Topher + Donna

Since it's Valentine's Day, a story of how Daddy Reyes and Mama Reyes fell in love with each other seems appropriate. The two met on the old-school chat platform mIRC around mid-90's. They were just two high school kids, fascinated with The Internet and met in an odd anime channel on the IRC (#ghostfighter to be exact, it was such a hit then!) nothing out of the ordinary... Now, it's noteworthy to mention that these two were miles apart. Topher was in Manila while Donna in Cagayan de Oro. Despite the distance, they connected and became friends. One can say they really loved talking to each other, they made an effort to always meet online just to talk. They used the IRC and the now-defunct Yahoo! Messenger to keep in touch. This kept on for some time until college, conversations became scarce and eventually nonexistent as life happened.

At this point, it seems that the two of them went on with their lives, perhaps they just got so busy doing their own thing that they just lost touch with each other. Years went on without a word but out of touch did not mean out of mind for these two.

In 2004, Donna had to move to Manila because of a job opportunity. She always wondered how Topher was. Imagine her surprise one day when she signed in to Yahoo! Messenger and got a message from him! They caught up with each other's lives and just talked as if no time had passed. This time, they were wise enough to exchange numbers so as to always keep in touch.

The two haven't really met each other in person and has only seen the other through photos. Their first meeting was very simple but memorable. Topher asked Donna if he could drop by her workplace for lunch (by lunch this means some time after midnight as she worked the graveyard shift) and she said yes. Toph's best buddies got so excited for him, they all joined forces to give him a makeover before the lunch date. They helped him choose a polo shirt, sprayed him with perfume, blow-dried his rockstar long hair and dropped him off in Makati! Donna only had an hour for lunch, she was waiting outside the 711 near her office when Topher arrived. It was awkward at first as they both didn't know what to say to each other but it was a nice kind of awkward. The kind that gave you butterflies in your stomach. They only had the 711 pandesals on their first date but they didn't care. The date was perfect. Short and sweet.

And so, from old chatmates, their friendship bloomed into something beautiful. Their conversations evolved into sweet nothings. Topher would call Donna to play her favorite Tool and Incubus on his guitar and oftentimes these would put her to sleep with a smile on her face. That first date at 711 gave way to more dates. More late night phone calls. More sweet lullabies. It was undeniable: the two were in love.

On one fateful day, during the 2006 Oktoberfest, Topher was at the Metrowalk with his friends... While at the moshpit, he called Donna and declared his love. Though the crowd he said, "I LOVE YOU!". In her delight she whispered a faint "I love you too" which she wasn't sure if he heard. Later that night, Toph called again and asked Donna to just listen. He set the phone down while Donna was still on the line, he and his band played Dashboard Confessional's "Hands Down". She could tell he sang his heart out. Cheesy, huh? That was the day Toph+Donna became official.

The two has been through a lot yet their love still prevails. They found the kind of love that stays even when things fail. The kind of love that is unconditional. It is not perfect but definitely, it is the best kind of love.

Happy Valentine's day, folks! 💖💖💖