makapag-isip ng maayos. After he indirectly confessed those words, medyo umiiwas siya sa akin.

Nalaman ko rin na siya ‘yong anonymous sender.

At hindi ako makapaniwala.

Sa lahat ng tao, wala siya sa listahan ng mga pinanghihinalaan ko. Like how? He’s really out of reach. Tapos magugustuhan ang isang tulad ko?

Maybe he’s just confused about his feelings.

Baka kasi nagustuhan lang niya ako dahil ibang-iba ang trato ko sa kanya.

Maybe that’s why.

Hindi ako nagpadala sa mga salita niya. Tapos na ako r’yan. Hindi na ako madadaan sa ganyan.

Not until, he surprised me at valentine’s day. Not in public but that was the memorable day of my life. Hindi ko pa naranasan makatanggap ng bulaklak at tsokolate. He gave me those sa convenience store na tina-trabahuan ko.

“Deserve mong mabigyan ng ganito. Please, don’t turn it down.”

I may not show any overwhelming emotions pero alam ko sa loob-loob ko na sobrang naiiyak ako sa saya.

Saya na makakatanong akong...ito na ba? Siya na ba? Pagbibigyan ko na ba ulit ang sarili kong magmahal?

And so, I did.

I let him enter my life. I let him court me. I also think, he deserves it. Matino naman siya sa paningin ko. Sana lang ay siya na ang tamang tao.

I spent the whole semester with him. And I’m surprise, mas gumagaan ang araw ko na  kasama siya.

We reviewed together in our spare time. Buti nalang at magka-klase kami kaya same lang ng schedule. He also helped me in my part time. Nag-alok pa siya na baka pwede ring mag-apply siya kaso hindi na kami hiring.

We’re both a busy person.

He’s also busy with his other passion and I don’t know yet what’s that passion of him was.

Sabi nila nakaka-trauma raw kapag kaklase. Pero sa tingin ko, nakaka-trauma naman lahat...kapag maling tao ang napili mo.

But this one...is different.

Ron’s different.

So, in his months of pursuing me. I finally let myself to be his girlfriend.

And I’m happy.

“Hon, maybe it’s time to tell you something.”

Honey.

That’s our endearment.

It’s our first anniversary and we're just sitting and feeling the moment here at the park.

We both agreed to have a simple picnic date. Na hindi ko pa naranasan sa tanang buhay ko. So, I considered this one, special.

I squinted my eyes on him, waiting for him to utter a word again.

“Here,” he continued and hand me an unfamiliar physical book.

I immediately accepted it. And give my first glance at the front cover.

It’s his name.

He wrote this book?

He wrote this book!

“Sinulat mo ‘to? W-writer ka?” gulat kong tanong.

Nakahiga ako kanina sa may lap niya at sa realisasyong ‘yon ay napabangon ako at napatingin ng diretso sa kanya.

He smiled...and nodded.

“Read it. That’s our story.”

With an overwhelming emotion. I suddenly hugged and kissed him.

Shit, I really love this man.

“Halatang-halata ka Hon, inlababo ka masyado,” pagbibiro ko sa gitna ng yakapan namin.

He chuckled. And I found his voice a soothing sound that will vanish all the worries, doubts, pain and exhaustion in my entire being.

“I knew I loved you before I met you. I think I dreamed you into life.” He singed.

Napatingala ako. Thanking havens for this wonderful gift.

Finally, he arrived!

I smiled and intertwined our fingers together.

“I knew I loved before I met you. I have been waiting all my life.” I singed the next line.

There exists...a timeless truth.

The right love isn’t simply found; rather, it arrives in its own perfect time.

It’s a journey of unexpected twists and turns, where hearts meet in the serendipity of fate. Like a well-written story, it unfolds little by little, until two souls finally embrace their destined path together.

So, let patience guide the heart, for right love will indeed arrive.