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Unang Pagtatagpo

Pasko na mamayang hating-gabi. Hindi sa ayaw ko maghanda o mag-celebrate. Nataon lang talagang nasa gitnang-silangan ako at hindi talaga pwedeng magpasko rito. Sa lahat naman kasi nang bansang pwedeng pagtrabahuan eh, ito pa talaga napili ko. Hay... Wala na akong magagawa. Magli-limang taon na nga ako rito eh. 

Kanina pa ako tawag nang tawag sa mga kamag-anak ko sa Pinas pero mukhang wala silang balak sumagot. Mukhang busy talaga sila lalo na't pasko nga, alam mo na, maghahanda... Magsi-celebrate. Hindi man lang nila ako naalala rito. O nagiging makasarili na lang din ba ako? I know, I had to accept the fact na malayo naman ako, iba ang timezone meron ako so probably they assumed I'm asleep or even at work right now. But wth! I'm a part of that family! And somehow I long for their attention even at this distance. Uso naman na ang video-calls, so why leave me out?

Ooops. Gumagana na naman ang homesickness siguro. Kaya just to somehow divert my attention, I downloaded this dating app that has caught my attention while updating my phone apps on appstore. Ok, I know, it's not even a good excuse but why do I even need an excuse just to download and register anyway?

I browsed the app. Saw and clicked some profiles. Saw this cute Chinese man's profile and clicked right--- and there it go. He sent me a message! Wow, real quick?

Him: Hi

Me: Hello

Him: Asian?

Me: Filipino-Chinese

Him: Wow! I'm Chinese. :)

Me: Yeah, I apparently saw your profile. :)

Him: Wanna grab some coffee?

Me: I''m actually 30min away from the city.

Him: That's alright. I got a car. :)

Me: Hmmn can I bring my friends with me? I can't just meet you up alone, you know. ;)

Him: Sure. Care to share your loc?

Me: No problem. Sending it now. :)

Wow. Ako ba talaga 'to? Asan na ang Mikaela na sobrang takot mahusgahan nang ibang tao? I was a playing safe type of girl all my life. Not until that uncanny night wherein all my reservations went out the window. Shucks. Kailangan ko ba talaga maalala yun ngayon? Oo, naging pakawala din ako minsan at sa malas, ang minsan na iyon ay nagbunga pa talaga. Which resulted to all these mess I've gotten into. But wtf, why would I even care? I need to move on anyway. May annulment at divorce nga because not all the time people who gets married are really gonna live together for the rest of their lives! Ok, I know, madami naman talaga akong maling naging desisyon sa buhay. But choosing to get my son live is the best choice I've ever made. At hindi siya kailanman pagkakamali. Ako lang a ng nagkamali nang pagpili nang magiging ama niya, iyon lang.

I've read the conversations I've exchanged with this random man on that website. I suddenly got the urge to delete the app but...

OMG! Nasa baba na siya? For real? What do I do now?

Napatulala ako sa harap nang mga housemates ko while reading out loud the message I got.

"Guys, ok lang ba samahan niyo ako makipagkita ditto sa naka-chat ko? He's inviting us to grab a coffee. I actually said I'm bringing you with me." Awkward na sabi ko sa kanila. My housemates who weren't able to go out the whole week since wala naman kaming masasakyan kundi ang company car papuntang city na mas madalas ay sinosolo lang naman nang driver ay sabik na um-oo. Wtf! Am I really doing this? Dito pa talaga sa gitnang silangan? Gusto ko na lang talaga kutusan ang sarili ko ngayon.

"Tara na, gora lets. Libre ba daw niya ate?" tanong ni Kah. Hindi siya usually outgoing pero hindi ko alam kung bakit mukha siyang may sapi ngayon.

"Saan naman daw restaurant tayo magkikita?" tanong naman ni Zhin. Hindi yata siya nakikinig kanina nang basahin ko yung chat na nagsasabing nasa baba na yung naka-chat ko na ngayon ay nagyayayang makipagkita sakin with them.