On This Day

"Hindi pa bukas celebrate. Pag totally free ka na saka tayo tutuloy. Hehe. Basta isipin mo muna exam mo. Parang double celebration na rin after ng exam mo. :)"

Message details:                                              
From: PEx Kapitan <+639XXXXXXXXX>
Date: 11-19-2009
Time: 8:15 pm
Type: Text message

That was his reply after I greeted him a happy birthday in advance and expressed my apology since I won't be able to make it to his celebration. It was sadly my board exam date :( but it really surprised me that he would work around my schedule just so I could be there. I felt special but I was totally oblivious to what that gesture truly meant.

For the past months we've been getting closer through constant exchange of texts and playing Grand Chase so I thought it was just that. That I have been chosen as one of the few who would be his good friends. It was an honor. I mean, what else could it be? He was a total head turner and I'm just ordinary so any romantic thoughts, I just brush off.

We continued to become closer until the day of the big confession. Every thing that we shared flashed right before my eyes. The moving of the celebration, the sharing of secrets, dreams and ideas, the unwavering attention, the constant text messages. All those times I thought those were just because of the close friendship we shared. I was wrong. It was more than that. It was a chance at love.

It took half an hour to process what his message said. Reading it carefully and over again. I might've misread a keyword that could change the meaning of the whole message. Carefully. Over again. But it was what it was. Every word, every phrase and paragraph are well thought of and unussually long for a normal SMS. The message was clear.

He likes me.

It was something that totally came out of the left field. Unexpected. Something that no one would've thought of, except him. An hour have passed and my mind was still blank. How could someone who's got a great number of admirers want someone who thinks there's no way he's ever getting a chance to be with him romantically? It was really a no brainer. He's hot and I'm not. But why was the situation draining all my brain juices in explaining what's happening? Things like those only happen in movies.... or so I thought.

Mr. Personality. He gave me that nickname and made it my e-mail's password when I temporarily gave the account to him so that I won't be tempted to stray from my review. That was it! He was not after anyone's looks. It was their personalities that draw him in and I have a great personality. Atleast great enough for him to notice me and look beyond my imperfections. It was what genuinely attracted me to him, besides being really trustworthy and caring to his friends.

Romantic possibilities rushed in. Too risky. We were having a really good friendship and romance could jeopardize it. We may even end up being bitter with each other when things don't work out. But we didn't let our fears get the best of what we could be. It was all about taking chances and how it's really just about overcoming our fears. We decided we didn't want to live our lives with what-ifs and what-could-have-beens because the truth was, no matter how it could've ended up, we'll always be glad we took it.

So one year ago, on this day we took a chance at love and decided to become a couple. It wasn't an easy ride, but what relationship isn't? I could look back, think about all the problems we encountered, the misunderstandings, the fights and say that those were worth all the love, experiences, lessons and the place that our relationship is right now. 

I'm glad I took the chance.



**People spend a lifetime looking for love, wanting it, needing it, seeking it, and most of the time they don't find it. 

But once in a great while, it comes to you, it throws itself in your lap, pounds on your door and says, "Here I am. Take me. I'm yours."

When it comes, how can you turn away from it? How can you say, "Not now. Maybe later?" How can you not take that chance, knowing the opportunity may never come again?**

-Danielle Steel