Clicked Once, Flashed Twice ✓

"3, 2, 1." 

Gaano tayo kabilis mafall sa isang tao? Does it take years? Months? Days? But why do some people find love in just a few amount of time? What if people don't find love and love finds people? At kaya pala minsan nasasaktan ang isang tao dahil hinahanap niya ang pagmamahal— the reason to fall for the wrong one.

"One more! 3, 2, 1," I clicked. The camera flashed twice. The soon-to-be husband and wife were blinded for miliseconds. Gumuhit ang ngiti sa labi ko habang pinagmamasdan ang napakagandang momento ng ikakasal. Lips were passionately touched while the groom's gentle hands supported the waist of his bride whose arms enveloping his neck. 

Beautiful.

Sweet kiss was shared, witnessed by the sunset. Worth to capture, indeed. 

Kainggit. 

Instead of asking kung kailan ko kaya mahahanap ang akin, tanong ko, "Kailan kaya ako mahahanap ng pag-ibig?"

"Wanna know the secret recipe of love?" The bride asked me. "It's not what you think it is." Hindi ko naintindihan so her groom explained me.

"Love is the secret recipe to itself. You wouldn't understand for now, Ms. Jen," he smiled. "Pero kapag naramdaman mo na, magugulat ka nalang. It'll give you its own definition for you to understand. Besides, everybody has their own love story."

"Beautiful," I commented.

Matapos ang photoshoot, I still had time to spend alone, testing different techniques to my camera. But more than just wandering alone ang nastroll ko.

Dahil focus ako sa camera ko, nauntog tuloy ako sa poste, "Stupida!" I held my forehead and stepped backwards, which caused me to bump onto someone. I turned, but it caused to hit him with my camera. Dahil din sa gulat ko, aksidenteng naclick ko ang shutter button. It flashed on his face!

"I'm sorry!" I uttered, repeatedly. "Okay ka lang?" Nang tignan niya ako, halatang nagaadjust pa ang paningin niya, squinting his eyes to see me clearly.

"Y-yeah. Blinded.. but I'm glad it's only temporary," he chuckled.

Siguro dahil na rin sa hiya, nagpaumanhin lang ulit ako at saka siya iniwan doon. No other talks, no other glances, no other chances. 

Which I regretted!

Dahil nang buksan kong muli ang camera ko, picture niya kaagad ang bumugad sa'kin. A flash of something aimed my heart when I stared at his image. I knew, it was 'kilig'. But what I didn't understand was how I felt it in just few seconds of studying his picture. His eyes were closed. His hand was blurred, probably was about to cover his face or eyes from the blinding flash but it captured his whole, surprisingly, good-looking face. He wasn't ready that time. Pero ang ganda pa din ng kinalabasan. Still perfect.

Napabuntong-hininga ako at napasalampak ng likod sa kama. Nakakapanghinayang. I should've asked his name at least!

"Sayang!"

However, destiny was favorable to me one time I saw him at the club when I was invited by a friend. He was alone. Drinking. Wasted as I noticed him face palming and pulling his hair out of obvious frustration. Pinapanood ko lang siya noong una. Didn't wanna sound like a creep, I decided to approach him and talked.

As expected, he didn't recognize me until I reminded him. I stared at his drunk deep brown eyes which were pinned on mine as well. I asked him questions but he never pulled his gaze off of me. Until he claimed my lips. Surpised, hinayaan ko siya. Shocked, I felt my heart wilding through the rythm of the kiss.

3. 2. 1.

I kissed back. We lost control of ourselves. It was my first time. To feel something I haven't felt before. To experience something I haven't done before.

Flashed.

My heart, body, and system felt that way. Overwhelming. Blinding. Not caring if that was the right thing or wrong.

Sun came at dawn. Nagmamadali siya noon magbihis. With eyes still sleepy, I asked him, "Aalis ka na agad?"

"I'm sorry," he said before all other things. I smiled, "For what?"

His next words vanished my smile, "May asawa't anak na ako."

"Sorry?" I did not understand, or maybe I misheard it. He sighed. And the only thing I could hear that time was my heart thumping, disappointed.

"I am sorry," he said in a low tone, stinging. Before he abandoned me dumbfounded.

Flashed. Again.

That was how my heart, body, and system reacted. Surprised. Unbearable. Like how the light from my camera blinded somebody. 

It only felt miliseconds when I met him. Like how my camera's flash traveled to capture a moment, was how fast it captured me. Just like how it was quick to capture my heart, was how quick it shattered my being. Like a flash of a camera, I was caught and freed with pain.

- thank you for reading! -