The love story of actors Gladys Reyes and Christopher Roxas started on the set of the TV soap opera Mara Clara in 1992.
She was only 14. He was even younger: 12.
It was a childhood romance that no one thought would last. But it did—12 years, so far. And the couple have already begun counting to forever, as they vowed undying love for each other on their wedding day on January 23, 2004.
"Very proud kami ngayon," says Gladys, "kasi itong pagpapakasal namin, hindi dahil sa pinresyur kami o dahil ang tagal na namin, kundi dahil mahal pala talaga namin ang isa't isa."
It was Christopher—who's the half-French Jean Christophe Sommereux in real life, and who's nicknamed Tupe—who got attracted to Gladys first.
"Una akong na-attract sa puwet niya," Tupe admitted. "Puwera biro. Sinabi ko sa nanay ko, 'Ma, tignan mo 'yong Clara? Ang laki ng puwet.' Sabi ng nanay ko, 'Pag ganoon, sexy 'yon.' So, 'yon, medyo na-challenge ako."
He wasted no time.
"Araw-araw ko siyang nililigawan," he recalled. "First two months ng Mara Clara, inumpisahan ko na. Una, sa set, hanggang sa pinupuntahan ko na sa bahay. Kaya lang, ayaw sa akin ng pamilya niya dahil hindi pa ako Iglesia noon, e."
Gladys, a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo didn't shun Christopher, but didn't take him seriously either.
"Ang tingin daw niya sa akin e bata, kasi laro daw ako nang laro," he smiled at the recollection.
It turned out that Gladys was herself attracted to the young mestizo.
"Para siyang bad boy," admitted Gladys. "Pero 'yon ang isa sa nagustuhan ko sa kanya. Ayoko kasi ng lalaking Mr. Friendship. 'Yong ngiti nang ngiti? Siya, nakita ko 'yong pagka-natural niya. Pag galit siya, galit siya. Pag nasa mood bumati, bumabati."
He won her after five months of courtship. He was her first boyfriend—and clearly the last. She was the only one he took seriously.
What really got to Gladys was Christopher's obvious love for her family. He was especially fond of her youngest sibling, a special child. "Nasapul niya ako lalo sa brother ko," said Gladys. "Hindi siya naiilang, na bakit ganoon, iba ýong kapatid ko."
Like all other relationships, theirs had its fair share of ups and downs. The lowest point came in 2000, when Gladys decided to break up with Tupe.
"Ako kasi, pag may nararamdaman ako na parang cold ka, uunahan kita," she explained. Overfamiliarity also contributed to the problem: "Parang routine ang nangyari sa relationship, parang walang bago."
The breakup lasted two months. It was their longest. People close to Gladys and Tupe thought that was the end of their relationship.
"Nakikipagmatigasan din kasi sa akin," said Gladys of Christopher's reaction. "And siyempre, ang tendency ng lalaki, gawin lahat ng gusto niyang gawin. Lumabas with his barkada... Ako naman, sige."
Christopher said he enjoyed his first taste of freedom after eight years with Gladys.
"Wala namang nakikialam sa akin. Wala na akong iniisip. Gimik ka, wala kang problema."
But all that soon got boring.
"Hindi ganoon 'yong buhay, e," Christopher philosophized. "Kailangan mo talaga ng kasama, e. Hindi pala puro saya lang. Ayun, bumalik ako.
"Ayaw na niya akong tanggapin noon, e. Noon ko talaga nalaman ang salitang katinuan...kasi ayaw na, e. Nakuha sa tiyaga. Nagtino na ako mula noon."
For Christopher, katinuan, or coming back to his senses, meant going abroad to work—as receptionist, as construction worker, as snack-bar attendant—in order to save money for the future.
On January 8, 2003, the 11th anniversary of their being "on," Christopher came back from Los Angeles and surprised Gladys with a wedding proposal.
"Expected niya na darating ako January 19," Christopher recalled, smiling. "Umuwi ako, umaga, ng January 8. Dumiretso sa bahay nila.
"Binigay ko 'yong singsing, 'yon lang. Hindi naman ako nag-'Will you marry me?' Basta ginising ko lang siya, inabot ko 'yong singsing. Kaswal. Sabi ko 'O.'"
Gladys needed no other sign.
"Kasi, 'yon na 'yong representation, 'yong ring, na eto na, totoo na," she beamed. "Kasi kung sa plano, matagal na kaming plano nang plano. This time, kumbaga, this is it!"