Months Of April 1

PART 3

PART 3: Catfished

4 days left and I can get to meet him personally. I'm so excited!

"Love, pupunta rin daw sina Gab at mga barkada ko. Sama na lang siguro kayo papuntang St. Lukes."

"Kahiya kaya! Di ko naman kilala sa personal mga barkada mo"

Gab is one of his best friends in high school. That's what he said. So I added her on Facebook and she accepted my friend request.


I was in trance thinking that maybe others' assumptions are actually right. What if there is someone hiding behind other's identity? What if he's trying to fool me?

Nah, I bet he wouldn't.

2 days left and I will be going to St. Lukes to meet him and his parents.

"Sorry, Love nagpapa EKG pa 'ko kanina. Literal na sumisikip yung dibdib ko." He said.

"Talaga? Okay ka lang ba? Send mo nga dito yung result."

He sent me the results of his Electrocardiogram. I don't know how to interpret the results so I had some research over the internet about the EKG results, heart failure and heart transplant after effect.

Kuya Banjo's name popped on my notifications.

"HOY JOYCE MARAMI AKONG PROOFS TUNGKOL KAY DEB NA YAN! CHINAT KO YUNG TAONG GINAMIT NIYA, POSER NIYA DAW YUNG KA CHAT MO! YUNG PANGALAN NG TAONG GINAMIT NIYA AY SI JOSH SANTIAGO! SEARCH MO PA! NAKO BAKIT KA NAGPAKATANGA DIYAN SA MANLOLOKONG YAN"


He sent me those screenshots about his conversation with Josh.

"Hello! Pwede bang magtanong? Kilala mo ba si Debron Gamboa? Pictures mo ang ginamit dito eh"

"Hi! Hindi po. Matagal ko nang pinareport ang account na 'yan."

I don't know what got into me but my hand has its own mind and messaged his friend—Gab.

"Hello! Do you know Debron Gamboa? He said we will visit him at St. Lukes Hospital together with your squad."

"WTF? Ha? St. Lukes? Para saan? Debron? Hala di ko kilala yan"

"Sabi niya magkaibigan daw kayo"

"Sorry wala po akong kilalang Debron at wala po kaming barkada na nasa St. Lukes HAHAHAHA."

At that moment, I don't know what to feel. I want to burst into tears yet furious at the same time.

THAT FUCKING MAN FOOLED ME

"TANGINA MO PINA-IYAK MO KO SA MGA KAGAGUHAN MO? TANGINANG HEART TRANSPLANT NA YAN SAN MO BA NAKUHA YAN?" I messaged him. Wow, I've been fooled.

"Joyce, huwag kang maniwala sa iba" he opposed.

"EH SINO PANINIWALAAN KO? IKAW? HINDI LANG AKO YUNG NILOKO MO GAGO! SI MAMA UMIIYAK AT HALOS HINDI MAKATULOG KAKADASAL SAYO! SINA LOLA AT CHURCHMATES NIYA NILOKO MO DIN TANGINA KA"

"hindi yan totoo"

"POTA? I'VE BEEN PRAYING FOR YOU FOR WEEKS SIMULA NUNG SABI MO NA MAY HEART FAILURE KA! PUMASOK AKO SA SCHOOL NA TULALA KAKAISIP SA KALAGAYAN MO TAPOS IKAW SIGURO TUMATAWA HABANG NILOLOKO MO KAMI. SANA TOTOO NA LANG NA NAGKA HEART FAILURE KA"

"I'm sorry, Joyce. Hindi ko kasi kayang mag-usap sa'yo kaya ko nagawa 'to. Pangit po ako sa personal kaya wala akong plano na kumausap sa'yo sa personal kasi alam kong i-rereject mo lang ako. Sorry po kina tito at tita, sa mga kaibigan mo pati na rin kay lola mo. Iisang school lang ta'yo noon kaso gumraduate ka na. Lagi kong pinupuntahan mga gig mo. Naaastigan kasi ako kapag nakikita kang nad-drums. Alam ko rin kung saan ka nakatira. Pasenya hindi ko kayang mapakita yung itsura ko sa'yo. Sorry talaga"

I can't believe it! I fell into the trap! I was being fooled!
--
August 2019

A year has passed after I fell in love with someone that I don't know. I actually feel bad for him. I mean, I think he needs confidence and has to man up if he has someone that he likes. I appreciate him for supporting me with my gigs around the city. Maybe he doesn't have any bad intentions? Maybe he just wants to have a conversation with me?

Someone messaged me on Facebook. It was my friend.

"Joyce! Alam ko na kung sino yung poser na nanloko sa'yo"

"Ha? Talaga? Paano?"

"Yung kaibigan kong si Erika, sabi niya ginamit daw nung poser yung life story niya kasi magkatropa lang sila nung poser. Akala niya raw talaga ay close kayo ng tropa niya kasi palagi niya daw pinagmalaki sa barkada nila na palagi kayong nagchachat. Hindi nga alam ni Erika na ginamit pala yung sakit niya para manloko yung mga kaibigan niya sa'yo. Nagalit nga rin siya sa mga tropa niya dahil sa pinanggagawa sa'yo. Hindi sana malaman ni Erika na ginamit yung sakit niya kung 'di ko sinabi sa kanya yung tungkol sa poser na 'yon. Gigil na 'yon sa mga tropa niya" She explained.

"Sino ba yung poser?" I asked.

I honestly don't care about what he looks. And I already moved on. I think after all; it wasn't love-- I was emotionally attached because of his "worst situation". If he wants to talk to me in person, I'm sorry but I won't waste my time for that. I cut the connections a year ago. Sometimes, we don't need to reconcile with someone just to have peace; cutting ties is enough for me.

"Babae daw" She answered.

wow.

And with that being said, ladies and gentlemen, I got catfished by a person that has the same genital part as me.

This fooling game is worse than April fools.

I wasn't fooled once;

I wasn't even fooled twice;

I was fooled for months!





I, Joyce Torres, have been catfished.


Not by a 'he'




But...

By a 'she'...