Opie

I didn't believe in destiny. I always thought that a person has their specific journey and destination because of the decisions made in every twist and turn. But somehow, fate would interfere and place a very interesting thing at the side of the taken road.

When I was a little kid, perhaps 7 or 8 years old, there was an older kid in our neighborhood who kept pestering me. His name is Opie. He was grown up boy who was 9 years older than me. He had always tried catching me to hug me. And regardless if he caught me, he always said that he will wait for me without a care in the world on who heard him. "Hulaton taka ha?", that's what I remember him say.

I was a naive little girl then, but already wary of the danger of believing what he said. I would always find ways to avoid him, trying to find an opening to slip through him. I always tried to wiggle away from his embrace despite the weird pleasant feeling while in his arms. I was annoyed by his antics and I clawed my way out from his embrace. But I always felt excited about the attention and the anticipation of his warmth. I could hear my heart beat so fast and loud when I see him. When I think about the possibility of him doing the same thing to another girl, I always try to dismiss it. I could have sworn that I even thought about not ever speaking to him if he hugs another girl. With those 2 years of patintero, I had always felt special. I was secretly and pleasantly excited about him catching me.

It did happen. He was hugging another girl. He stopped catching me. It wasn't just a girl, though. She was someone who was as old as him. She was so beautiful and smart, and I knew that she was the one for him.

Although my heart was breaking into pieces, I couldn't tell anyone. I was afraid that they would laugh at me for really hoping that what he said would be true.

(to be continued)