Another day of spring semester as I sit here gazing at students strolling around campus. The aroma of coffee and French fries are wafting through the main hallway. The sound of cards slapping a hard surface, and the occasional burst of “spit” echoes from somebody in the background. Circles of young adults with black hair and black clothes are hovering over tables and benches placed next to a wall of windows.
Just another card game and another lunch break spent at the student center.
It is a typical day of hanging out with friends and planning something cool for the weekend. I hope it’s something interesting or anything to get me out of reading another chapter in this damn chemistry book. I must have read the same sentence twice. Nothing seems to keep my attention lately.
My friends are chatting about going to the movies. I’m about to respond when other students from a table nearby distract me. The rest of the group is buzzing over a stranger in the crowd.
Now my focus zooms towards the sight of someone tall and skinny. It’s just another person being introduced to the gang.
He stands out. He’s different in the monochrome backdrop of black outfits among the group. His clothes are the shades of earth and nature to match his brown hair. Even the knitted backpack slung over his shoulder is a color of warmth.
I noticed, but only a bit. After all, I’m just another petite Filipino girl sitting in the background of other Filipinos. Hardly noticeable so why pay him any attention.
Yet through the corner of my eye, I see him glance my way. Does he notice me?
**
The lanky waiter escorts my sister and me to a large round table where four other friends are sitting. One of our male friends joined the army and is leaving for boot camp in a couple of weeks. Since the farewell dinner was impromptu, only of few people from the gang came to say goodbye.
Our military friend enters the restaurant with that tall and skinny dude. Unexpectedly, the slim and young man sits next to me. How awkward, I feel pressed to make friendly conversation.
He seems to fit in, amusing everyone with his silly jokes and antics. He does his best impersonation of Filipinos using an exaggerated Filipino accent. I hate to admit he’s funny.
Yet dinner is not as awkward as I presumed it would be. He smiles at my direction once or twice. For a while, he keeps his brown eyes on me. A few minutes pass before a sound escapes from my lips. It’s a giggle. Then another chuckle comes out. Soon I’m laughing with him.
That is when I notice something real. It’s one thing that truly captures my attention.
He makes me laugh.
Just earlier today, I thought it would be another typical day. But I realized another day was one-step closer to meeting him.
This is dedicated to my wonderful husband. Happy Anniversary! I hope to share many amazing anniversaries with you.
I’m a proud graduate of Rutgers University School of Nursing and a Professional Registered Nurse specializing in Perinatology. When I’m not immersed in the joy of caring for growing families, including my own, you’ll find me reconnecting with the things that ground me — music, reading, and now, writing.
Reading offers me a momentary escape from the demands of my profession, but writing takes me somewhere deeper. It feels like navigating the New York City subway: characters and ideas rush in and out like passengers, some staying only for a moment, others riding with me for miles. There are delays, detours, and unexpected stops, but the journey always leads me closer to the stories I’m meant to tell.
Join me on this literary ride, where words become tracks and characters travel toward moments of challenge, transformation, and unforgettable destinations.
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