Boy’s have no idea how long something they said can stay with girl’s mind.

15 years ago end of summer vacation inside the Green house two toddlers are playing everyday as if the days will never end. The boy whispers to the girl when we grow up we will meet each other again at university of the Philippines. The girl kiss the boy in the cheek then the boy said promised, the girl said yes! The boy disappears the next day.

Present day. Somebody accidentally detonate my Alarm clock. Clunk clunk clunk. I heard my mother open the Tivoli kitchen radio Stevie wonder enter the scene for once in my life i have some one who needs me para ra ra ra ra ra…. My Mobile phone received 3 text messages From Jade lets have lunch, meet me at serendra park 11:00am. Something important to tell you. Jade a first year college student these coming school year while me, I’m graduating in high school. She teaches me how to draw marvel comics in exchange I teach her Manga. We play risk, Monopoly, Carcassonne and other German board games. Every summer vacation almost every year. We attended violin lessons together to the same music teacher. She makes me happy and cheers me up. Jade is the epitome of a gorgeous woman, but most of her suitors gave up on her already. Bad news she only entertains friendship nothing more nothing less. For some unknown reason Jade is a very tight person. To most boys she was label as a full pledge Catholic, a Sexy lesbian, a Man hater. But in the minds of Nonoy Manga she is one of my all time crush. Ha ha ha…

A walk in the Park. I arrived exactly 10:00 am i’m so excited I waited for one and a half hour. I call her cell phone several times it keeps on ringing nobody answers. Wow it doesn’t feel right somebody play a practical joke on me. I’m so stupid I can’t even remember when was the last time I had a real date. Now I bite the bait an invitation from a hot chick. May be too good to be true. I’m starting to doubt my self, and start to lose my poise.

I gave up on her around 12:15 pm. just when I’m about to leave serendra park somebody calls my name Nonoy. An angel in guess jeans baby pink shirt shows up. The disappointment in my face melted. She pull out her Mulan wooden comb then straighten my hair, she align the round neck collar of my Gap t-shirt. Then blow a channel perfume on me. We end up having the same fragrance. She told me sorry the traffic is heavy and she left her iPhone in her bed room. I hold her hand then we cross the street together its zero resistance. So far so good.

Getting all the right signal. We eat in the Thai food restaurant. She mixes the beef salad, then she filled my bowl with the tom yum gong soup, she unwrap the chicken pandan then put it on my plate. She toss a lot of funny jokes. I almost died laughing.

The Arcade room. I bought 25 pieces of tokens. Jade is a 19 year old teenager but inside the game center i notice the 5 year old girl inside her shows up. We play all the classic funny stuff hitting the mole creature on the head with a sledge hummer, ray gun vs. Godzilla, bump cars, foss ball to air hockey.

The moment of truth! We sat at Starbucks coffee I’m enjoying my frappuccino drink while I eat the munchies. Gee i’m a proud boy sitting beside her. While everyone is looking at us. I over heard one bystander whispered what a wonderful couple. Then Jade became too serious with a bit of sparkles in her eyes, she said I received an old fashion letter yesterday! My child hood soul mate said in the letter, it’s time he will fulfill his promised, we will study together in the number 1 University of the Country. Upon hearing that my heart as big as a honeydew Mellon stop. Drop in the floor flat like a frozen pepperoni pizza. The munchies almost choke me to death. I almost spit it on her. I pause for a while to recuperate and then i said to her “who is this boy”!!! My voice gurgled then she explained. (Please refer to the first and second paragraph of this post.)

The Bus station. She bought a ticket for one. Then we hug each other without saying goodbye the scene is a total silent. She ride the the red transit going to the university of the Philippines to meet the boy of his dream.

My summer vacation is doom. No more motivation to continue the violin lessons, the end of the era for summer board games. Who will save me now in the dance floor; all my partners will be boys again. Unlike Jade most girls have no interest on me. But I won’t let sorrow hurt me. I’m not going to carry this burden alone. I will pass it on, text broadcast my experience using my cellphone will see how people will react.

Tons of friendly text spam has arrived!!!

From Ms. Shane: I suggest that if you really love someone, grab hold with both hands and don’t let go.

From Marcus: let her know how you feel.

From Rica: Did you ever stop to think that she may have given up on you and decided to move on? Maybe she is afraid of telling you how she feels about you. Maybe she loves you.

From grandpa Yagit: I was in love with a beautiful young lady many years ago, never realized it because it had never happened before. Result was, I lost the one person I really feel I was meant to be with. You don’t want to have a lifetime of “what if…” or “I should have…”. Take it from me, it ain’t fun.

From Jonilo: Let her know before it is too late & let the chips fall where they may. Who knows, they may land right in your arms.

From teacher Catherine: I messed up once by not letting my true feelings show. I will never have the chance again. I do not know what the outcome would have been, but knowing the truth would be a lot easier than not ever knowing what might have been. Go for it.

4 Nigerian black guys! Riding in a jet black Toyota altis interrupt what I’m doing. They went out of the car the stereo is on a full volume a Michael buble version of for once in my life I have some one who needs me para ra ra ra ra ra….play. All 4 of them turn their heads look in the same direction. I’m too busy reading the text messages I didn’t realized the traffic didn’t move for about 20 minutes. I turn my self toward same direction as the Nigerians and I saw 100 meters away the red transit bus. I didn’t care what causes the traffic.

Please make my dreams come through. My walkathon, turn into jogging, jogging then turn into marathon. The adrenalin is flowing in my body. I can’t recall whether my foot is still touching the ground. But at 50 meters away the traffic is moving at 15 klm per hour I start to feel the decrease of gas in my body my breathing is heavy.  I’m almost there 30 meters away from the red bus. The traffic move 20 klm per hour the red signal light turn green with a little traffic, 5 meters away is the best I can do. With extra determination. Finally I’m toe to toe with the bus. My physical strength can’t stand the mean machine. I practically suck all the street dust and dirty smokes. I reach into my pocket grab some of the left over tokens from the arcade center and I start throwing it to jades view window. After 4 attempts I got her attention. She was surprised and disoriented to see me chasing her bus. Then I point my big thumb to my chest to say I, then I form a heart shape using my two hands to say love, then I point to her to say you. I had done all the gesture while running the marathon. Then she gave me the million dollar smile. She kiss her right palm long enough then she press it on the glass window of the red bus. Then i felt the feeling of relief. Its time to stop running and catch my breath. I stood there until the red bus transit hit the vanishing point.

Article link about the heavy traffic.

Hand drawn by Nonoy Manga

Story by Nonoy Manga

Cheers

Nonoy Manga