Playing Cupid...

 

Never been in love
Cause a girl like me
Never had someone to care for..

 

 

I'm finally home...

 

I sighed with satisfaction as I slumped on the carpeted floor and discarded my heavy bag on the sofa. I just got home from school like any ordinary day.  Yeah, I'm an ordinary student studying at an ordinary all-girl school.

 

My name is Sandara Park, twenty-two years old and void of any interesting activity in my life.

 

I don't have a boyfriend.

 

I don't date.

 

I don't go out and party at nights.

 

In short, I'm a loser to most.

 

Hey, don't pity me. I really don't give a damn. I'm happy with how my life is going.

 

I scanned my eyes inside the room and saw my newly-bought laptop. I bought it (with my parent's card, of course) since I needed one for my upcoming thesis.

 

"The people from Smartbro informed me we'll be having an internet connection by next month." My mom came in and told me the good news.

 

YEAH! Finally, I'll be able to have unlimited internet access and won't hassle myself going in and out of the internet shop.

 

Just then, the sound of my phone beeping cut through my celebration. I took it lazily from my bag and opened the inbox, surprised to find a message coming from a friend I haven't seen in a long time.

 

Girl! Gusto kang makilala ng friend ko! Minessage ka niya sa Friendster!  Jiyong name niya. / Girl! My friend wants to get to know you! He messaged you in Friendster! His name's Jiyong.

 

Yes. Friendster was the hip and happening social networking site at that time.

 

I chuckled. Now even my friend from freshman year wants to set me up? Am I that pathetic?? I laughed to myself.

 

I wasn't really interested, more of curious. A guy wants to get to know me? That's a first! Ha ha.

 

Ha? Bakit? I texted back. I put my phone on the couch and continued fiddling with my bag while still slumped on the floor. I didn't let the text linger on my mind that long, figured he would just be some random guy who will take one look at my ordinary self and dismiss me as uninteresting.

 

After a few minutes of nonsensical fiddling, my phone sounded once again. I picked it up and scrolled to see who messaged me.

 

Girl, pinakita ko kasi yung pictures mo sa Friendster habang nagchachat kami tas sabi niya ipakilala ko daw siya sayo. Brod ko yun sa UP. Mabait yun! :) / Girl, I showed him your pictures in Friendster while we were chatting and he told me to introduce you to him. He's my fraternity brother in UP. He's nice!

 

I assessed the situation. First, my friend who I haven't seen for three years just showed my pictures to a complete stranger. I should be creeped out, right? But... there's a but! Victoria, my friend, said that he's her Fraternity brother from UP which means, he's a friend. And a guy coming from University of the Philippines must mean he is one smart dude. Oh, and he's nice too, that is according to Vic.

 

Okay. Hold up. Why do I feel like I'm justifying why I should communicate with this stranger guy?

 

I started keying in my reply with an amused smile on my face. OMG, girl! Binubugaw mo ako! / OMG, girl! You're pimping me to him! I chuckled at my reply to her.

 

After sending my text, I didn't get to receive any more reply from her. Not thinking too much about it, I decided to walk towards our living room and let myself indulge in my most favorite activity.

 

Sit in the sofa and watch TV.

 

Yeah. Yeah. I'm such a boring person.

 

But who said that I live an interesting life?

 

After all, I am Sandara Park, twenty-two years old and has no boyfriend since birth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I eagerly sat in one of those hard stools they use in the computer shop here in the Philippines. It was a week since I last used the internet since until now, we still didn't have any internet connection. I hastily typed in my favorite site, Friendster. It was the site that I visit frequently to update myself with what's happening in my friends' lives.

 

"Oh! I didn't know Ahn Sohee already has a new boyfriend!" I whispered to myself with a wide smile. I didn't want people thinking I was a macadamia case talking by myself.

 

I scrolled up the mouse for my notifications. After reading some updates, my gaze landed on my inbox and was surprised that it has one unread message.

 

My brows knitted upon reading the username. It was unfamiliar and it was a GUY. The last guy who messaged me was the jerk I dated, Albeen.

 

"Hmmm... let's see what this guy's up to..." I opened the message and let my eyes scan the content.

 

Hi! I don't know if Victoria already told you about me. I asked her to introduce me to you and that I will message you here. So... here I am! hehe I'm Jiyong by the way. :)

 

I tapped my fingers on the table and wracked my brain as to who that creature was.

 

Jiyong... Jiyong... Ji--- OH! Yeah... yeah. Now I remember!

 

He was the guy Victoria told me over text who wanted to get to know me! I smiled unkowingly and typed in my reply.

 

Oh.. so that was you! :) Hi, Jiyong! I'm Sandara by the way but my friends call me Dara.

 

I clicked 'enter' and began browsing other sites. Just like the other day, I didn't think too much about it.

 

After a few minutes, I returned to Friendster and saw another message in my inbox.

 

Hi, Dara! Is it okay if I call you that? By the way, I hope you don't mind. I added you here. :)

 

I looked at my notifications and there it was. A friend request.

 

I clicked on the request and approved it. He seemed like a normal enough guy. No trace of creepy stalker-ish type or full or air jerk.

 

In short, he was good enough... to be a friend.

 

I went back to my inbox and typed my reply noncomittally.

 

It's okay. I approved it already, by the way. :)

 

I sent my reply and looked at my watch. "Oh. I think I should go now." I mumbled to myself. I didn't bother checking my inbox if he replied. I quickly logged out of the sites I browsed and made my way towards the cashier.

 

Another normal day ended. I told myself as I made my way out of the computer shop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It took another week before I was able to use the internet. Honestly, it wasn't such a big deal. Internet for me at that time was more of a past time. Something I liked but can live without.

 

Much like love. I like the idea of it but my life will still go on even without it.

 

I settled in an available spot and checked out the sites I usually frequented. Just like the last time, I browsed through random stuffs and read random things.

 

After awhile, I checked out my Friendster.

 

"Oh. So he replied." I said to myself in amusement. It was amusing and mind-blogging for me since I've been hearing a lot about how guys don't want to spend time showering a girl he has never met much attention.

 

So why was he replying constantly to me then?

 

I checked out his message and a curious smile spread across my lips.

 

Thank you! I thought you will reject me. Hehe

 

I laughed as well while reading the message. I continue skimming his message with much curiosity.

 

By the way, do you have YM (yahoo messenger)? If yes, here's my ID: [email protected]. Add me okay so we can talk more.

 

I chuckled as I read his message. Ji_kulit? Seriously? So, does that mean he's playful? Ha ha ha!

 

My brain then processed his message and my smile froze.

 

Okay. He just gave me his YM ID. Did he expect me to chat with him like what those guys do to get girls?

 

I decided to ignore it and typed my reply instead.

 

Okay, Ji_kulit! he he :D

 

I have a YM account but for some reasons I didn't add him that time. Probably I was thinking that since I still don't have internet connection, I wouldn't be able to chat that much so why bother? Plus, it's not like I want to chat with random guys.

 

Even if he was Vic's friend, he was still a total stranger to me.

 

I once again browsed through different sites and after awhile, glanced at the clock.

 

"Alrighty. Time to go home, D." I told myself.

 

And just like the last time and all the other times, I quickly closed the sites I opened.

 

All except for my Friendster site.

 

I opened my inbox and eyed it anticipatively.

 

No new message.

 

I chuckled to myself. What were you expecting, huh? I shook my head and made way to the cashier like I normally do.

 

But this time, a thought lingered on my mind just as I was making my way out of the computer shop, unlike the last time.

 

Why the hell did he give me his YM ID...?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"We already have internet!"

 

HALLELUJAH! I raised my hands to the heavens and rejoiced. Finally! After a long wait, the Smartbro guys came in and fixed our internet connection.

 

I quickly tested our internet using my laptop. As usual, I browsed through different sites and finally settled in checking my Friendster account.

 

I opened my notifications and saw his message.

 

What's your number by the way? Mine's 09162354689. :)

 

I paused and gulped. Okay. He just gave me his number this time.

 

What's with this aggressive guy?

 

I quickly deleted his message before I would be tempted to copy his number and text him out of the blue. I was already traumatized with the jerkiness of that only guy I dated and I immediately concluded that a guy this desperate must be one who loves collecting girls' numbers and date them, only to dump them once the girls all develop a deeper feeling for him.

 

Yes. I concluded he was like all the other guys.

 

My eyes scrolled down and found his previous message.

 

By the way, do you have YM (yahoo messenger)? If yes, here's my ID: [email protected]. Add me okay so we can talk more.

 

For some reasons unknown to me even until now, my hands itched to copy and paste his YM ID into my add contacts. I tapped my fingers ponderingly and decided to take a shot.

 

After all, it's just YM, a chatroom where you communicate with people, even those you are not that close to.

 

And so I did. I added him in my contacts and didn't expect much.

 

Imagine my surprise when a few seconds after I added him, a notification popped in my YM account

 

Ji_kulit accepted your friend request.

 

Wow! Di naman masyadong excited si kuya eh, noh? / Wow! That guy is not that excited, eh?

 

And after a few seconds, a loud buzz interrupted my thoughts. I opened the chat window Ji_kulit initiated and was baffled even more with his opening message.

 

Sa wakas, naabutan din kita!  / Finally, I was able to catch you!

 

Okay. What was that again about him not being a creepy stalker? O_0

 

You are sooo dead, Vic!