It was an ordinary Saturday for me; I woke up early in the morning just to get my medical done for Thomson Reuters. I have no plans for that day but I told myself that I need to think things over. I only have one person in mind, and it was Aidan (not his real name). I texted him but was not able to get a reply after several hours because he woke up late. Aidan asked me on why I wanted to see him and I just replied that I wanted to see and spend time with him. We both agreed to meet late in the afternoon because he needs to do something and I felt so sleepy.
I woke up at 4:30PM and decided to go to SM Megamall to do my groceries instead. I did not bother to message him because I told him to text me if the meet up is good to go. After I took my shower I received a message asking me if we can just meet tomorrow. I am bit disappointed, but I just messaged him that it is fine and I will just go to the grocery and watch a movie by myself. After that he sent another message, saying sorry and asking me to continue with the meet up. I did not reply because I was fixing myself but he called me on my phone.
Me: “Hello, may I know who are you?”
Aidan: “Si T***** ito. Ako yung nag tetext sa iyo.”
Me: “Hindi kita kilala. I’ll just message you using my sun number. Bye!”
My phone rang again, with the same number.
Me: “Hello? Sino ba ito? Hindi kita kasi kilala.”
Aidan: “Si Aidan ito. Tuloy na tayo mamaya, magkita tayo sa SM Megamall.”
Me: “Ah ikaw pala yan, yun pa kasi ang ginamit mong pangalan eh, eh kilala kita sa Aidan. O sige, magkita na lang tayo dun, samahan mo na lang ako mag-grocery.
Aidan: “Sige, maliligo lang ako. See you. Ingat ka!”
I finished fixing myself and go to SM Megamall. When I was in the bus, I am excited but I felt fear as well, the fear of rejection. I know that this is normal because this is the usual feeling if you are going to a meet a new person in your life. Anyway, I just told him to message me if he is already at the mall because I am going to buy some stuff for myself. He messaged me past 7PM and I was in Watson’s that time buying something. He called me again:
Aidan: “Hello, andito na ako. Nasaan ka?”
Me: “Andito ako sa Watsons, may binibili lang ako saglit.”
Aidan: “Ah okay, saan tayo magkikita?”
Me: “Nasa 2nd floor ako eh, sa Blenz Coffee gusto mo?”
Aidan: “Magtatagal ka ba diyan? Punta lang ako saglit sa 4th floor.”
Me: “Hindi naman, pero sige. Sa Cyberzone?”
Aidan: “Oo, may titingnan lang ako.”
Me: “Alright see you there!”
Before I go to Cyberzone, I decided to go to the comfort room just to check how I looked, bit conscious and of course a bit shy as well. I was standing in front of the mirror and I checked out the guy beside me. I said to myself, he looks familiar. The guy went out of the comfort room and immediately texted Aidan.
Me: “Did you go to the CR?”
Aidan: “Oo, bakit nakita mo na ako?”
Me: “Ikaw ba yung naka beige na shirt, grey na shorts at black na slippers?”
Aidan: “Waaah, nakita mo na ako! Nasaan ka?”
Me: “Actually kanina nasa harapan kita, pero bigla kang nawala. Nasaan ka na ba? Andito ako sa may Globe”
Aidan: “Andito ako sa may Power Mac Center. Nahihiya ako. Nakita mo na ako.”
I walked towards the center just to meet him there and he just passed by me again. Another message sent by me.
Me: “I just passed by you again. I am here standing in the LG Kiosk wearing black.”
Aidan: “Nagpunta ako ng Globe, nasaan ka ba? Ang daya naman, ako nakita mo na.”
Me: “Andito ako sa LG Kiosk, naka suot ako ng black. Gutom na ako ah.”
Aidan: “Nasa memo express ako.”
While I am reading his last message, I saw him walking and I smiled at him. I am really stunned with how he looks. He is a simple guy, moreno, again, he was wearing a beige shirt, a grey shorts and a black slippers. He looks great with his hair, a smile that you wanted to see more and his eyes is gone when he smiles and laughs. (Gosh, his eyes! Waaah!). I asked him if there is Burgoo’s in Megamall and he told me that he is not familiar with it, but he suggests that we go to the directory and check it. The restaurant is not in Megamall so we just decided to eat somewhere else. Sbarro and Kenny Rogers Roasters is the nearest. He told me that he does not like the chicken in Roasters, so we went to Sbarro instead. We are on line when he asked me if we can just eat at Max’s Restaurant, but he said that it may take longer time for the serving because it is a Saturday night. I just agreed but asked why. He told me that he just wanted to eat there because when his family has a special occasion, they usually go there for a celebration.
The restaurant was actually full that time but we still decided to eat there. A table for two placed near the windows. He ordered Max’s Chicken Barbeque, I ordered chicken and fresh lumpia and we also get pancit canton. After minutes of waiting, that is the time that we talked about his work and my work. Just an overview, he is working as a programmer in a prestigious company. Quite interesting but just for privacy, will not give any other details of the place or name. The other things that we talked about is for ours as well, though it is not censored but all I can say is I wanted to know this person more day by day. After eating, he asked me for a movie, Prince of Persia. And I just told him that I saw the movie on its first week of showing with a friend of mine, but accepted his invitation. After he purchased the ticket, I told him that Karate Kid is also showing and that is the movie that I wanted to see. He was looking at me and said “Sorry, hindi ko alam na showing na siya. Yun pala ang gusto mo.” I just smiled and said, “Ayos lang, pwede naman natin panoorin yun next time di ba?” And he just realized that we are walking in the wrong alley of the movie house. The movie runs for about 2 hours but I still enjoyed it. Aside from seeing Jake Gyllenhaal again, I am with someone whom I just me last Saturday and he can definitely crack jokes. In Filipino, "Inaasar niya ako pero nakangiti ako at nag eenjoy ako kasama siya."
After the movie, I asked if he wanted to go home already, but when we went outside it was raining. We walked and he asked if we can just go to Starbucks to get some coffee. The nearest Starbucks is in the side of the mall but he asked if we can just go to Shangri-La instead. A bit puzzled so I asked him why? And the reason is, “Gusto ko kasi umupo sa couch pero walang available sa branch na ito.” I looked at him and literally checked the shop and yes there is no couch for him. We started walking, and asked him if we can just get the coffee from Seattle’s Best Coffee. He declined with an explanation that he is more familiar with Starbucks so he prefers to get it there tonight. He also told me that his officemates have a scheduled day for Starbucks, and it is every Tuesday. It started just a simple invite and eventually been a habit every week. That is great; I will do that on my new work, so I can enjoy my salary as well! He got a Tall Mocha Frapuccino while I got a Tall White Chocolate Mocha. We actually did not talked about us, but he usually comment on the people inside and outside the shop. We saw this guy that thinks he is in the beach. A girl and a guy that we thought are siblings but I told him that they get into two different cars. And two guys who sit in front of us, and the other guy is teaching his friend how to speak French. After an hour of sitting in the shop, we decided to go home because he is already sleepy and my energy is also drained. He let me get on a cab and he rode a jeepney home.
I enjoyed the night being with this guy. We might not talk about us but each and every moment that was spent is already a part of a memory. I also noticed, could age be also a factor of this great night that I had experienced? Literally, I have not experienced to date someone who is really close to my age as he do. I know it is too early for me to hope for something better but at the back of my mind, the picture of holding his hands close to mine is great. This may not be as easy at it could be, I can feel that behind his smile and eyes, there is a deeper person that needs to be understood. There are too many questions that I need some answers and these questions can only be answered if I just wait, listen, feel, understand and ENJOY every second that I am with him.
