I still remember the first time we met.  Crystal clear.  It was the first day of training.  I clumsily plopped my way onto the lobby couch sat down and started talking to the people waiting for the instructor.  She walked in a few minutes after I did, took a seat on the couch opposite where I sat.  I introduced myself, everybody did so, and it was pretty much it.  It wasn’t anything special. Not at all.  I wouldn’t have known then that I have met the love of my life.  But for some reason,  I remember that Monday on July when I first saw her. 

Fast forward 3 months.  Our relationship wasn’t anything special.  We talk about class, about schools (she is from the OTHER school), our friends etc.  I never thought of her as anything more than a friend, a nice girl I can talk to; and never anything more than that. 

We were both in the same field. Language, and I know that we were both reviewing for an exam in December and having someone to study with is a really big help.  I was in the office on a Saturday waiting, the clock was ticking slowly as ever. I called her up.  Let’s go study I said. 

She asked where.

 The coffee place you like.

 Okay.

530?

 See you there. 

I got to the place earlier than I had expected, and I opened my books and started studying. A liitle while passed before she would walk in the door, and now that I recall, I think it was then that I started falling for her.  She briskly opened the door, her hair tied back in a ponytail; no makeup to hide her beautiful eyes and golden skin.  She sat down opposite me, and opened her books.

 We stayed late that night, and seeing as how she just commuted and how traffic was congested, I offered her a ride back home.  On the car ride back, we had our first real soul-baring conversation.  It was the only time I was grateful for such bad traffic congestion.  Once we got to her place, I dropped her off, I told her I had fun, let’s see each other again.  

Same time next week?

Cool.

 We got together weekly to study, then it got much more frequent and before I knew it, we were seeing each other almost everyday.  We’d see each other during class twice a week, and get together to study.  I’d drive her home some nights, she’d bring me home on the others.   

On a Saturday, I asked her almost jokingly. “Pwede ba manligaw?”

 She answered yes casually. Almost too casually. 

“Jino-joke mo ako e. “

“Hindi nga! “

After dropping her off that night  I drove home with a giant grin on my face.

The days flew by, December came, We both took the exam, then she asked me out.

Beach tayo sa weekend with my friends.   Of course I said yes. 

We went to a virgin beach.  No toilets. No people. No anything. Perfect. Only our group was there.  That night under the stars, no distractions, we had our first kiss and it was magical. 

A few days later, I brought her to one of my favorite places; the lower football field. 

Will you be my girlfriend?

And to this month, We’re going to be celebrating 2 years together.

The things we did aren’t anything extraordinary, but that doesn’t really matter, as long as we have each other.