It's already been months since I joined this social networking platform that is focused on writing stories and other works of literature. I enjoyed my experience for all those days since the community is really warm and welcoming and at the same time, I was able to practice my storytelling and my writing skills.
Another fun thing in publishing and reading written stories is the connections you can make from comments and messages by other users. One particular user caught my eye as he was writing a romance novel that I found really interesting. I dropped a comment on one of his stories and we started talking. He also visited my page to read my works.
At the time I was just writing a single "novel" with multiple parts. My novel was simply a collection of all the clichés I could think of from the movies that I watched and from the books that I have read.
He commented on my work and he pointed out several of my mistakes. At first, I was excited to see him read and comment on my novel but it really got interesting when he pointed out detail after detail of mistakes that I had committed.
I appreciated it so much since he made the mistakes known to me in a polite way. He was not condescending at all. He told me that he liked the story and just wanted it to be flawless since he saw the potential for my work to be published in a physical book form.
We were messaging each other on our DMs and soon enough our connection went beyond the pages of the site and we exchanged our messaging IDs. It was pretty convenient since we can talk all day and all night. We exchanged voice messages and some calls too. To make the long story a bit shorter, we became good friends in a short span of time.
We talked a lot about movies, books and about songs too. In just a few months, he knows more about me than my closest friends do. He's got a way with words that I could not resist telling him everything. He was always there when my day was dull and he was always the one to cheer me up.
And for those bright and gleeful days, he was there to share my laughter and those snickering during nighttime.
I know what he looks like, he knows what I look like. I sent him pictures of me, from the old to the most recent. We exchanged pictures from time to time. I chose all my best shots to send him so I can confidently say that I feel cute whenever he praises my cutesy little poses. I also share photos of the places that I go to. It has become part of our bonding, sharing photos, our thoughts, and our stories.
After a few months of talking and spending time online, we decided to meet up for real. You won't even believe it but that idea was originally mine. I wanted to see him, I needed to see him. I wanted to put a body, to put a real face on my dear friend. And I know that he wanted it too because when I proposed the idea, he did not even take a minute to say yes.
I was excited and I can feel my stomach hustling and bustling with all those butterflies. And some days passed and our meeting came forth.
We agreed to meet in the mall. It was just supposed to be a quick meet-up since he was working at the time and we just agreed to meet after his office hours. I was also in a bit of a time crunch since I was also running an errand for my mom. Oh yeah, we just decided to do it like that. It's not a date! It's not a date. We were just two friends meeting up for coffee.
I was waiting at the mall with a book in my hand. I thought that he would like to read this book so I wanted him to have it for a while. But we are just friends though. It's an innocent book lending.
We are just friends, but why do I have a letter inside the book for him to find? We were just friends, right? We ARE just friends. Okay, it's just a letter, an innocently written letter. Is it wrong for friends to write letters to each other?
A tap on my back sent shivers all throughout my body and as I turned around, he was there. My dear friend from the online world. I thanked heavens that he looked a lot like the pictures he sent me. Guess not all the internet people are liars.
I shyly smiled at him. Now that he's here, now that we are together? What now? I am so nervous and my feet are weak. Gladly, he took the initiative and we went to a cafe inside the mall. We talked for a bit and I gave him the book I was holding. He was so excited and went through the book so the letter was exposed. I implored him to just read it when he gets home and he agreed since he could see how red my cheeks were. I was so flustered and a bit embarrassed. He smiled at me and I was relieved.
There was that calm look in his eyes that was really comforting and the way his smile curves makes you feel at home. In just minutes of our conversations, I was at ease and I can feel like he was too.
That dreaded time came and we both needed to part ways. He accompanied me to the terminal where I would be catching a cab. Even while waiting for me to get on a vehicle we talked tirelessly.
A vehicle stopped in front of us and I don't know what gave away the impression that I didn't want to go home yet, maybe it was because I was not moving and my feet were steadfastly attached to the ground underneath them.
He grabbed both of my hands and told me, "I'll see you again. You take care."
And the next few moments were a blur but all I could remember was his lips touching mine in a sweet and gentle kiss. What just happened? We were friends, right? We ARE just friends! Why are we locking lips? Why am I not fighting this? Why do I like it? Why?!!! We ARE just friends right? Then why are we kissing?
I had my eyes closed and when I opened them I was at the back of the cab and it was moving homebound. I bit my lip reminiscent of the tender pair that was just touching them. It was a brief fleeting moment but it was all I could think about for the next few days.
Months after our fateful encounter, we drifted apart and I am still quite unsure how it all happened. Who's at fault, who's to blame? All I am certain of is I lost a friend and my book! Holy shit! I lost a book! I loved that book. I just wish I could bring back the time along with that book. And yep, maybe my first kiss too. I don't know if I regret that, but boy! it was surely quite an experience.