How we met

 I want to write to remember.

July 2018

We had our refinery outing at oceans 24 at valencia, negros oriental. Mark was a maintenance shift supervisor and our department invited him since he was also the cousin of sir joy (refinery shift supervisor). We have known each other for months already but haven't really talked alone. He was then teased and making moves on jing jing, another cadet who was also my friend. But he already stopped months before. Jing would tell me about him. I once went to a dinner with friends with them which they initiated. It was in hayahay in dumaguete. I would then tell jingjing to give him a chance but nothing happened between them. That was in february. 

We also used to have small talks. Like one time (which was after jingjing) he asked me something about Iloilo because there was a girl going to iloilo and he was asking what was nice as a pasalubong. Also, nothing happened with him and the girl. 

Moving on, during the oceans 24 refinery outing, instead of swimming, I played poker with him, yerf and benjo. That time I had a different crush. I just saw him as a friend. We enjoyed poker and since benjo, mark and I haven't swam, we swam after. It was fun. 

After the oceans 24 outing, he sent me a chat message. He said he needed the refinery flow chart. So as a free-spirited person and feel ko mas naging close kmi that time, gna joke ko lng sya. Told him I had to ask permission from sir ken since it's confidential though ako nag himo.

Anyway, after that sige lng kmi chat and text. Then I got to know him but I was holding myself since I said that was purely on the phone.

September 2018

Came Bais fiesta on Septermber 9-10. Mark lives in ayungon which is around an hour or two away from bais. He said he will go to Bais. There was a program at the plaza until midnight. I was with friends, my LKM and paula. I was always transparent with my girls and told them that mark was coming. So he did come. I was first so conscious because my girls and I like to dance and drink the night and I do not know if he can keep up. Turned out he was ok drinking and not really dancing. It was almost midnight, the girls went back to the apartment. I had to be left with him since he was my "guest". There was still the band and paula. Paula was drunk. We stayed all midnight watching paula and we also danced. I was surprised he danced! Perhaps because era nya ang song hahahaha! Anyway after the band we stayed and the plaza. The plan was to be up til 2am or 3am until he gets a bus to ayungon. Our apartment then was small and I we were still knowing each other. Making him come over to the apartment seemed inappropriate then. Anyway we did chikka til 3am. You can say paula was our thirdwheel. I did not mind, he just did not find it obvious between mark and I. hahaha. Mark went home to ayungon at 3am while paula and I also went home.

Middle week of september there was the sportsfest wherein basketball and volleyball games happen every week. My girls and I would watch basketball or play volleyball for fun. Mark then would sugat dul.ong me to the court or event dul.ong me papuli from work to the apartment. 

Then came Sept 21, 2018. He was supposed to play basketball and I was supposed to play volleyball but it did not happen because of the rain. It ended with friends and us eating at the barbecuehan near the apartment. Then everyone went home. You can say everyone was really close. Anyway, gn dul.ong namon ang girls to the apartment then we preferred to stay in the car. We roam bais while talking. It was still early. Then at around 9pm, he asked me "Pwd ta ka maging uyab?" in the car which was parked near bais baskteball court. I answered "huo uy" thinking uy would make it more bisaya hahahaha. I am not really a believer of courtship. I thought then he can court me throughout our years together. Then gn dul.ong nya ko puli. I told the girls the next day then sent a text to mama and ng jill.

I did not tell the refinery family yet. It was something that we did not hide but just the world knew through our actions. He started to give my rides and during the fiesta of ursumco that was when everyone knew because we danced together and held hands at the side. See, there are those who have eyes on me and sometimes mark can be jealous and I told him of those boys. Anyway, that's when everyone knew. They asked me in the office then I also confirmed. There was no secret to hide. Years after, mark and I left ursumco but it will always be a part of us. A BIG PART.

I am always grateful of mark. And that is how we became team jasmark.

-teamjasmark