11:45 ; We were hanging out on high bar chairs with my best friend and her boy when you suddenly blurted out that it was
five minutes to midnight. I checked my watch and argued that we still have
fifteen minutes left. You grabbed my wrist, checked my watch, and told me to compromise with you.
11:50 ; After arguing for about five minutes, we both decided that it's
ten minutes away from midnight. You went away with my best friend's boy for a while, leaving me and my best friend alone. I was humming along to the music, feeling a bit off and weird cause I was sick that night, when my best friend asked me, "
Are you ready for this?". I was somewhat shocked because if there's one person in this world that I trust more than anything, it's her. And when she asked me that,
I felt like I was minutes away to something that I will never forget.
11:55 ; We were just there. The four of us. Observing people and blurting out random stuff. People from our class would approach us, but then they would leave too. Thinking of it now, it's as if they sensed something but, I was too off that night to notice.
12:30 ; People would still approach us, and leave. You stood up.
Once. Twice. Thrice. I felt you getting frustrated. Why? I didn't know.
1:00 ; You stood up, left for a while then, went beside me. I was laughing at what my best friend told me when I felt you tap me. You asked me, "Could I talk to you?". And I said, "Sure". Of course, I'd say sure. I don't know if I have the guts to say no to you. You asked everyone's permission before we left.
1:05 ; We just roamed around the place. Made fun of each other. Glanced up the sky. Appreciated the city lights of the fort. We were just there. Talked about random stuff. Laughed at each other.
There. We were just us. And, it felt effortless.
2:30 ; After some time, I felt you getting frustrated once again. You sat on the road side, asked me to sit beside you and together, we just glanced at the starless sky.
I was there.
And so were you. It was silent for a while. I sat beside you. Silently urging you to go on with what you have to say.
At that moment, I swear to whoever, It felt like a life-changing moment happening right in front of me. I was so happy. I still am. "
When we were in second year.." you started. I got distracted, or
maybe that's me trying to cope up with the moment. "
When we were in second year, I used to liked you." I was shocked, told you in a joking manner that I had exactly
37 absents when we were in second year. You just smiled at me and told me that even if I was always absent that school year, there's still something
fascinating about me. "
I hated you back then," I remember telling you that. Because, it is true. For some reasons, I really hated you back then.
Every single thing about you. I just laughed, smiled and observed.
I watched you stutter. I watched you cope up with words. I sat there, awed. Awed to the fact that a person like you, someone whom I used to think so bad of, would humble down for a person like me. You changed. A lot. For the better. And it still amazes me.. up to now.
"I like you."
"I thought.."
"I liked you ever since the first quarter."
3:00 ; After apologizing for reading too much
mangas and after asking me to
slap you, we finally stood up again. There
wasn't any confirmation. On my part, anyway. You looked so cute with your hopeless face.
It was so endearing. Every single moment of that night was endearing. I was still absorbing every single thing that you said, when you suddenly stopped.
You pulled out your hand from your pocket, put it in front of you, asked for my hand, and shook it. "
Friends?," you said. I remember that, most especially. I smiled. "Friends." We walked for a while again. I was somewhat silent. Thoughts were running on my mind. I stopped, smiled and looked sideways at you. "
Weirdo." You smiled.
That funny, sweet, endearing hopeless smile of yours. Honestly,
it melted me. I stopped again. "
Why me?" I think, I caught you off-guard. You smiled. "
A lot of reasons." It was such a safe answer. One, I couldn't let pass. "Tell me." You stopped and told me to sit on the sidewalk with you again.
Sidewalks, It's such an awesome thing for us. You told me words. Words I'd never thought I'd hear from you, ever. "
There are many girls, I know.. but it only took one girl for me to feel this way." It was such a funny moment for me. You told me stuff. Traits that I'd never thought for myself. And, I think.. deep inside, I liked you more for that.
For seeing something more in me, that I refuse to see about me.
"Say that again."
"....."
"again."
You're smiling now.
"....."
"shout it!"
You got this biggest, most gwapo smile on.
3:30 ; My ride came. It made me feel sad. I didn't want the night to end. I never did. It was such a memorable night for me.
The night when I finally stopped fighting, arguing and bullying myself. The night when I finally surrendered myself to these emotions that I've been feeling for you.
It was inexpressible.
The fort nightlights and sidewalks. Arts in the Park.
February thirteen - fourteen.