A Decade to More

Whenever someone asked me if I am still single, my answer is always yes (technically), but not available. There was one time when one of the supervisors who is a close friend of my boyfriend heard my response, her eyes grew wider. I told her, of course, I am single because I am not married yet. But I am definitely not available because I'm in a relationship. She's like an elder sister to us and was nodding as she heard me say it.

As of writing, I am currently in 11 years of a relationship with my college classmate and turning 11 years and 9 months tomorrow. Long already, right? Within those years, aside from being classmates, we became colleagues, too. We also experienced being apart from each other for a total of two years. Everyone keeps on asking us about marriage, saying that 11 years in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship will surely end in no time. I don't believe in that kind of superstitious belief or whatever you call that. If God destined us to be together, then the period won't matter.

I always believe that I may not achieve my dream course or job to become a doctor, but God blessed me to give my 1 Corinthian 13 at an early age. Well, I just realized that when I became the breadwinner of the family. I am blessed that through thick and thin, someone has been with me during my highs and most especially, the lowest times. And also, considerate enough with my current situation.

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How It Started

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Antoni and I were both Electronics and Communications Engineering students. Our course was divided into two blocks: he's B98 and I'm B100. Both of us didn't want to study at MSU-IIT. He passed the UPCAT exam, but his parents didn't want him to study far from them. I, on the other hand, wanted to study in Cagayan de Oro City to take Pharmacy as my pre-med course, but my parents can't afford to send me to a private school. I tried persuading my mother for a Biology course in MSU-IIT, but she wouldn't allow me. Hence, the ECE course.

We were not classmates since we were in a different block. Usually, the two blocks will become classmates in 3rd-year college because that's the start of the all-major subjects per sem. We should've met during the acquaintance party of the ECE students, but my mother didn't allow me to go because of the word party. Our path didn't cross for the first two months until the Palakasan season in our school.

We happened to bump each other because of cheerleading. I was into dancing, and my target was Pop dance, but I ended up attending the audition for cheerleaders.

Antoni was friendly, which is why he's the B98 representative. I didn't try making friends with everyone, but block mate became the bridge. She would invite me to eat with them because they were classmates in high school, and our seniors in ECE were their seniors in Philippine Science. I said yes until I became friends with everyone.

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After the Event

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Even after the Palakasan, he would still say hi to me. If he never did that, I'd probably pass him without giving a smile. It sounds like a snob, but I'm actually reserved to say hi first. Not just to him, but to everyone. He would invite me to lunch because I always spent my lunch alone. My classmates in high school were my lunch dates, but most of the time, our schedules didn't meet. If he saw me eating alone, he would go to my table and invite his friends. Until I always ate with them every lunch and sometimes snacks.

We became close with each other. Whenever he saw me with a wrinkled forehead, he will come near me and then start offering his help to solve the Math problem. That was the time I realized he is really an intelligent guy because I know he's always absent but can keep up with good grades. Then we started sharing life updates like he broke up with his girlfriend for three months; he liked Chinitas, which includes my Chinita high school classmate; I had a relationship for a year with a guy who is five years older than me, and I wanted to break up with him, but he doesn't want to.

Then, it was the start of the second semester when I decided to break up with my boyfriend, at that time regardless of his response. I was planning to concentrate on my studies, like no boyfriend until I graduate. I love Math when I was in high school. But when I stepped into college, I started unliking it. I was thinking maybe because of my course, which is not my choice in the first place.

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Later on, I shared with Antoni I had a crush on someone, then started describing the guy. I first saw the guy when I first entered the university. He replied he knew him, and the guy has the same religion as us - UCCP. (I forgot he's friends with everyone.) I was so ecstatic about it then he started calling the guy and introduced me to him. I was stunned but happy. After that, Antoni was out of the picture. I thought because of our hectic schedule, but then I saw him eating with his friends. So I had to eat my lunch alone. Again. It lasted for a total of three weeks, and I was so bothered because I didn't know why he was acting like he didn't see or know me.

I cornered and confronted him, and he just walked away. I was furious. Another week passed, and still, the treatment was the same. I was okay with it; I still have my high school friends, after all. Three weeks had passed, I was in the Mercury Drugstore to buy my medicine before I go home. I was surprised when I saw him standing and waiting outside the store. It was really awkward, and he just blurted that he distanced himself because the guy and I became friends. I was puzzled because he was the one who introduced us, and besides, he had a crush on my friend, too. He confessed again that it was just an alibi, and he liked me. I hit his shoulder with a not-so-little laugh while saying, "Pagsure uy!" (Be sure!). He was dead serious, and I just laughed because it was sudden.

_{Don't mind the date. hehe}

I didn't believe him because he only likes Chinitas. But every time I asked him, he always says he likes my hair and my eyes. That made me doubt him even more because whenever I face the mirror, I see no Chinita. Until now, his answer is still the same. He would say that I was a snob and Maldita (bratty) but still approachable.

The courtship lasted five months. He wanted to go to our house to ask permission but told him not to. There were no flowers or stuffed toys in the picture. I made it clear that I don't want fancy things or surprises. With that, we labeled our dates as eat-out only.

My father wanted me to have a stable job before entering a relationship, while my mother would always say I should never listen to my KJ (killjoy) father. She said she wanted chocolate and a 1L of coke only. Even with the support of my mother, I still didn't want to let them know about my love life.

Antoni, being so stubborn, interrogated me about where I was and who was with me. I replied. The last thing I know, he was in Jollibee already and freely introduced himself to my parents. I was annoyed at him, especially my mother's smile that resembles a teasing clown. I don't like to be teased. My father, on the other hand, was neither frowning nor smiling. But I can sense he was unamused.

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His Version

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He said we met once during high school thru a mutual friend. I can't remember him, but when he described the settings and mentioned some of the people, that's when I realized he is definitely telling the truth. But I still can't remember him tho.

_{On mid-May, it sprang
Two souls under the moonlight
On a sailing ship
With the tide of life and love
Steered a decade towards more}