Nung bata pa'ko, nagka-crush ako sa kabilang section. I was a transferee back then so wala kong masyadong kilala except sa mga classmates ko. But a boy from the other class captured my attention. He got me with those cute, innocent eyes and his beaming smile. Tapos natutuwa ako pag wala kaming teacher kasi ico-combine kami sa section na yun. Yun yung times na super pabibo ko sumagot. My crush on him intensified nung nakita ko siya nung pauwi na kami ng mga classmates ko. Nadadaanan kasi namin bahay nila pauwi, and napapa-smile ako pag nakikita ko siyang ngumingiti kasi nawawala yung mata niya.
Then it was in October 2002, I find him so adorable in his boy scout uniform. I like him kasi he's the typical makulit but at the same time tahimik. I was a patrol leader back then, and I was so pabibo that sana mapansin niya ko (landi haha). Come the next year—grade three—naging magka-klase kami. I also had a crush on someone (a classmate from last year) and I just let my classmates teased me to that boy, hiding my true crush on this boy from the other class. It was a major secret that I never had the chance to tell anyone—even my closest friend—kasi tinutukso namin yung crush kong 'chinito' sa isang classmate namin, cause basically he "had" a crush daw dun sa isa naming classmate. Sad right? Aww. But I'm good at acting, kaya walang nakaalam and okay lang na may crush siyang iba. Then, I've come to know his full name. There was a "III" (the third) at the end of his name and that got me wondered, I even asked my mom when I went home that lunch. I'm aware that there's senior and junior—'cause my dad is Jr. himself—pero never pa kong nakarinig and encountered ng "the third". Then nung nalaman kong "that" exists, yun yung pinaka-natandaan ko sa kaniya.
Then, ang bilis ng panahon, dahil nga wala kong nasabihan na crush ko siya, parang nakalimutan ko na rin na may crush pala ako sa kaniya hahaha (ang gulo diba?). Plus, lagi pa namin silang tinutukso nung isa naming classmate kaya nawalan ako ng gana at crush sa kaniya lol.
Come 2006, I had to transfer to another school. It's saddening kasi I've been with them for years and napamahal na'ko sa mga classmates ko. But y'know, life struggles, realities and all. So ayun.
Time flies so fast. Andami kong nakalimutan—especially my memories from my previous school, from our previous residence, from my father's hometown—also part of that, pinili kong kalimutan. For myself, for my own growth. Kasi may bahagi talaga tayo ng nakaraan na ang hirap dalhin, so we chose to forget and leave it all behind—little did I know that in forgetting that "part" of my life I've forgotten something worth remembering.
And here comes the surprise and aftermath of forgetting bits and pieces of old memories. One late night in February 2018, I was actually composing a birthday message for the man I used to love for six years but already decided letting him go 'cause I'm done, I'm tired, so the message would literally be the last message I'll be sending him. While I was typing on my messenger, a certain message popped up on my phone from someone unknown.
Curiosity creeps in.
I got curious since that name reminds me of the nickname I "was called" by someone special in college, plus he's kind of FC (y'know "feeling close") since he addressed me by my first name.
I don't usually respond to messages from someone I'm not familiar, and few days before that night, I just reactivated my account. Nag-deactivate ako ng fb account and messenger for a couple of weeks to stay away from draining and toxic social media. Kaka-activate ko lang nung time na yun 'cause I had to upload pictures and thank people for greeting me kasi it was my birthday din.
I'm the type who's too lazy to even "seen" a message, I typically delete them right away. Yet, out of the blue, and out of my senses, (well I don't freakin' know!) I just replied,
"Huh? Do I know you?"
And he chatted back,
"Yes."
"You already forgot your classmates at *name of our school*"
Okay. I was shocked. Well, "not really shocked" kasi marami naman talagang nag-aadd and nag-memessage sakin on messenger na mga former classmates/schoolmates ko in elementary, but this guy is different 'cause his last name is not familiar plus we don't have "mutual friends". So I went to his account first and stalked him. Basic. Then I found out he only has 34 friends and he just recently created his account last year. So, I wondered bakit ko siya naging friend. I browsed through some of his pictures and uttered "infairness cute", and ang una kong napansin yung mata niya. Andami nang naglalaro sa utak ko pero wala talaga kong maalala.
I just apologized for not remembering him and all 'cause it's been a long time. It's been 12 years since we left my dad's hometown. Yet he understood and continued the conversation. Ayoko na sanang magreply and I was like—hello? may sinusulat pa kaya kong birthday message—but I find the conversation fun and nostalgic, so I replied pa rin. Then he have come to mention our former classmates, my friends and our adviser—whom I'm so closed with—so me being doubtful of his existence hahahah and being makulit and the "screenshot queen", I've screencaptured our talks and mentioned our former adviser on FB—y'know just to verify his "identity" lol.
Then halfway through our conversations, I asked his full name, not the one on FB (sorry, I have trust issues).
And to my surprise, he finally mentioned that one thing I've only remembered of him—his name ending with "III" (the third).
And all my childhood memories come rushing in. My mind goes all out trying to picture old events, people, places and old crushes..
to be continued..
***
A/N
Unfinished story. More backstories to be released.
Much love,
M.W | kbii ♡