50 BOATS

Third Boat

To my second ultimate crush who named Eliseo, the third boat is for you.

I wanna know what's the real english version of your name 'cause I really want to associate your name to Elijah Montefalco. Charaught. I do hope so it's Elijah, though. But I know it isn't.

Just to be clear, you're not my type. You're really not my type. The first time I've heard your name, you exceeded my expectations. I thought you're handsome. I thought you're that awesome. I thought you're that intelligent.

First year high school, sa mga panahong ito, I was torn between chasing my first love and enjoying my high school years.

Una kitang nakilala dahil sa pangalan. Kaklase ko ang mga pinsan mo at nasa ibang section ka naman. They're literally blabbering about you and when the time I got to see you, my expectations descended.

I thought you're handsome. Hmmm, though you're not that handsome like your cousin, Joemil, pero puwede na.

I thought you're that awesome. But you're not. Engk ka sa akin. You're a big wrong because you are so... tikalon!

I thought you're that intelligent. This is the only expectation that is near to my expectation. Puwede na. Magiging magkaklase ba tayo kung hindi, 'di ba?

To start this story, I really hated you at first. I hated you for being too boastful with yourself that you thought every girl you interact with will eventually have a crush on you.

Hindi tayo magkaklase noong first year high school. I just thought of you as a friend or an acquaintance? Since mga pinsan mo ang una kong naging kaibigan at kaklase.

When second year high school came, doon na tayong naging magkaklase but I don't care about you kasi you know, I had my first boyfriend that time. So, yeah, you're still nothing that time and I still don't like your vibe.

Then shit happened when third year high school or also known during our time as "junior year."

Single and quite thinking and expecting that I will only focus my attention to One Direction and all the fictional characters in Wattpad for the rest of my life. Kasi you know, wala akong makitang isang tao na puwede kong maging crush that time.

Yes, I had some side crushes that only lasted for a week or so pero hindi ko maramdaman sa kanila ang mga naramdaman ko from my first crush and first boyfriend. They're nothing, actually.

Year 2013 came. February of that year, me and Mama went to Cebu to visit my Papa who's, at that time, working on one of the trucking services in Mandaue yata? Or Lapu-Lapu? I forgot. Maybe it's the latter. Yes, let's assume it's the latter.

It was once my happiest trip to Cebu because of two reasons:

1. We visited Simala Shrine. It was my first time yata and it's so overwhelming kasi kompleto kami ng family ko. Me, Mama, and Papa. It wasn't my first time going to Cebu. I've been there a couple of times na. Forgot when was the first time but yeah, first time ko talaga sa Simala that time.

2. Nang dahil sa lecheng panaginip ko.

After a long day of just roaming around the City of Cebu, siyempre, nagpahinga kami.

Sinubukan kong matulog pero nang makatulog ako, parang gusto ko na lang gumising ulit. I hate that dream. I hate that fucking dream! I hated it because it feels so fucking real.

Yes, I dreamt of you. The dream that started it all.

You were wearing the P.E. shirt of our Junior Year. We were. Kasi kasali ako, together with our classmates. Pero mukha mo lang 'yong super clear sa panaginip na iyon kaya ako kinilabutan sa panaginip kong iyon.