27, 7 and 9.

September 27, 2011. Never did I think that that day would mean anything special for me. Conversely, it does now.

It started as a rather usual day—waking up, complaining about the dorm cafeteria food, taking chilly showers, going to and coming home from school—until my roommate and I decided to have dinner.

Yes, I can crystal clearly recall how we first met. She was sitting in a quadrangular table, about a meter away from the drinking fountain, with her friend positioned diagonally to her right. They just finished their roasted chickens and I knew they were about to head back to the girls’ dorm.

My roommate headed towards their direction and behind my bad poker face, I was really happy that I decided to follow him. Much to my surprise, she and my roommate knew each other before. After all the unnecessary small talk, roommate introduced me to them and she her friend to us. Then the ladies decided to stay with us for a bit to talk more.

As I nervously but casually tried to chew down my food, I learned that my roommate had a crush on her before. Yes, he explicitly said “I had a crush on you.” I tried to be ignorant and pretended to not have heard about what he said and focused on swallowing the almost-spitted-to-their-faces rice in my mouth.

That very moment, I knew I had to let my short-term crush on her go because I can’t and shouldn’t betray a friend. I decided that I should help him in any way I could.

After a few months, fortunately or unfortunately, this friend of mine did something that was against my self-imposed code of conduct when trying to get a girl. I saw him talking to another girl for about 2 hours. Yes, that was violation against my rules (it was MY code of conduct, after all). In other words, I got my chance back. And I ain’t going to waste any more time.

As it turned out, I was kidding myself. I wasted lots and lots of time, only thinking about her in my room, in class, even during the whole of the semestral break. I couldn’t help myself. I was falling for her and she didn’t even know that I still exist.

I never successfully got a girl in my life and neither did I try to be brave enough to try to talk to them. But this time, it’s special—I KNOW it is. So in this unromantic mind of mine I tried to find ways to get her number. One day, I was able to do it.

The harder part had just started. “What can I talk to her about?” “What if she doesn’t like to text?” “Will I just be a bother to her?” “Should I just stop and be forever alone—like I have always been?”

It took two weeks before she started to become comfortable texting me (at least, that’s what I think). We would text for hours just before going to bed. I would text her good morning and good night messages then she would reply with a smiley face. For the first time in years, I was happy again. I was under the stars.

Then, today happened. December 7, 2011. There was a mini-concert right outside the dorm. I came to just check it out but would leave soon. I texted her if she was out there in the crowd. Surely, she was.

THEY were.

It happened so fast yet unending. She approached me and beside her was another guy. I was infuriated. She flashed me a smile, and then they left.

Boys do cry. Believe that. That’s what I did upon returning to my room. I was hurt. Apparently, hurt enough to make someone like me cry. I tried to cheer myself up by eating and talking to other dormers, but it was no good. It’s still there—hurting indefinitely.

I’m being serious when I tell you that I went behind the dorm for a while and sat under the stars. I listened to songs that were for heart-freaking-broken people. I sat alone there for almost an hour, wondering what the past weeks have been about.

There’s only thing I came to realize: I was happy—not simply because I wanted to be—but because I chose to be. I was happy because I chose to talk to her. I was happy because I chose to get her number and text her. I was happy because I chose my inspiration to be her. I was happy because of her. And now, I am going to continue being happy because I will choose to fight for her.

In two days, LFC’s Under the Stars would be another successful event. I don’t know if I’ll really find my true love there, like what they say. What I do know, is that she knows UTS is an event for everyone and their special someone to enjoy. Among all the other events in the Ateneo, this would be the most romantic of all.

And you know what? She invited me.