There are certain things in our lives that are a mystery to us. Like falling in love with someone and then realizing after a while that falling for that someone was not an option. And it should never have been an option because it was totally wrong.

That’s how it was with me. I’ve never been one to be blindsided by that so-called love at first sight phenomenon. But it happened to me. Big time.

I met Paolo at a convention for non-Accountants. I was one of the speakers and he’s one of the attendees. He owns a number of businesses and has always been good with numbers except that he wants to be able to understand Accounting really well. I made my presentation as simple as possible so that my attendees will be able to understand the subject easily. And I probably made an impression because one of the executives present approached me after the lecture. He was Paolo Sandoval.

He asked so many things that he wanted clarified. He asked about goodwill, merger, ROI. He asked about depreciation. I remember, I had a good laugh about that. Maybe that did it. I was not even fully aware that we ended up having coffee afterwards.

After that meeting, I didn’t hear from him for days. He was out of my mind until I saw him at a restaurant I frequent with friends. He was there with some business associates. And when our eyes met, we knew. I knew something was building between us. It was just a matter of time before we both acknowledge it.

*to be continued

They’ve been “friends” for quite a while now. Three years and twenty one days to be exact. They met through her officemate. They talk a lot. They go out on Fridays. And weekends. They go to church together. Ella was introduced to his family. Rodney met the whole clan.

But their relationship was vague. They’re not officially boyfriend-girlfriend. There was never any mention of a relationship but they say everything short of the three magical words.

Rodney met her friends already. They’re raving about him. Funny, sweet, thoughtful, a family man, street smart… qualities that she likes in her man.

Ella’s never met his but some officemates. Okay with her because what’s important is that she met the whole family.

She’s wrong.

Little did she know that there was another girl in his life. Another one who met the whole family, friends and everyone in his life. The one that he keeps mentioning is his ‘bestfriend’.

She saw them, inside a dimly lit restaurant. She was there with some friends. They were as shocked as her when they saw them kiss. It was not a kiss meant for friends. It was a kiss only two lovers share.

She left the restaurant in a huff. She never looked back.

That was 10 years ago.

She was never whole after that.

“George! We’re late!!!”

So, what’s new? This has been the “normal” routine for George or better yet, Georgina Gorospe. George to family and friends. She’s attempting to put up a recruitment company and she needs to go to various government agencies to secure numerous licenses.

“Darn!” 8:30AM reads the wall clock. Vinnie is waiting for her downstairs to accompany her to DTI. He’s been waiting for her for over an hour now. “Double darn!”

This has been cooking in my mind for sometime now. I want this one to be here so I get reminded.

Stay tuned for the whole of this scene.

She was living in this shanty a block outside our subdivision. No electricity or running water. It was a really cold place with a battered roof and walls. She made it livable by plastering some wallpapers of smiling babies that she got through her meager income. She worked as a saleslady at a bakery near her place. Earned a hundred twenty pesos everyday, barely enough to support herself.

She met my mom when she wandered at our subdivision during a town fiesta. My mom lost footing while walking at the park. She was the one who helped her up. Ever generous, my mom invited her over to our house to partake of the food she prepared for the fiesta celebration. Upon entering our compound, she saw the orchids mom’s so fond of and a bond stronger than the ones she has with her sons was formed. She instantly became the daughter that my mom never had.

She became a daily fixture at home. Apparently, she worked until eleven in the morning, afterwhich, it’s off to our place to help mom take care of her gazebo. She goes home by eight in the evening.

At first, I was constantly annoyed that she’s there when I arrive home. I snapped at her most of the time or just plain ignored her. I knew it was not right but she’s touching something in my heart that I’m not ready to acknowledge and it pisses me off! She cleaned my room, made sure my things were always in their proper place and waited for me to go home every night. It became constant that she’s there.

Just as I was getting ready to take her in my life, she suddenly stopped coming over. My mom was frantic! We were damn worried! Mom and dad were actually convincing her to come live with us but it was my attitude towards her that’s stopping her from accepting. I was to tell her that week that I also wanted her to start living with us. But she stopped coming over! It was stormy that week and my mom could not go to her place because it was flooded.

My dad called up some friends so we can go “rescue” her. Maybe she got stranded what with all those flood water in their area.

After a day of using connections, dad found a way to go to her place.

It was already too late.

I was drinking coffee outside a doughnut shop, idly thumbing through a book. It was chilly that day, but the sun was smiling down on me. My mp3 player was on and the song that was playing over and over again was Everything by Lifehouse. Our song.

We’d been friends for over a year now. It developed into something more than friendship but less than a romantic relationship. My friends warned me not to let myself get in too deep but my heart was insistent. It kept on thump-thumping when I see him or hear his voice, his laughter… I don’t regret getting in too deep. I don’t regret knowing him.

I just want the hurt to go away.

We were to meet, Sheila and I. She’s a long, lost friend. I saw her at the mall, buying her fiancé a gift. He’s coming home from a 10-month stay in China. He’s an IT guy. I helped her buy a tie for him. It was a Spongebob tie. The guy has a sense of humor, I told her. She bombarded me with a litany of the saintly qualities the guy possesses. They’ve known each other for three years now and she’s met the whole clan already. For a time, she thought they’d break apart. She sensed that the guy was seeing someone else.

The same way I felt a couple of months ago with Dean. But I vanished the thought. I told Sheila about “my guy”. We were giggling like fourteen-year-old kids. We’re both happy.

Or so I thought.

The guy called. He’s somewhere in the mall. We’re meeting him at a restaurant so we can have dinner together. I was excited to meet her fiancé. And Sheila’s excited for me to meet him.

At exactly 8:03 in the evening, my world suddenly stopped. There in the middle of the dimly-lit Spanish restaurant sat Dean. My Dean. Sheila’s Dante.

I forced a smile. He looked as shocked as me. I couldn’t remember how we’re introduced. He didn’t acknowledge me. I followed his lead. Sheila’s telling us anecdote after anecdote about how they met. I just sat near him, numb. He’s quiet the whole time, a couple of forced laughs from him and he’d retreat in his own world. He couldn’t look me in the eye. And I was stoic the whole time. Just a forced smile plastered on my face. I didn’t care if Sheila noticed. I wanted the earth to open up and swallow me right then and there.

The dinner was over in an hour. It felt like forever. I probably ate worms for all I care. I excused myself, blamed migraine to get out of that hell-hole.

I was hailing a cab, my tears running down my face, when his car stopped in front of me. I shook my head when he told me to get in. Sheila’s nowhere to be found. I got in after a couple of curses from him.

I shut him out. Whatever his excuses were, I was not interested to hear it. I didn’t plan on becoming the third party. I never intended to snatch someone else’s fiancé.

I never saw or communicated with him after that night. His explanation is slowly coming into focus on my mind. He’s undecided about Sheila. And then he met me. And he felt like he’s falling for me. He never intended for our friendship to go that far. Am I to blame then, I kept asking myself.

They’re getting married tomorrow. The invitation was inside my bag. My cellphone vibrated. Somebody texted.

But you already did.

It had been too long since we last saw each other. Eight, ten years… she lost count already. And then today, after everything that happened, after everything she went through when she left, she will see him again.

“Ria, do you know what time George is coming?”

A forced smile plastered on her face, she quipped, “no sorry”.

Their friends didn’t know they had a falling out before she left. They just thought that she hastily went abroad because of work. And that they are still in constant touch with each other.

“I think George is still stuck inside the office. He was in a meeting when I left kasi,” said Bernice, a common friend who works at the same company as George’s. “He’s been under a lot of stress lately and he looks haggard all the time. Or siguro nami-miss ka na kasi sobra, Ria!”

Everyone laughed. Even she forced a laugh. He will not miss her. Not after what happened.

Amidst the laughter and reminiscing, a voice that she hasn’t heard for so long, a voice that has been haunting her dreams each and every day she closes her eyes since she left, spoke…

“Started the party without me?”

“George!” “Oy pare!” “Bro!”

She felt hot and cold at the same time. She’s nervous and edgy and she hated it. She gasped when she saw him. Thank God for the loud banter that followed when he asked Norman to move so that he’s seated right in front of her.

He’s the same as before, tall, well-built, tan, and still the unsmiling man she’s met back in high school. But there’s something else in him. Something she could not pin-point.

*to be continued