Unwanted Love

She never talked to him. She couldn’t. Hindi dahil wala siyang chance—kundi dahil alam niya na kahit magsalita siya, wala ring mangyayari. Kaya hanggang tingin lang siya. Hanggang pagpapapansin lang. Since high school, ganoon na. Mula sa malayo, mahal na niya siya. He belonged to someone else. Everyone knew it. The girl he loved was elegant, quiet, untouchable. The kind of love that didn’t need to be loud. And because of that, he had no reason to look at anyone else. Especially not her. She dressed the way people would notice—short dresses, bold makeup, heels too high for comfort. Hindi dahil gusto niya, kundi dahil iyon lang ang alam niyang paraan para mapansin siya. “Kahit isang tingin lang, okay na,” bulong niya sa sarili. Sa clubs, she stood where he could see her. Laughing louder than she felt. Acting confident even when her hands were shaking. She never approached him. Never spoke. Takot siyang masaktan nang harapan. He saw her. But he didn’t react. No interest. No curiosity. No change. His eyes were always looking for someone else. And when that girl entered the room, she disappeared completely. He softened. He smiled. He followed. She watched from the corner, reminding herself not to cry. Para sa iba, she looked desperate. Malandi. Trying too hard. Pero walang nakakaalam na wala pa siyang binibigay kahit kanino. Virgin pa rin siya— nagpapanggap lang para mapansin ang lalaking hindi naman siya pipiliin. She never blamed him. He didn’t ignore her because he was cruel. He ignored her because his heart was already taken. And she stayed anyway— loving silently, loudly in her own way, knowing she would never be the one he looked for.