Once upon a time, on a starry night, our conversation began. It was the start of everything, the birth of what we had and the awakening of my feelings for him.
I never imagined myself falling for a guy like him. We were different, with a one-year age gap and living in different places. Our schedules didn't align either. But amidst the sea of potential partners, fate chose us, the eldest of the two.
We shared the same life goals. I wanted to be a lawyer, and he aspired to be a doctor. But like a strong gust of wind, our dreams were blown away, snatched from our grasp.
We met online, and he was friendly and easy to get along with. Our sense of humor clicked right away. Unfortunately, we couldn't talk every day because we had our own lives to attend to.
On Valentine's Day, I realized that I had developed feelings for him. I wanted to confess, but I was afraid he would suddenly distance himself. Days passed, and I received a notification from a friend on Facebook. It was an anonymous message, but I knew it was from him. I had very few friends on Facebook, and he was the only guy I constantly talked to.
Afterwards, he confessed his feelings for me. He wanted to court me, but I told him that I wasn't allowed to have a boyfriend yet. I was afraid he would avoid me if he saw how I looked in person. I wasn't beautiful. I felt embarrassed in front of him.
We were happy, and he became my rock during the complicated times. Many wondered why I liked him, but I had many reasons why he became my greatest love.
Aside from having lofty dreams for himself and his family, he had respect for everyone. He was intelligent, determined, and driven to finish his studies. I also liked him because he wasn't afraid to show me his true self. He didn't hesitate to express himself when it came to various things.
Months passed, and nothing changed between us. Despite the distance, we were able to make each other feel present through messenger. We never saw each other's faces, but we set that aside because it wasn't our appearances that we loved.
During those months, I felt ready to commit and say yes to him. But an unexpected event happened. My father stopped me and told me to avoid him and leave him. My heart shattered during those moments. I was afraid of losing him. I was nervous.
"I always pray that you're the one meant for me because I love you so much. But if that's what we're supposed to do, I won't stop you. I still believe that if we're truly meant for each other, we'll be together, and no one can separate us."
I cried for months because of that message. I was hurt by the sudden turn of events. I tried talking to my father and persuading him to let me talk to Uno again, but I was scared.
Just like before, I secretly left a message for him, not realizing that his sibling would read it.
"Don't worry, Ate. Kuya is doing everything you asked of him. It's heartbreaking because you both love each other, but you still couldn't fight for each other."
They were right. I was just scared during those times because my feelings were mixed up.
Then one day, I received a message from his sibling.
"Ate, Kuya read all your messages to him. He's asking when he can talk to you again. He really wants to talk to you."
We talked after that. And now, I can say that love should never be rushed because the right person will come when the time is right. There will be a moment in our lives when the Lord grants us a wish, a wish we repeatedly ask for.
