AMACon 3: Oikos - Children

These Empty Spaces

WRITTEN BY:

candyscribbles

Everyone thought that theirs was a perfect love. She was the sunshine to his storms and he broke down his walls, willing her to enter his heart. She fills her pockets with stars, filling all his empty spaces with galaxies shining in the dark.

---

7:16 A.M.

Lovers always find themselves meeting at the oddest situations.

Some people find their better half in the middle of their office, wiping away coffee stains on their shirt. Some people find their true love when they bump into each other and there is instant attraction between the two of them. And then there are some people like Meng and Alden who met, not with an immediate like for each other but rather because of a mutual distaste and a heavy heeled boot.

"Meng, sige na please, samahan mo na ako," Valeen begged her best friend, going as far as kneeling on the floor. "Kelangan ko lang kasi ng kasama. Alam mo naman, baka di ako makauwi."

Meng rolled her eyes. "Blind date, blind date ka dyan, eh ginusto mo yan."

Valeen pouted as she sat on her roommate's bed. She's been begging Meng to go with her on a blind date she found through a random phone call, hoping that it was something her roommate was willing to do.

"Sige na kasi Menggggg. Malay mo, ito na pala ang forever ko!"

"Sa McDonald's? Dun ang forever mo? Sino ba naman kasi ang baliw na papayag makipag-kita sa ka-phone pal?"

"Ako!" Valeen huffed. "Life life a little naman, Meng. Exciting 'to! Ganun!"

"Exciting ba yung 'Magkita tayo sa McDo Makati Cinema Square, naka maong ako at grey t-shirt? Eh pano kung madaming lalaking naka-grey na t-shirt pano mo iisa-isahin yun?"

"Basta, pag nakita ko si Jerald, my heart will know! Meng, ano ka ba naman–it's destiny! It's fate!"

"It's a phone pal," Meng said flatly. "Hay nako. Sige na nga sasamahan na kita, baka kung ano pa gawin mo. Bayaran mo yung kakainin ko ha, lukaret ka."

"Alam mo Meng, kaya mahal na mahal kita eh."

---

Meng huffed as she watched Valeen bat her lashes at her phone pal friend, rolling her eyes when the guy–Jerald–looked at her in similar admiration. Valeen had been right all along–when they entered that McDonald's she had already zoomed in on the guy, never mind the fact that there were roughly six other men in jeans and grey shirts. She sighed. Maybe it was destiny... or something of that sort.

She was picking on the French fries she was eating when she found herself face to face with a very handsome man, smiling down at her. He waved his hand, pointing at the empty seat in front of her.

"Uh, miss? May nakaupo ba dito?"

She shook her head, her jaw hanging open. The man, handsome as he was, sat on the chair opposite hers and offered his sundae but Meng was starting to get annoyed.

"Ice cream?"

"Wala na bang ibang upuan?"

He shrugged, ignoring the empty seats around them. "Madami. Pero nakita ko kasi kasama ng friend ko yung kasama mo kanina. I figured, para naman di tayo mukhang tanga kakaantay sa kanila, sasamahan na lang kita."