Weird kid

I was always the weird kid. No, not like in the movies where the girl is deemed weird because she looks ugly and no one wants to be seen anywhere near her. I was different because I never considered a romantic relationship with anyone.

Having a crush was cool, and who didn’t want to be cool, right? So there I was, surrounded by people who did nothing but talk about their boyfriends/girlfriends and share fantasies with each other. Every recess and lunch they would put on hair gel, makeup, and accessories, meet up with their partners, and completely waste their time blatantly flirting. I watched them make goo-goo eyes at each other and make fools of themselves in front of people they “loved.” Some even went so far as to make scandalous public displays of affection. My friends tried to convince me to try doing a PDA; they said it would be like nothing I had ever felt before. I didn’t bite.

I don’t understand why people continue to do this to themselves. After all, it takes much of your energy, time, effort, and money to start a relationship. What more if you were to maintain it? Having a crush is like taking drugs: pleasurable at first, but as you continue to give more of yourself, you don’t realize that it’s eating you up and turning you away from your goals and aspirations, until you reach heartbreak. Some don’t even recover from it, and it haunts their lives as they grow up. Even if the person likes you back, having a relationship at this time will put your future in jeopardy.

Truly, it’s better to wait until you have your life all figured out before entering a serious relationship with someone else. After all, if you can’t take care of yourself first, what more if you have another person to care for? Also, waiting ensures that both of you are mature enough to make responsible decisions for the future. Wouldn’t you much rather focus on your grades and family than waste your time on someone who does no good for you whatsoever?

And that’s why they laugh at me — for being different. But if it means a bright future for me, so be it.

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Alea Jasmine N. Capuno, 14, is in junior high school at Pasig Catholic College.