#howimethim

Jogja, 3 November 2017

It’s been almost 4 months since I married the most loving man (after Bapak of course :D). Aku ingin membagi cerita gimana cara ketemunya aku dengan a man whom I call Suami. Well, sebenernya terhitung nggak terlalu lama sejak kami berdua ketemu lagi sampai dengan akhirnya kami (dan keluarga) memutuskan untuk mengadakan pernikahan.

The truth is, aku dan mas suami pertama kali ketemu tahun 2011. Berawal dari saling follow di Twitter. Waktu itu akan ada reuni SMP. Kebetulan kami dulunya satu sekolah di SMP 9 Semarang. Tapi nggak pernah main bareng, boro-boro main, saling sapa aja nggak pernah karena emang nggak pernah kenalan (sampai sekarang mas suami suka bilang nyesel kenapa nggak kenal dari dulu sama aku. Ecieeee…). Sejak saling follow di Twitter, kami sering chatting via YM (waktu itu YM masih famous di kalangan remaja ;p). Sampai akhirnya mas suami main ke rumah untuk yang pertama kalinya dengan modus pinjam buku kenangan SMP karena punya dia ilang entah kemana. Haha. Mungkin sejak saat itu mas suami langsung kesengsem yaa (pede amat buuuu..).

“My Current Relationship”

So....

I am currently in a relationship with a boy named Colin. We have been dating for almost two years. He is a year younger than me but I forget that most of the time. He looks and acts much older than he is. He’s...great. I can’t even describe how awesome of a boyfriend he is and I won’t try because it’s just going to be endless. The good story is actually how we met. So here we go!

Every year where I live there is a HUGE music festival with lots of live music, celebrities, vendors, food, all that good stuff. It had been three months since my first (and up until then only) boyfriend had dumped me. It being my first relationship ever, I felt a little depressed. SO! Of course, I went to this festival looking my best and ready to go and flirt up a storm with whomever. 

Now, the unofficial tradition for anyone older than 15 is to arrive at this festival a wee bit under the influence. Not enough to get kicked out, but drunk enough to lose your inhibitions. 

I went with two of my friends who have since made it a tradition to all go together every year. Obviously, we followed tradition and had some drinks then went down to the celebrations. My one friend, Jac, brought along her boyfriend at the time. Who, conveniently, brought a friend. My other friend, Leah, had a long distance boyfriend in BC at the time so she wasn't looking for a date. How perfect. 

Now let me just say that all through high school I had zero self-esteem. I didn’t think I was attractive, didn't think I ever had a chance with anyone remotely good-looking. And, after being through a breakup in which I was told “I just don’t love you any more,” I was a bit self-conscious. That night though, I turned on some super confidence and charm and magically turned into the kind of hot gil I wanted to be. Thank god too because this mutual friend that I was to be chatting up was HOT. I mean, holy hot damn, this guy was sex on a stick. Gorgeous muscles in his arms, chiselled chest, a jaw line with dome stubble, and the most beautiful light blue eyes you've ever seen. He was like the boy of my dreams and I did not want to mess this up. 

The night moves along, whatever, and hot boy doesn't say much. I’m starting to think I have no chance ever in a million years now, because he hasn't even acknowledged me. But then, fireworks happened, and I do mean literal fireworks. 

We were watching one of the live bands play, Down with Webster, actually, and during the last song, we all walked away from the stage to avoid the crowd that would inevitably trample the exit after the show. Instead of leaving the park, Jac and her boyfriend move to sit on a bench. Hot boy sits down as well, leaving one spot left. I look at Leah and Leah looks at me. Mentioning that she shouldn't put herself in this situation because she has a boyfriend, she shoves me to the bench and I sit down. 

So here I am, awkward. Hot boy on one side, also awkward. Then Jac on my other side, acting all cuddly with boyfriend. She turns and whispers to me that “[you] have to make the first move because he’s too shy to do it”. Me being the socially awkward nerd that I am says “NOPE. Not me. I don’t do ‘first moves’. Absolutely not.” So hot boy looks over at me and says “well, if you won’t make a move, I will.” 

**FIREWORKS COMMENCE**

You know when books say “when our lips touched, my mind went blank,”? Yeah, that’s exactly what happened. Real fireworks were going off and fireworks in my head were exploding as I made out with the hottest guy I’d ever laid eyes on. 

We all walked home together that night and he kissed me at my doorstep and I though that was the last of it. 

Until two days later.

This festival lasts for four days (three nights). I went on the last night of the festival (day 3), with Jac again because we had so much fun the first time. Once again, she brought her boyfriend and I hoped like crazy that Hot Boy would be there. When we met up with boyfriend, he said he was waiting for his friends to get back from a trip to the corner store. Jac called up the friends telling them to hurry up. I wasn’t really listening to their conversation, but I heard the end of it...”If you want to make out with her again, just give her a high five and she’ll know that’s the signal.” 

Oh. My. God. 

True to form, Hot Boy arrives, arm in the air, ready for a high five. Gone is the stoic face of the other night. Tonight he is all smiles and enthusiasm and Jack Daniels. I go along with whatever crazy shenanigans he has planned and high five him back, and that leads into a wild night of not only making out like hormone-crazy 14-year-olds, but his drunken throwing up, my taking care of him, and his texting me three days later asking me out. 

Two nights, lots of kissing. 

Hot boy’s name is Colin and here I am, two years later, with the same ridiculous guy I liked that day and I love now. 

hmmmm~ <3

You're such a mysterious guy. I can't even figure out what you really want. Tho I know you're probably asking what am I to you anyway. But let me just ask you some things: Is the feeling mutual? Do you even know how I feel about you? Or.. you don't because you still love her? My mouth can't seem to utter the words and my mind seems to like avoiding confrontations. 

March 7, 2014 - You posted on your blog. "I am free. I am finally free." I don't have the slightest idea what on earth happened between you and that girl. So I kept scrolling through your blog, hoping to find something, anything that will give me a damn clue why you love her THAT much. Next thing I knew is that I'm crying my heart out. Why? Why did God let me have that chance of finally meeting you? Why did the universe let you caught me off guard?  I wish I was there when you needed someone to talk to. I wish I was there when you told everyone "Don't you dare comfort me." because I sure am a stubborn kid and I won't let you stop me from comforting you. I wish I was there when you needed shoulders to cry on. I wish I was there that Christmas when you were alone. I wish I knew you back then. I guess I was too late. Am I too late? Because I could do those things, I could be everything you need me to be, if you would just ask. I won't hesitate. No questions asked.

I'm so confused right now. You texted me yesterday. You wanted me to go to school because of that stupid subject that everyone needs but has limited slots. You told me to go to your professor and try, because you heard there is still room for 3-5 students. I guess I trusted you so much already that I stood up and rushed back to campus. But I'm not as lucky as you are. Until now, I'm still wondering why you're like that. You sent me a message, twice, "Nasaan ka na?" I'm pretty sure your class ended 30 minutes before you sent that message. I texted you back, telling you I was there already. While I was waiting inside your professor's room, someone opened the door, and there you are.. standing and waiting outside. Butterflies. Yes, I get butterflies whenever I see you. I panicked. I don't know what to do. Why were you still there? Were you waiting for me? Because yeah, I'm still holding on to a little piece of hope that you might like me back. I went out, walked towards you and you looked at me. My whole world stopped again. You asked me questions and you literally took my breath away. Another weird thing? You kept saying sorry just because you can't do anything about it. Why is that? You care for me all of a sudden? Just because I didn't get a slot? Or is it because our last chance of being classmates shattered into pieces? And let's not forget how you reacted when you heard I was sick. You were acting like my mom. Really. What is that all about? Please, just tell me. I like you, okay? Do know that I am scared, too. But I can't take you off my mind. So could you let my heart feel at ease? 

"Who wouldn't want that? A perfect relationship with 'the perfect guy'?" Me: *raises both hands* Because there's no such thing as perfect relationship and 'the perfect guy'. You may not believe me, but from the moment I saw you across the room, it felt as if I've embraced all your imperfections. 

I walked home right after our class and God knows it all, I smiled all the way.. literally jumping on my bed and spilled my happiness to my housemates. But it made me think that even when I feel closer to you, you're still 'the star in my sky'. I accepted it that day and felt grateful that at the very least I did get the chance of seeing your beautiful face twice a week. But fate made things turned upside down.

December 5, 2013 - My friends and I were so happy to see the oh-so-awesome white Christmas tree and just like what everyone did, we took pictures here and there. The campus was always so crowded during holiday season but I guess you're not a fan of crowded places because my eyes didn't have a glimpse of you that night. Until that minute when we decided to go buy food at 7/11. We walked right past each other, our eyes met, and my heart melted. I thought that's the time to say "You just made my day!" but boy I was wrong. 

Later that night, my phone beeped. You sent me a message. My heart stopped. Is this even real? I slapped my face, twice. Looked at it again and it was really you. Why on earth would someone like you messaged me? I can't even breathe normally. So I opened it and you were asking if we were classmates because I look familiar. I told myself this is what I've been waiting for. This is what I want. But I needed to be casual. So I replied in a casual way. That conversation lasted two hours and that just made my day. ;)

I've been crushing on you since forever.. Nah, since last year. Our paths crossed every single day and honestly, everyday my whole world stops. I didn't even know your name.. not even your course, your batch, your age. All I know is I love how you always make my heart skips a beat whenever you look at me. Since then I named you "the star in my sky". 

Here comes next semester. Well, what do you know? The universe pushes you towards me. I never asked for this but it happened. I can't remember what was the second thing that I did when I saw you across the room, but I can tell you what was the first. I smiled. That day was my favorite day. Though you didn't even bother looking at me, it's fine. Though we weren't seatmates, it's okay. Because I did get the chance of meeting you, and I'm really glad that I did. ;)

It wasn't expected. And it was definitely not something that will ever be forgotten. It wasn't the most romantic thing. It wasn't something out of the ordinary. When you get a friend request on Facebook, and he looks like a cute guy, of course you're going to accept it if you're single at the time. I did, of course. Never really thought of it. He'd pop up on the news feed every now and then. I'd think to myself, hey he's cute, maybe I should talk to him sometime. Of course I didn't have the confidence to do that. I didn't know him, what was I thinking. He was friends with someone I was close to, but I wouldn't ask her. I was too nervous.

It was one of those nights I was kinda on Facebook for hours, just sitting there. He IMed me? I haven't read it yet, I was kinda surprised? I'm not sure. It was when you get those butterflies, but you aren't sure why. It was my friends, IMing me off his account. I was like alright, that's cool. Kinda laughed to myself. Didn't think anything of it. We talked, then she went away. I IMed back later, thinking maybe she's still there. Nope, not a chance. So he replied. I asked if she was still there, he said no. And I said okay. Then conversation just started. And we talked for awhile and then got numbers, and that was about it.

  I love the idea of two strangers meeting in some extremely random and incredibly romantic way, and and out of every other person they ever met, discovering a stronger undefinable connection that leads to ..to.....to .... _______________ (you fill in the blank)

I read alot of books, yup I do, but if the last scene of my "reading material" doesn't end in my two protagonists wrapped up in a passionate kiss , I just... can't. #Certified cornball.

So there I was, flipping through a battered copy of one of my favorite novels (Paradise by Judith McNaught), when it dawned on me that I was sitting on a veritable gold mine of "how I met him" stories! So in the name of love and all that is romantic, send me your romantic tales of how you met him, it could be a story about your current boyfriend, an ex, your husband, he might be married..to someone else now V_V, but if your "meet cute" was romantic, tell your story and send it to us at [email protected] and we will share it here for all the fellow romance heads out there!

This could be a running series or an extremely short one, depending on if y'all contribute, so please don't think you have to be the greatest writer to join in, it could be just a couple of lines, as long as it was romantic( in your estimation) share it! I would love to hear it!

UPDATE!

  Yay! We received so many amazing "how I met him stories" over the weekend! I just wanted to say, THANK YOU to all the ladies who submitted!I love them all, I have shed tears (LOL), awwwww'ed and aahhhh'd and giggled over each one of them and I cannot wait to post them!

I hope we receive more because I love reading about love, it's just so SWEET! :D

P.s: Due to the amount of entries we received, I thought it best to create another segment of the blog where you could automatically see all the "How I met him" entries all at once! This way there will be more cohesiveness to both the 4ACESDATE website and to the "How I met him" project.

Click on the upper right hand side "how i met him" widget on this blog to be redirected to the "How i met him" project Blog!!

In case you missed the first three entries from I, Ozzy and Abby, check them out below!

Cookie's first entry - How I met "T"

Ozzy's entry - How I met "L"

Abby's Entry - How I met *****

Men are welcome to send in their "How I met her"

(Although I highly doubt they will...*rolls eyes*..SURPRISE ME! Hahaha)

Kisses!!

Cookie!