Story was lifted from the FB page of Dr. Patrick A. Mabugat
I first saw her back in college. In an instant, she caught my eye. Not because she was breathtakingly beautiful and fair, but because she had this insanely addicting smile and an infectious laughter. She was quick-witted and smart too. When you’re someone as foolishly overconfident like me, you’d think it was a good idea to just go up to someone you like and ask them out on a date. I did, and to no one’s surprise, I got rejected on the spot… on the first day of class.
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We went to the same classes together after that, but I tried to avoid her as much as possible (I’d rather not be reminded of being rejected). A few college terms passed and she began to shine brightly at school; she became one of the top students of the batch, a consistent Dean’s listee, and the campus crush.
Beauty and brains, she had everything. Me? I was an aimless and disappointing student who had nothing better to do than drink and party all night, then cut classes (or sleep in most of them) the next day. In between those moments, I’ll either fill the gap by giving in hard to my computer gaming addiction, or getting caught in the Discipline or Department Head’s Office for having too long or too messy hair, or wearing incomplete uniform, or being too disruptive in class.
My grades got lower and lower, almost flunked a few classes, lost some friends, failed in a few relationships, got disqualified for scholarships, and I sank deeper and deeper into a dark hole of depression.
Then one day, while I was eating lunch alone (as I usually did), she tapped my shoulder and asked me to sit with her. In retrospect, everytime I ask her now why she did that, she just jokingly replies “you just looked like you need a lunchmate”. Then I realized, I enjoyed talking to her. Then we became consistent lunchmates. Then we gradually became close friends. Then slowly… slowly, I began to change for the better. I began to stay up all night to study medical books left and right so that I can impress her with my recitation and exam scores the next day.
After class I’d ask her to tutor me on topics I did not understand, and in return I’d accompany her to the bus terminal (at the opposite end of the city from where I live) every single day. Then I’d rush home to watch all her favorite series (House MD or Grey’s Anatomy) so that we’d always have something to text about the rest of the night until we fall asleep. I believe… I knew that I was the one who fell in love first. And I fell hard. After a few weeks, I again mustered what little courage I had to ask her out on our first proper date. And this time, she happily agreed. We’ve been going out on dates ever since.
We then did our internship here in Bacolod, graduated (she graduated with honors, I graduated with ‘honor and pride’), took the Board Exam in Manila, passed and became Registered Medical Technologists in the same year, got jobs as teachers and reviewers, took the NMAT together, went into three years of medical school in the University of St. La Salle, endured one year of grueling internship in different hospitals, and in a month we’ll be graduating again, now as Medical Doctors.
She became my best friend, my partner in crime, my girlfriend, the light of my life. She became someone who always had my back. That’s when I realized – she simply became my whole world.
When I was lost and confused, she pointed and guided me to the right direction. When I was at my lowest, she came into my life, picked me up, and made me whole again. When I was nobody, she believed that I could be anyone I wanted to be.
I was a nobody once, and she accepted and loved me for who I am. And now that I am someone, I now know who I want to be — I will be the right person for her.
Moral of the story: Sometimes lovelife + studies/career is possible. At the right time. With the right person.
