All Her Firsts

Chapter 1: First Sight

    It is one of those days again, when I could barely get off from my bed after having just 2 hours of sleep. I look like a mess right now, my curly hair is probably all over my head just a lion’s mane and my eye bags that scream about sleep deprivation I had for weeks. 

    Why do I have to go to school today? My head keeps asking that question. Darn, presentation for Site Development Planning & Landscaping. I spent almost the entire semester in getting very piece of this development plan into the right place with the best landscape my brain cells can squeeze.

    I suddenly realize that I can’t screw this one up just because I’m sleepy. I shake my head and toss and turn in my bed to get the right amount of energy I need to get up and get ready for school. I just hope everything I worked hard for will pay off with good grades; my scholarship is always on the line. I really can’t afford to lose it otherwise I’ll have to stop for a semester to earn enough money to pay for my tuition fee.

    I still have 2 hours before class time, still plenty of time to set my mood up. After an hour of getting ready for school which was more like me convincing myself that I need to study, I get out of room and find my dorm mates having breakfast. They all look so relaxed and seem to not be bothered by the fact that final exams will start next week. I walk up to them, and grab a mug for instant coffee when my best friend, Aliah, showed up ready for school as well.

    “How’s future Architect Natalie Margarette Espinoza doing today?” she cheerfully asks.

     This is the one thing I love the most about Ali: she knows how to brighten up someone’s day easily. Her bubbly attitude, short bob hair, round eyes, and beautiful smile are only some of the reasons why a lot are attracted to her. We are total opposites when it comes to some things.

    Ali is an extrovert while I’m such an introvert, which perhaps balances our lives and friendship. We’ve known each other since elementary, since then we’ve been practically glued to each other, and are now attending the same college despite having different majors. She takes up Dentistry, I study Architecture.

    “I’m still sleepy, I don’t know if I’m awake or not.” I emphatically say. 

    “How about future Dr Aliah Gomez? You had a good sleep last night” I continue as I take a sip of my coffee. She glances at me and widen her already wide eyes, which tells me that she hardly had any sleep as well last night. Five minutes pass, and we’re out of our dorm and walk to school.

    Our dorm is just 10 minutes by foot from the university but the busy and crowded streets of Manila make me feel like I’ve been walking for life for the past 30 minutes. Hand-in-hand with Ali, I keep my head down as we make it at the front gate of the university until I accidentally bumped into someone. I can’t imagine just how strong this man is that a simple bump is enough for him to tumble me down, or maybe I am just really too weak and clumsy.

     “Oh god, I’m so sorry. Let me help you. Is it okay if I touch your hand?” I hear him say as he extends his hand. I just reply with a nod and he helps me stand up. I’m surprised that he even asks if it’s okay to touch someone’s hand in this generation.

    I lift my head to see his face, he’s more or less 6 feet tall and has such innocent smile. His navy blue shirt with sleeves neatly rolled up to his elbows, black jeans, sparkling clean shoes, tidy brushed up hair, and such manly but not too strong perfume, I can tell that he is definitely not a student here. Neither does he works here, I haven’t seen him before.

    “You okay? I’m so sorry. My fault, I wasn’t looking” this mysterious man apologizes politely. 

    “Nah, it’s okay; I wasn’t looking either. I’m fine, really. Thanks” I assured him while I manage to not stutter and not make it too obvious that already checked out almost every single detail of his appearance. 

    His eyes are deep set, his eye lashes and eyebrows are full and dark, straight nose bridge, he’s got thin lips but smiles widely, jaw lines are chiseled well by his heart-shaped head and manly olive skin tone. He’s probably 5 years older than me.

    “You sure, you’re okay?” he asks again. I just smiled and reply “yeah, couldn’t be better” I say to him, and look over Ali, whose eyes are already giving the I-know-what-you-did look. “Let’s go. We’ve got to get to class on time.” I grab her hand and politely left the man.

    “Oh dear Nat, you checked him out, didn’t you?” Ali playfully says with obvious intention of making fun of me as we walk to the main hall – the building that separates Engineering and Architecture, and Health Sciences programs.

    “I didn’t. Okay? I just…” I pause for 2 seconds then finally finish my sentence “… observed, you know, force of habit, part of architecture is to check and identify little details of every design.” I defensively reason out.

     “So you did check and identify minute details of face?” Ali says with a playful grin on her face.

    “Fine, yes I did. He’s good looking” I finally admit then smiles giddily. Shoot me for using the word check. We laughed about for about 2 minutes until we part ways and head to our respective classes.

    Two periods and my lunch break has passed, I get ready for my class of the day. The subject that made this semester completely stressful – Site Development Planning & Landscaping. I turn my laptop on to review my presentation one last time and make some last minute edits. I checked my clothes for crease and possible dirt, and I also had to redo make up three times as I thought it initially was too strong and flashy for a formal presentation, then it was too pale that I look like I will pass out anytime, then finally chose the right combination of using nude-colored lipstick and just enough bronzer to look presentable.

    I enter the room to see my professor, who welcomes me with a menacing look. Professor Padilla is notorious for being highly intimidating during reports and presentations, although I admit that she is such a great educator. She then introduces the panel, who will be assisting her in grading. And by assist, she meant torture and possible heckling.

    As she introduces everyone, my eyes met and start to stare a familiar face. It is that handsome gentleman from the school entrance. “Lastly, we have Engr Juan Lorenzo Mendoza. He graduated Civil Engineering from our school seven years ago, right after that he took and completed his masters for Structural Engineering in Tokyo Institute of Technology”

    As Prof Padilla gives details about him, my mind is stuck with the number seven; seven years ago, which means that he’s roughly 9-10 years older than me and not 5. He clearly doesn’t look like he’s in his late twenties. God, how am I going to do this properly if such good looking man, whose looks by the way is completely my style, is looking straight into my eyes.

    I feel his eyes roaming my around my body before starting straight into my eyes. Wait, is he checking me out? I try to snap out of my childish thoughts as he maybe is just checking and identifying little details as a habit, interesting habit engineers and architects have.