A Memorable Dance

I think I was 16 at the time. I was a cute little thing with bright and curious eyes and infectious laugh, or so they say.

Anyway, I was invited to a dance on the eve of a wedding. Well, the groom was a brother of my soon-to-be boyfriend so, I was somehow a, I don’t know, waited-upon guest, I can’t say honored because I didn’t feel honorable at the time.

Perhaps because of my being from another place, every guy wanted to dance with me and I felt too shy to turn anyone down. My soon-to-be-boyfriend just watched over throwing occasional winks at me. Was he having fun at my expense?

Then, I saw HIM, the cutest guy in the dance (aside from my date of course). I’ve noticed him before but I didn’t see him on the dance floor.. yet. I was too absorbed with him I nearly failed to hear what my partner was saying. It seems like somebody asked him to get my name. Well, sure, I told him my name and he politely led me back to my seat. Then, the lights went out save for the blue and red. Then, Enchanted Melody (the most popular song at the time because of the recently shown movie, Ghost) was played. Then, he, the cute guy himself stepped out and walked towards me. As he gently swept me into the dance floor, I could barely hear the announcer saying that this particular song was requested by the youngest brother of the groom who was studying in the city and came home for the wedding. It was a number played especially for us.

What? Brother? No… This can’t be happening..

But it was.

Cute guy introduced himself to me and started asking me questions about myself. He also told me that he was the one who asked someone else to dance with me to get my name. As if on cue, my date materialized beside us, smiled warmly and spoke..

“Tol, kilala mo na pala ang pinaka espesyal na babae sa buhay ko..” (So, brother, I think you’ve met the most special girl in my life).

It didn’t take long for comprehension to register on the cute guy’s face. Then, he looked at his older brother with reverence, at me with admiration and unspoken regret before he willingly turned me over to my date. My date never left my side since then and I never saw cute guy again, ever.

That was 22 years ago..