Red Ball Pen Love Story

Chapter 2: The Unexpected

The incident with the bully left me two things, one is that I realize that I know fear, the second is that I know how to like somebody.  I suddenly become interested with Mon; you can say that I became his fan. I secretly watch him in his every battle, either during a gang fight or his basketball game.

After a year we became classmates and to my luck, I was seated at the back of his chair. He never spoke to me, only once when I was looking for a red pen. I was not in the mood as nobody is lending me one, to my surprise he turns back and show me a red pen.

“Here” He gave a typical smile and hand me the pen. Once again I suddenly felt like I’m a damsel in distress being saved by a knight.  It somehow gave me an ill feeling.

“Thanks. I’ll give it back later” I said while giving the serious face as I get the pen from him.

“You can keep it. I have a couple more at home” he smiled again

“Ok. That’s quite a hobby, collecting pens” I give a sarcastic smile upon saying it.

“It’s not like that” he scratches his head while still having the smile on his face. “I like to draw; it’s my real hobby, not collecting pens.”

“What do you draw exactly? I like to draw too, but I’m not very good at it.”  My smile has widened knowing we have something in common.

“Well..comics, sort of”

“Can I see one?”

His smile has gone and he gave a shy and serious face as he hand me a notebook.  I open it and look at him

“What?” he asked

“It sucks.” I said and smile giving him the impression that I was kidding.

He burst into laughter “I know you’d say that. I would be surprised if you don’t”

“Mines better. Here, and gave him my sketch pad.

He gave a serious look upon looking at my drawings and then looks back at me.

“What?” I asked

“It sucks more than mine.” He laughs.

I burst into laughter. It’s too late for me to realize that I’m having fun.

We then became closer and closer after that incident. One day he forgot to do his assignment and went late.  He gives a confused face as I handle him the sheet of paper. For me who am overly obsessed of having a perfect score, giving my assignment to someone is just odd.

“You can have it. Just write your name on it and it’s yours”

“Why?” He asked. “How about you?”

 “I don’t like owning anybody.”  I give him a serious face. “I will be bothered forever until I pay the ballpen and that incident in the hall”

Knowing from the look I have, he knows that nothing will change my decision. He accepted the paper and nod.

One time, he watched me as I play volleyball. He noticed that I’m not really good at it. In fact, I’m not good at any sports. He offered to train me. I asked him why.

“I don’t like owning anybody” He gave a sarcastic smile as he murmured the same exact words I gave him.”I will be bothered forever until I pay the assignment.”

I smiled back and tell him: “You’re crazy. Then it’s on. Who will own who?”

So began our “Competition”.  Our exchanges could be as simple as food during lunch to as crazy as a game on a family computer. We cared for each other.  We taught each other a lot of things. I have changed from a bitter and rebellious child to a loving friend and a good daughter.  His fights become lesser and lesser, until he retired from being the gang leader.

I know everything about him, and he knows everything about me. Except for two things. That I love him and I still keep the red ballpen he gave me as my most important possession.

Years has passed, the crazy gang leader slash frustrated artist is now one of the bachelors in the city. He is now managing a department store chain previously owned by his parents.  Even his looks have changed. His height has grown through the years and If I’m not mistaken he has been featured once on one of Manila’s known Health Magazines. 

I on the other hand became the owner of my family’s clothing business as expected.  I also manage to build a school for arts.

He was 29 and I was 27 yet none of us get married. He has been linked to a couple of girls but he denied me the fact that he is serious, not courting any of them. I have some suitors, but we all know that they didn’t have any chance. Even at that situation, I never told him my feelings, nor confirm to him if we could be ever more than friends. When asked by our friends why we are not getting married, we just smiled at them. No explanation whatsoever.  We are best friends, yet we never talk about that aspect of our life, our love life.  I was waiting, and hoping that he will be the one to break the ice, the first one to notice the big elephant in the room. I just wished I could read his mind.

It was a sunny day. April 18. I was busy due to a rush demand of clothing by a client, when my phone rang. It was Mon.  

I feel the excitement on his husky voice as he invited me for dinner.  It has been a long time since we had dinner together.  Since we had our busy schedules, our gimmicks have diminished one by one. I came at the restaurant he mentioned. I feel excited myself, as what might cause his excitement. He could be proposing to end our friendship and ask for something more, my silent wish. I was being held by my own illusions about what might there be that I didn’t notice that he is with someone.

My walk as I approach the table becomes slower when I finally notice. It was a woman. Mon saw me and he holds one hand of the woman to help her stand.

“She’s here. He said to her then looks at me, happily as he told me,

“Rhea, I want you to meet my girlfriend, Kathleen.”