Untold Story of "US"

Part 1 - I liked, you liked back

"Hey, I can't believed I entered the dating site on facebook! This is quite interesting! Hahaha! This is your fault. Hay naku! ", I told my friend Jennah via tweet.

I was on twitter at that time and I was just tweeting randomly which I usually do.

Hindi ako palatweet but I post from time to time just to update and basically when I am pouring my heart out. Anyone could relate to me, I mean, twitter is a good outlet to just burst when you're angry or to just let all your emotions go. I'd see tweets that lift the souls, tweets about moving on, tweets about depression, tweets about gratitude and so on. This time I tweeted about how I ended up installing a dating site on my phone!

Sounds desperate, eh? Funny, is not it?

A few minutes later, Jennah replied to my tweet.

"No judgement Sammy. 😊 Before facebook dating, I did install a lot of dating apps pero inuninstall ko rin after a week, but at least I gained a friend, like in Tantan. Do you remember the Vietnamese guy I told you about before? I know we were just platonic, but the thought that you met someone new, you know. Although I think, facebook dating is safer"

I typed my response.

"Well, you know it's my first time. 😂"

"Fighting! And for the record, some of the couples I know, they met in dating apps and are already getting married!", she exclaimed.

I know it was too good to be true but I heard a lot of stories already. It is all over the social media and it's becoming the norm nowadays because whether you like to accept it or not, we are already living in a technologically inclined era where you can already acquire something in just one click. Do you understand what I mean? Everything is happening in just a snap of the finger. Everything is in its fast pace. Lahat.

Instant.
Fast.
Immediate.
Right at the moment.

So kahit ba sa pag-ibig. Instant na din? Minadali? Nagmamadali? May lakad ka ate?

Napaisip ako pero I have nothing against ha, "Can one really, possibly met someone on social media and expect them to be "the one" already. I mean, how time flies? The change is so drastic. It sounded unrealistic, really pero nangyayari talaga. I am not a fan but if you were someone who had met your "forever partner" through a dating site then it is one for the books! It's a very unique lovestory! Ang galing lang. Nakakaamaze kumbaga."

"Then maybe we can find our forever in dating sites, too! 😂", sagot ko sa kanya.

"Hmm, maybe? Hahaha! But still, be careful, because there are always jerks and assholes, you know, guys who just want to hook up and have fun! Some are also catfishing. Although, I only encountered those with other dating sites, not with facebook dating.", sabi nito.

Okay.

So nong gabing yon, I just set up my profile at the dating site and tried learning how does it work. Ganito kase yon, after you set up a unique account, the site would ask you to fill up some information about you that are mostly basic. Of course your name, your age, your address, your job kung meron ka, up to you. After that you're good to go. The site then suggests profile that could possibly fit your reference, people that matches your interests. One more thing, you get to decide what range of age or how far their place be, or how tall they should be. Profiles are then popped up one by one and you just decide if you will click the "Like" or "No, thanks" to the suggested profile. I learned all those in just a few minutes. It's not that complicated and we don't want complications, do we? 😂 This is a dating site by the way, and you should at least be expectant that people are there because they want to date! As simple as that! Huwag kang magpabebe!

If you were to ask me what I am looking for in a guy, then here it is. Someone who is pleasant to look at, let's face it! It's really a plus if a guy is physically fit, is good looking, alam mo yong mukhang mabango! Hahaha. Dapat good conversationalist din. Small talks bores me, I mean, hindi ba mas nakakaboost ng interest if you really feel that someone is interested in you, too? Kase, totoo nga naman, long messages or responses reflect interest. Kung maiksi yan sumagot or kung nabibilang ang words ng sagot niya, hindi talaga siya interesado so if that's the case, tama na, itigil na girl.

I liked a few profiles.

Yong isa branch managers, some are singers, may mga seaman din and chef, meron din mountaineer. Pero the thing is, you can never start a conversation with someone unless they liked you back, too.

Then I came across with this particular profile. He was wearing a black, Nike hat, and he appears serious sa photo displayed. His eyebrows are thick, he has this expressive eyes na kapag tumingin maiintindihan mo yong emotion na inilalabas nito. He has full lips, too, so in short kissable. He's a cook by the way. Hindi ko alam pero he looked familiar, I just don't remember kung saan ko siya nakita. Siguro, nakasabay ko sa bus or nameet ko na siya somewhere. Ok so he just looks familiar but I didn't know why I was hesitant to hit the "like" button, in the end I hit, "no, thanks". It just means na in the future hindi na siya dapat mag-appear sa suggested profile.

After a day, nag-like back si branch manager, diko na sasabihin kung anong fast food chain siya nakaaffiliate. I learned that he has a child from his ex girlfriend and that he travels a lot because of business but he's based in Nueva Ecija. Our conversation is purely casual like he'd ask how my day was or if I had already taken a meal sort of convos. In my case naman kase, since I knew that he has a child, I had taken a step back na parang, ops, stop. Ganon kase eh, if you really know what you don't want and what you want in life, you stick with it. We don't want complications. I'm not saying na hindi magwowork yong relationship if that's the case but for me, dapat single talaga. It could complicate things kase in the future. Hindi naman lahat, it is still a desicion you have to make everyday, to make it work.

Some are assholes. I had this convo with a vietnamese. He's currently here in the Philippines, studying english and he keeps calling me "babe". Like Hoy! hindi mo ako babe. Hahaha. As for me naman kase, I am not used to this sort of things, I just gave it a try kaya I blocked him immediately.

The next morning, I'd visit my profile again. Remember the profile I hit "no, thanks" before? Ang hindi ko maintindihan kong bakit nag-appear ulit siya sa suggested profile. In my mind, why is this profile here again?

Juan Miguel de Peralta, 26
5'8"

He's tall with that height. Siguro, basketbolista to, sa isip isip ko.

Makulit din kase tong facebook dating app eh, bakit pa ipinakita ulit yong profile niya.

So, ayon. I hit "like".

After a few hours, I saw the notifications that he also liked back! Ayieee. I can't believed what I felt. Diko alam kung napressure ako siguro more na naexcite.

I liked, you liked back.