RANDOM STORY (FOUND THIS ON THE INTERNET)

If I were to be asked of the best of times in my misspent youth, it would have to be my college years. It was during these years that I blossomed into a confident person able to look people in the eye without flinching, secure in the knowledge that somewhere in this world somebody saw through me and yet continued to love me. His name was Rex. 

I was in my second year while he was in his first year of college studies. For some reason, I took a liking to him and him to me despite our differences - I was the proverbial provincial lass while he was the cynical city boy, to name one. (Yes, that he was for various reasons.)

We started spending our spare time together, even studying together. We hung out with our group of friends in beaches and piers, which we all loved. We ate together when we had the time. We were sweet with each other, hugging and holding hands even in public. Best of all, we talked about anything and everything. 

The irony is that not once did I think that we were in the boyfriend-girlfriend stage mainly because there was no courtship. No words were spoken, no promises were committed, and no love letters were written. All these one expects in two people so young. We just were who we were then to me - very close friends who happened to be sweet.

And then reality struck. Or rather lightning struck. One day, somebody told me something that made me so mad. People around us were saying bad things about me like how inappropriate our behavior is and how bad a girl I am, so said this person. So, what do I do?

I confronted Rex and asked him if he had heard of these things said about me, about us. To make along story short, he said yes. What is a girl supposed to do? Well, I told him to go to hell and stormed off. 

Next day, he sent me a letter explaining everything. His secrecy was that he did not want me to be hurt so he kept it all to himself, which in retrospect is admirable. However, I did not give him a chance to explain in person. Not until three years have passed did we start talking to each other again. That was how much it hurt us.

Fast forward to the year I graduated, which was also the same year I met my husband. By then, Rex and I have been friends again mainly because the wounds have healed and we cannot forget what we had. I introduced them and my husband was accepting of Rex's place in my heart.  

Now, I am happy that I did not marry my best friend. Why? Because he would have not been my best friend if he became my passionate lover! We would have fought constantly because we are both jealous types, for one thing. 

So, I can only say thank you to my best friend wherever you might be, whomever you might be with for teaching me about love, about friendship, about happiness and best of all, about me.