I don’t pay attention to girls and I’m not interested in them, but when I saw that one girl for the first time, I felt something weird inside me. Hindi ko iyon maipaliwanag. And it was the first time that I felt it.
Dancing wildly in the middle of the dance floor, was a girl with red curly hair. Swaying her hips—her arms in the air as she danced along to the upbeat, loud music. Her black mini dress was quite revealing. She’s laughing as she dances with the people around her.
The strobing lights were an eyesore, the loud music was giving me a headache. Pero nang makita ko siya, hindi ko na iyon alintana. Nanatili lang akong nanunuod sa kanya, na para bang siya lang ang nag-iisang sumasayaw sa gitna.
Hindi ako sanay sa mga ganitong lugar at hindi ko rin naman gusto, pero hindi ako nakatanggi nang imbitahan ako ng isa sa mga kaibigan ko. Today is his birthday and he decided to celebrate it here. A night party with booze and girls for his twenty-first birthday.
Nasa dance floor na ang mga kaibigan ko, nagsasaya, habang ako ay nagpapalipas ng oras dito sa may couch. Itinataboy ang mga babaeng lumalapit dahil hindi nga ako interesado. Mga limang minuto pa sana at plano ko nang umuwi, pero parang gusto ko pang magtagal ngayon ng kaunti.
When she turned around, her eyes caught mine. Lips parted with a heavy breath, she winked at me. She smiled so sweetly then continued dancing again. Mabilis na ang pintig ng puso ko kanina, pero parang mas bumilis ngayon. For a moment, I felt like the time slows down and the whole world stops spinning. Para akong nabingi at naging malabo sa paningin ko ang ibang tao. All I could see is her...
Hindi na siya naalis sa isip ko. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit kahit na anong pilit ko na alisin ang imahe niya sa isipan ko ay hindi ko tuluyang magawa. At naiirita ako sa sarili ko. I should’ve ask her name. Sana ay may pangalan siya ngayon sa isip ko.
But the following week, I saw her again. I almost thanked the heaven for that. Para akong mababaliw kakaisip sa kanya simula noong makita ko siya sa bar, pero parang mas nabaliw ako noong nakita ko uli siya. And if only she knew what I was feeling at that time... Halu-halong emosyon. It was very unfamiliar. I’ve never felt that before. It was crazy.
Hindi ako basta-basta nagkakagusto sa kahit na sino. I did have crushes when I was a teenager, but they were usually quick and fleeting. It was nothing compared to what I was feeling for her. Alam ko, may iba sa kanya. Ibang-iba siya.
“I’m Elvira, but you can call me Vira.” Malawak at matamis ang mga ngiting ibinigay niya sa akin.
My jaw clenched. Even her voice sounds so good in my ears. It’s like music to my ears. Tila walang kapintasan ang babaeng ito. She looked stunning as her straight, wine red hair fell over her exposed shoulders. She was wearing a black dress at the time, and it was... very short.
Fair-skinned, tall and svelte with intense siren-like eyes. Pointed nose, soft lips, thick eyebrows, red-wine healthy hair. Her beauty was hard to ignore.
Pero pilit kong kinalma ang sarili ko. Sinubukang hindi magpa-apekto.. I acted cold and uninterested, but deep inside, I was melting with her gaze and her smile. I feel like I’m on cloud nine. Talagang nababaliw na ako.
She caught my attention. Nakuha niya ako sa mga tingin at ngiti niya. Hindi siya mawala sa isip ko. Hindi ko maintindihan at hindi ko alam kung bakit lagi ko pa rin siyang naiisip kahit na araw-araw ko naman siyang nakikita.
It was the first time a girl had ever made me feel that way.
Sa school, sa trabaho at pamilya lang umiikot ang buhay ko. Paminsan-minsan ay nag-e-enjoy rin naman ako kasama ang mga kaibigan ko, pero kahit kailan ay hindi ako nagkagusto ng ganito sa isang babae. At hindi naman iyon ang priority ko noon kaya hindi ko rin iyon mabigyan ng atensyon.
