To Be With You

Chapter 1 : From a Distance

~PONS~

Pons owns a special corner in the library, it's the farthest corner from the left of the entrance door... he's had this corner since freshman year,  he chose this particular corner because it's the quietest part of the Library with the seat and  desk facing a glass wall overlooking the school garden where most students gather during break and vacant periods, it's like watching a big screen with all his classmates and schoolmates playing out their roles... while he watch safely in his own world with the musty smelling  books as his constant companion...

Speaking of books, he was about to open one when he saw Yen hastily dart across the garden from the kiosk to the nearest stone bench looking pissed as hell and as expected, Troy is  anxiously trailing her path... he has no idea what they were fighting about this time, yes, this time, since fighting-arguing-debating has become their favorite sport this last two years when they officially started seeing each at the beginning of their Sophomore year. Pons felt the gnawing helplessness of his unrequieted affection for the girl, for his bestfriend's girl.

He and Troy were as close as brothers since grade one, they were neighbors and playmates and as expected they went to the same school and became classmates...  they did everything all other young boys did while growing up and when they started High School they still choose to attend the same school and enrolled together... although the past three years Troy had been staggardly falling away from him and their friendship isn't as close as before ever since he was recruited in the School Basketball Team and became the star player and the official campus hot stuff... still Pons considers him his best buddy... and nothing he vowed to himself, will ever change that... not even when Aliena "Yen" Hondrade entered both their lives...

(Flashback from Fresman Year)

Troy was trying to snatch Pons' bottle of softdrink at the canteen counter when a soft  voice from behind spoke...

"Excuse me..." and when the two young boys conciously gave way, the owner of the  voice spoke directly to the counter person... "One Chicken Sandwich and a Cola please..."

Pons was taken aback by a gripping sense of something unexplainable in the region where his heart is supposed to be upon seeing the lovely apparation before him... there's  a smile on her lips like a ray of sunshine, she's almost as tall as he is, slender and trim with fair smooth skin...  she's got that rare almond-shaped eyes, upturned nose and pouty lips but amongst other things, what really got his attention is the obvious simplicity in her... unlike the other girls, she's got no make up on her pretty fresh face, no accessories or trinkets dangling on her body or her uniform... she's exactly the epitome of  the Ideal Girl he created in his mind back when he was eight or nine... Pons tried to regain his composure he knew he had to make a good first impression but just as he was about to introduce himself, Troy beat him to it...

"Hi, I'm Troy Alvarez... can I carry your tray for you?" he offered the girl, to which she replied...

"Uh no thanks its ok I can manage..." she smiled politely,  

Pons could see that Troy is obviously taken with her too, much to his consternation...Troy insisted but the girl is equally stubbornnot to be bothered but Troy, a bit thick in the skull and a tad too stubborn replied

"Ok then if you wouldn't allow me to help can I just have your name and phone number then?"

"Aren't you a bit fresh?" there was a hint of irritation in her voice... 

"Fresh no, smitten yes big time...  so... your name... you are?"

The girl just smirked at Troy and went on her way to the farthest table she could get... Troy was about to follow but this time Pons held him back and...

"No you don't Troy... the lady is obviously not willing to play your game... let her be... at least for now... later  find a way to approach her nicely... just be patient..."

"Patient? you are so old fashioned Pons... when will you learn that girls like to be pursued... you can't get a girl by patiently watching by the sideline you know?"

I Know... but I also know that there are girls who do not like brusque and ill-mannered boys... so just leave it for now... ok?"

Troy suddenly saw the seriousness behind his best friend's eyes and

"Hey, don't tell me you like her too?"

"W...what?"

"You like her don't you?"

For the life of him, and for the first time in his life, Pons couldn't find a ready answer or an immidiate excuse and he knew by the look on his bestfriend's eyes, he could never tell him the truth...

And so the days and months of their freshman year pass... Aliena "Yen" Hondrade   said yes to the insistent and bold courtship of the school jock on their sophomore year... and that's when Pons became a bleak shadow in the background watching the girl of his dreams walk side by side with his buddy from a distance...

And everytime she smile that bright sunshiny smile of hers, he always try to snag a few rays to keep for his own even though he knew in his heart that it's only meant for Troy alone.