#jmeg93

[jmegallo]

Proposed Condominium Interior

[jmegallo]

The 34th Boy

What if not all boys were meant to find love? What if some of them were destined to be found by love?

It was almost midnight when I reached my condominium building. I was very tired from working all night finishing my new design project at the architectural firm I am working for. The building security guard opened up the glass doors for me as I walked in the lobby.

He greeted me good evening and I just smiled. The lights were dimmed down to keep out the non-dwellers from visiting at this hour. I continued my way to the elevator hall. I hastened my pace as I saw an open elevator door slowly closing.

Thankfully, the guy inside held it open and waited for me to get on. My body felt so sticky. I wished I could be awake enough to take a shower before going to bed. I watched the numbers on the panel increase as the elevator door went up.

I glanced behind me and noticed that someone else was standing at the back-right corner. I couldn’t take a look at him because the guy who held up the door open for me was blocking the view. The elevator stopped at the 17th floor.

I sighed for relief. It was a perfect time to not awkwardly adjust my heavy sling bag hanging on my shoulder. A melody sounded—the signal that the elevator door is opening. I shifted my weight to my left and leaned on the laminated wall.

The guy (who held up the door open for me) got off.

It was at least 5 seconds before the doors closed up again then I looked behind me. There he was, the most beautiful boy I have ever seen-- the love of my life.

He was in his home clothes, carrying a 7-Eleven paper bag full up to the brim. I looked at his curly black hair gleaming against his white skin. Then I looked at his eyes staring back at me. He was staring back at me!

So, I looked away and stared at the smooth metal doors of the elevator instead. “Why did I have to meet him at this state?” I thought. Tension was building up inside me.

I could swear I didn’t look attractive (not that I am attractive at any other time, at least that’s what I think about myself) at that time so I really wondered why he was staring back at me.

I was wearing my work clothes that were already slightly damp of sweat. He was only wearing home clothes and yet he still looked very mesmerizing. I tilted my head back towards him and saw that he was still looking at me.

This time, I held my gaze to meet his, fighting every nerve in me that was pushing me to flee. He had this expression in his face which I couldn’t tell exactly what. He looked slightly puzzled. I wonder how my own facial expression looked like.

I have this talent in keeping emotions and expressions inside but, also, my friends say that my face can look like emoji’s sometimes. It was the longest stare-off I ever did with a stranger, the only stare-off I had with a beautiful stranger.

The melody sounded off again and the elevator doors opened up to my floor. The number 24’s light went out. The only number glowing in bright red orange was the number 34. I stepped out of the elevator without looking back and walked towards my door.

I closed my eyes and listened to the elevator doors closing. Just as I looked back and saw the numbers going up, I noticed that I was still holding my breath. I took a deep breath while feeling a slight hint of regret.

At least, I found out that he lives at the 34th floor.

I have to tell you. I can only open my door halfway. I have this bad habit of putting off things like getting rid of the trash that’s piling up on my entry way behind the door. Did you think of the door to my heart? Don’t worry, that one is fully wide open but I am not.

It had been 2 years since my last relationship, 1 year and 8 months since my first heartbreak and only 4 months since my closure with my first ex-boyfriend. Since then, I left everything for fate to decide.

I called my best friend that night and told him all about the boy from the 34th floor. In conclusion to our conversation, he told me, “Not all boys are meant to find love. Some of us are destined to be found by love.”

Days passed and I never saw the boy from the 34th floor again. I continued with my daily routine but every time I went home, I now had this glimmer of hope inside me that maybe I will encounter him again.

It is impossible that I will not see him again. I realized. We live in the same building! So, every time I would pass by the lobby or the halls, I would linger around a little longer hoping that maybe, just maybe, he might show up.

I dreamed about him every night, and I would call my best friend to tell him all about the scenarios that I create in my head. More days passed and I still haven’t seen him again. My memory of him was also starting to slightly fade away.

Every now and then I would imagine and playback what happened in the elevator. Each time I did, his face started to blur out. I was starting to forget the face of the boy from the 34th floor.

One desperate morning, as I got in the elevator to get to the ground floor and be gone to work, I had a feeling that I will see him again that day. So, I pressed the number 34 instead of G in the panel. My heart rate sprang up.

The elevator went up fast and straight to the 34th floor. The impending mystery made me restless so I walked back and forth. When the doors opened, I just poked my head out and saw an empty lobby. Then, I heard footsteps.

The footsteps were heading towards the elevator lobby. I cursed and cursed to myself (in my head) because I didn’t even know what to do once I see him again.

I always black-out whenever I get to the moment so I backed out. I panicked and pressed the close button and then the G, repeatedly.

Moments later, I reached the bottom of the building feeling really down. The people around didn’t see that because I walked by with a normal straight face. The guard opened up the door and greeted me good morning. I just smiled and walked on.

One weekend, I decided to go grocery shopping. It was almost 8 pm. As I was about to go, I saw my pile of trash and remembered that it was time for garbage collection so I hurried up.

I decided to do the grocery shopping as fast as I could so I could get back in time for the garbage collection. I was about to enter the store when a familiar boy carrying 4 yellow bags of groceries walked by.

Yes, you are right. It was the beautiful boy from the 34th floor. Everything stopped, including me. I was frozen on the spot for a second.

Episodes of possibilities played in my imagination as I turned back towards the dark sidewalk. Hopelessly, I just watched him trail away.

I got back just in time for the garbage collection, but I missed the opportunity to meet the boy for the second time. Funny how fate plays with us. At least, I was able to get rid of the trash on my doorway.

I called my best friend that night and told him about my unfortunate encounter with the love of my life. He told me something that I will never forget.

He said, “We have so little time in our life. Our chances are so limited that when you stumble upon an opportunity, you must grab it immediately and risk everything. Just be ready to face all the consequences.”

It was almost midnight when I decided to go downstairs and buy some snacks from the mini mart. As I was finishing up at the counter paying my bill, I saw the boy outside heading towards the condominium door.

That was my final chance. I hurried out the mini mart and chased after him. The guard opened up the glass door for me and greeted good evening. I smiled and greeted him back.

There he was walking towards the elevator lobby. I followed him, slowly closing the gap between us. Since it was late at night, all the elevator cars were already on the ground floor.

He pressed the up button on the wall and all 4 elevator doors opened. He immediately got on to the one nearest to him. In front of me were 4 options but I knew I only had 1 choice.

I tried to wear a good smile and followed him inside the elevator. I wished he looked confused but he didn’t. With my best confidence, I finally said hello.

I have yet to actually go out there and find out the ending to this story.

[jmegallo]

"Abandoned" Iniwan at pinabayaan kita dahil wala ka nang papel sa buhay ko pero nagpapasalamat ako sa panahon na nagkaroon tayo sa isa't-isa. Sa mundong ito, change is the only thing permanent kaya palaging may bago na dadating sa buhay natin. Kahit ganoon, hinding-hindi kita makakalimutan. Naging parte ka na ng makinarya na magbubuo ng aking kinabukasan. Kaya huwag kang maglugmok, instead, mag move on ka. Pasalamat ka din dahil ngayon, ika'y magiging mas matibay sa puso. Ako'y isaalang-alang mo bilang isang leksiyon at magsulat ka na lang ng isang kanta.

(My name is blurry face and I care what you think.)

[jmegallo]

Just keep swimming...