The End of the Rainbow (2023)

Pitter Patter

PITTER PATTER

pitter patter ~
pitter patter ~

Stranded. 'Yan ang katayuan ko ngayon. Stuck in this accursed place in this heavy downpour. Tapos nakalimutan ko pa 'yung payong ko sa bahay. This day is just full of bad luck. Nakakainis.

"This day couldn't get any worse." I said to myself while entering the-oh so familiar-food establishment to shelter myself from the pouring rain.

pitter patter~
pitter patter~
I saw you in the middle of the rain,
I thought your heart was shattered.

'Yung familiarity ng place na 'to, and all the memories I had within it, tapos idagdag mo pa yung malakas na ulan sa labas, hindi mo talaga mapipigilang mag-reminisce. I can't help myself but look back at everything. Everything I had...with him.

Umorder ako ng hot chocolate and sat on a nearby table by the glass window. I gazed out and saw a very familiar scene playing back to me. It was our first date, and it was raining hard just like this. It was not the best weather for a date, but I guess it was one of the best dates, nonetheless.

I met him using a dating app because I'm lame and cannot talk to people personally. I remembered swiping through a lot of uninteresting guys, typical ones, 'yung sobrang machismo ang datingan, those typical bad boys. I never liked them, and I'd rather not associate myself with any of them. Mas gusto ko ang mga soft boys. They're cute, and sensitive. I think that's more attractive, to be honest. But that's just me.

So when his profile popped up:

Greg, 22
Bio: "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly." I am actually in love with this quote from The Little Prince. I take random photographs. I read random books. Oh, and I speak six languages, if that's attractive and could get me some cute points for you to swipe right. Just a hopeless romantic looking for something extraordinary.

When I read that bio, it was an automatic swipe right. I wanted to swipe up, to be honest, but that would make me look desperate. And thankfully, the following morning, we actually matched, and he already left me a message.

GREG: Hey. (5:35 A.M.)
ME: Hi. (6:42 A.M.)

Alam kong late na 'yung reply ko, at that time, pero the good thing was, online pa siya.

GREG: Good morning.
ME: Good morning.
GREG: Kumusta ka naman?
ME: Ummm, ayos lang, I guess. Ikaw ba?

Si Greg 'yung very first match ko sa app na 'yun. And siya rin 'yung pinakauna kong nakausap.

GREG: Ayos lang din. I woke up fine. Haha
GREG: Anyway, anything interesting that you're doing?
ME: Ummm, nothing interesting, really. The same boring routine. You know...college.

Natatawa ako nun kasi I sound so uninteresting. Hindi rin nakatulong 'yung fact na I cannot really hold a conversation that well. Napapailing na lang ako.

"Ang kalat mo, self." 'yun na lang 'yong naibulong ko sa sarili ko.

GREG: I feel you. Hahahaha
GREG: Midterm season pa naman. I just wanna get this semester done sa totoo lang. Naiistress na talaga ako. I really need a break.
GREG: Anyway, ano palang degree program mo?

Buti na lang talaga napagt'yagaan akong kausapin noon ni Greg.

ME: AB Political Science. Ikaw?
GREG: BSN. So... I'm talking to a future lawyer, right?
ME: Hopefully. And I guess na may possibility rin na you'd be a future doctor, right?
GREG: If time permits, why not? Pero right now, hindi ko pa naman naiisip na mag-med school. Hahanap muna ako ng lifetime partner bago 'yun at magiging single ka raw forever kapag hindi ka nagkaroon ng partner by the time you're a doctor. Hahahahaha
ME: Naniniwala ka doon? That sounds absurd.
GREG: I mean, better now than never, right?
ME: Touché
GREG: Hahahahahahaha
GREG: Bakit ikaw? Wala ka bang plans on finding a lifetime partner?
ME: Never thought of it yet, sa totoo lang. Pero I'm here in this app hoping for something. What a clown, right? Haha
GREG: We all have subtle clown traits. Mas okay na 'yung ganyan kesa sa akin. Looking for love in an app meant for one night stands or modern flings. I'm more of a clown than you are to be honest. Hahahaha