What happens when you didn’t follow the Filipino Time

The last convo said you’ll meet up at Cubao. Exactly 9 in the morning.

The next day, the alarm woke you up.

You arrived an hour early. Unexpectedly.

You decided to take a stroll at random nearby malls to waste time but it gave you drenched-in-sweat clothes. Cubao obviously is a place for people searching for a tiring day.

Stomach gave you a desperate growl.

You continue to walk.

Then there’s McDo and your 27 pesos in purse.

You chose dine-in.

Caramel sundae’s legit. Luscious caramel in your soft vanilla ice cream.

A great time to spend time.

You selected a four seater table.

It was 8:27 am but the caramel sundae was near empty. About five small scoops.

You question yourself why your phone didn’t receive the load you just bought from that pre-paid store.

Regrets filled your mind. 13 pesos wasted.

The only thing you chose to do was to plug in your earphones.

10 songs later, the phone screen lit up.

The battery was running low.
You consider yourself lucky after you realized that you brought the life-saving power bank.

Now it became a struggle to look at a certain point for a long time.

You felt your eyes whitening. Tired of looking at the same spot.

You wandered your eyes, gazing around people eating and enjoying the accompany of their friends.

You envied the guy eating McRib.

The last scoop of your caramel sundae, now gone.

For frugality, you pressed the pause.

Carousel’s song didn’t end up.

Earphones still stuffed in your earholes, you decided to write this.
You’re thinking about people inside seeing you as a normal busy individual enjoying himself with music for a past time.

The place became more crowded.

The phone vibrated. The message said that she’s already at Katips.

You’re now helpless.
The phone still didn’t receive the freakin’ load.

The war in your mind ended.

A hard decision was made.

You stood up and left the place.

You searched for another street-dwelling vendor who sells load.

Another 13 pesos.

Fortunately, it was not wasted.

You texted GT10 to 8855.

You entered another fast-food chain restaurant. Jollibee.

You chose the seat near the aircon.

The clock said it was 9:10 am.

You texted her.

The reply says she’s now walking around Cubao.

The anger intensifies after every minute.

It was already 9:45 am.

Sitting alone made you realize that waiting alone can be one of the worst kind of waiting.

The feeling of two unpleasant circumstances in one. The “waiting” and the “alone” thing.

Time’s like adjusting.

It gets fast when you rejoice, slower when you’re waiting,

Feels like when all of the people in the house already ate, but you’re waiting for the new batch of rice to be cooked.

When all of your friend entered a crowded train and you’re left alone waiting for another one to arrive.

When all your classmates graduated while you’re still left with three subjects.

When you’re the only one who doesn’t have a relationship among the squad.

But waiting can be worthy.

As a young adult, we are taught to wait, endure and persevere.

We should feel the struggle to appreciate the thing that is ahead.
Just don't wait alone.

Deeper. Your mind felt deep again.

Another phone vibration.

It says she’s outside.

You stood up and run hastily.

Your eyes wandered through the massive crowd.

Then you saw her silhouette.

You sighed.

The only thing you managed to say:

“Ay Nako”

It was about 6 minutes before 10 am.
You're both late for the class outing.