Loving you from afar

Chapter Three

The Monday morning sunlight streamed through the windows of the university's bustling hallway as I made my way to the Lost and Found office. The anxiety of the weekend, filled with worry over my missing ID, was now mixed with curiosity. Who had returned it?

"Good morning po" I greeted the clerk behind the counter. "Na-misplace ko po ang ID ko noong nakaraang linggo. Sinabi po sa akin na dinala daw po 'yun dito. Pwede ko po bang malaman kung sino ang nakakita ng ID ko?"

The clerk, an older lady with kind eyes, smiled and checked her records. "Ah, oo. Naibalik ito ng janitor. Tawagin ko lang siya para sa iyo."

Ilang sandali pa, lumapit ang janitor, isang lalaking nasa edad na may maamong mukha. "Ah, hinahanap mo ang ID mo?" tanong niya.

"Yes po, thank you so much po pero pwede ko po bang malaman kung sino ang nakakita ng ID ko?"  I asked, hoping to satisfy my curiosity.

Tumango siya. "Ibinigay ito sa akin ng estudyante mula sa medical department."

The pieces started to fall into place. "Was it Theo?" I asked, almost certain of the answer.

He smiled and nodded. "Ah, Oo si Theo."

My heart skipped a beat. Theo, the campus crush, always seemed so shy around me. Why did he return my ID? And why did he always look so embarrassed whenever we crossed paths?

Later that day, I saw Theo in the hallway, his usual confident stride faltering slightly as he noticed me. Summoning my courage, I approached him.

"Theo, hi!" I called out, waving.

He stopped, his cheeks reddening. "Oh, hi din" he replied softly.

"Gusto ko sana mag pasalamat kasi binalik mo ang ID ko. It's super important to me," I said, trying to make him feel at ease.

He rubbed the back of his neck, a shy smile forming on his lips. "Wala yun, Ano ka ba."

"Well, I appreciate it. As a thank you, gusto mo ba mag coffee or something?" I suggested, hoping to break the ice further.

He hesitated, looking down. "I... uh... Sige, sige ba pwede."

As the days passed, our brief interaction stayed on my mind. The student council elections were approaching, and being a senior, I was running for President after serving as Vice President last year. Campaign season was in full swing, and our organization was hosting a meeting for potential candidates.

The room buzzed with energy as students gathered, eager to join the council. I was going over some notes when the door opened, and in walked Theo. My heart raced. What was he doing here?

Theo took a seat, and I could see he was trying to blend in, but his presence was unmistakable. After the initial introductions, I addressed the group. "Thank you all for coming. As you know, I'm running for President this year, and we're excited to see so many enthusiastic faces."

Theo raised his hand. "I'm Theo, and I'd like to run for Vice President."

The room fell silent. Theo, the campus crush and medical department star, running for Vice President? It was unexpected, but I quickly composed myself. "That's great, Theo. To the family" I said, offering him a genuine smile.

Over the next few weeks, our paths crossed frequently. Campaigning was intense, and Theo and I often found ourselves working late into the night, planning events and strategizing.

One evening, as we were finalizing details for a big rally, I turned to Theo. "Can I, I mean pwede mag tanong?"

He looked up from his notes. "Sure pwede."