Something for the lovers of romance.

I realise that my previous posts have been of a mature nature and I did, in fact, promise to also write some of my more... romantic memories. As such, it's only fair that I take a little time to do so. So, here's a love story. This is the story that leads to, delves within and describes the aftermath of the shortest romantic relationship that Maggy has ever been in.

The year was 2006 at the important climax of this tale and I was only 15 at the time; I would have been 16 that June. However, this story begins much earlier in 2002, when I first began high school. I was 12 years old when I met (time for another false name) Steph. We wern't in the same class, and it was by sheer chance that I met her.

Steph and her best friend at the time (we'll call him Dante) were sitting on the steps just outside the main building of our high school. I was on my way to find some of my class mates when I saw them sitting there. I don't really know why I was so curious, but when I saw that this stranger was drawing, I couldn't help but glance at her artwork and what I saw had me frozen in place. Through out Primary school, I knew a number of people that loved to draw, but none of them were quite as good as this.

Naturally, I commended her for her work and, after informing me that this style was known as Manga, she proceeded to show me much of her work. Twelve years old and I was just introduced to the world of anime, manga and general Japanese culture; all thanks to this lass.

We became friends almost instantly and, as we started to take the same classes and were spending time in school together, we became closer than your average friends. She taught me everything I know about anime, cosplaying and the like. We both had the same tastes in video games, literature, music... After a couple of years, the pair of us became best friends and I was rather protective of her. Anyone might have called me clingy, if they didn't see that she was just as bad as I was. We sat together, we ate together, we walked home together (going out of our way to take the same route home.) When she moved to another town and had to go some distance from school to get home, she started taking the long bus ride, rather than the train... That way we could sit on the bus together after school. (As if we didn't see enough of each other.)

We started hosting get togethers with our friends and, at around 2004-2005, I realised I had deeper feelings for Steph than I let on. Picking up on this, Steph decided to pry into my privacy and inquired as to Maggy's tastes in women. She wanted to know who I liked. Who I fancied. Naturally, being the coward that I am and cherishing my friendship with Steph, I lied and told her I had feelings for a friend of ours, who for the purposes of this blog, we'll call Sarah. Naturally, Steph found this disappointing... But she was, afterall, my best friend and wouldn't settle for just "knowing" who I liked. She was adamant that she would do something about it.

That's where things got complicated. I had to keep going as if I was in love with Sarah and this meant that, when Steph said she'd talk to Sarah for me, I could only agree and go along with it. Thanks to Steph, I now know that Sarah thought of me as a brother, and that she at least liked me. Funny, the things you learn about your friends. I also found out that Sarah couldn't date anyone because her Cantonese parents were very traditional and didn't want her getting involved with anyone while she was in school. Was I saved? Hell no. On our trips out together, even though she herself told me that Sarah couldn't see anyone and thought of me as a brother, Steph kept acting as if our plan was to win Sarah's heart. I didn't want this...

The farse kept going for a long time, and Steph and I were only growing closer as time went by. When we were sitting in our homes together, we would be cuddled up on the couch. In school, she would sit on my lap at lunch, hold my hand when we walked, cuddle or even kiss me when we greeted each other or parted ways. Anyone would think we were together and it was beginning to drive me mad that we wern't...

We still did everything together. Meeting up with our friends, practicing Jitsu (our martial art of choice) and even planning our futures.

2006. The climax. Steph and I decided to start a band together. Steph on drums, myself on the keyboard (since I hadn't yet started the bass) and our friends on guitars. I had given in to my lust for her and took her aside to talk. It was one of our guitarist's birthdays that day and we went to the shop to buy him a card. The perfect opportunity. On the way home, I told her how I fealt... I was usually good at this. I'd dated before, hell I'd lost my virginity before then, not that I could ever tell Steph such a thing.

She was too quiet... It seemed we were walking at a snail's pace and, although I wanted this time, it was almost painfull waiting for her response. Eventually, I could see we were coming close to her home, when she started to question me. Asking me how long I'd fealt that way, asking why I hadn't said, pointing out how risky it would be if we were to try to be together. But we both knew what we wanted, and we decided to go ahead with it. Standing outside her house, we embraced each other.

We'd held each other before, but it was never like this. It seemed she was trying to latch herself to me, and I fealt like my arms had become wings, enveloping us in a field of protection, in which time would forever stand still and we would never have to part... But all things come to an end, am I right? (Fore-shadowing?) We had to get back inside and finish our music.

That night, when it was time to go home, I tried to give her my usual hug goodbye, but she shook her head and told me I should hurry up and follow the others outside. We'd decided we wouldn't tell anyone yet... Relucantly, I left her there and followed my friends out of her home.

The next day, at lunch, Steph came to me and told me we needed to talk. I would have been surprised, had I not been lying awake, knowing this was coming. All that day, I was waiting for the piano to drop on my head, and here she was to deliver the blow herself. She took me aside, outside of the school and told me this was a terrible idea. She told me she'd spent the night in tears, because she fealt like she'd messed up, that we were going to destroy our friendship. Naturally, I told her it was fine, we'd go back to being friends, just act like it hadn't happened and continue along our merry way... But it wasn't fine. I wasn't happy.

That day, I got into a brawl on the lower levels of the school, and Steph, naturally, blamed herself. She wouldn't speak to me. She walked away when I approached her, she wouldn't sit at our table, she stopped turning up to Jitsu, band practice, in an unspoken understanding, was cancelled.... A whole year. One whole effing year she went without speaking to me. I was an absolute wreck. I had trouble eating, my grades were slipping, my parents, teachers, even my own sister were all furious with me for my depressing, unmotivated behaviour. But I couldn't help it...

Eventually, due to some mistaken message sent ffrom a friend, Steph and I started talking again and were at least civil for a while... But eventually I left the school and, rather than keeping in touch (as much as I tried) she decided to go back to ignoring me again, and I havn't heard a word back from her since...

Remember, kids, don't hook up with your best friends. If it fails, this is the hell it brings.

Sowisa.