“Pie Manaying?”  a couple of heads swiveled. “What?” she blinked and noticed that everybody is looking at her. “Is Pie Manaying here?” the professor asked. “I’m here!” she raised her hand. “Are you daydreaming about Kim again?” she nudges. Pie shielded her face with her book and smile softly. The professor starts to discuss their new lesson for the midterm exams. It was freaking long discussion that some of them fell to sleep for quite some time. “Please…study your lessons. We will be having a quiz next meeting regarding this lesson. Heads up.” The professor reminded them before leaving the room.

While Pie gathered her things, Jane and Pei appeared in front of her with their arms crossed on their chest. “What?” Pie asked. “Is it true?” Pei asked. Jane pushed her down take a seat. “What are you talking about?” Pie replied. She was looking at them with no idea on what they are talking about right now. “Stop lying! How could you!” Jane yelled.

“Hey! Don’t yell at me! I really don’t know what you’re talking about okay? Can you just get it straight?” Pie said. She’s sweating right now. She hates being questioned like this, as if she did something wrong from them or anyone. Pei starts to smirk and sit on her table. “We just want to know if you and Kim…are-“Pei said. “Couple.” Jane continued. Pie covers her face for the reason that she can feel her blood rushing up to her head. They tickled her into submission. “No! We’re not!” she yelled. Their laughs surround the empty room.

“What!? Why? Didn’t she confess her love for you?” Jane reacted. They sit beside her, they were very good friends of Pie. They support each other in any way they can. Pie may be a straight girl but she never judges her friends for being a gay lover or gay. She was so kind and supportive friend. “Did she dump you?” Pei asked.

“No.” Pie replied. They were so intrigue about her love life status with Kim. They’ve seen them going out together but never call each other some sweet endearment or exchanging ‘I love Yous’.  

“Then what?” Jane and Pei raised their voices. “We are just friends. Okay? She said she likes me and I told her that I like her too but that doesn’t mean we have to be a couple.” She throws her bag to her shoulders and starts walk away from them.

“Friends, that’s weird.” Jane said. They followed her in the hallway when Pie suddenly stopped. “Follow me.” Yam said without looking at her. She turn around to waved to her friends, “Go ahead.” Pie said. Pei holds her hand and takes her bag.

“Let me have this. You can’t move if you have this.” Pei said.

“Let us know if she hurt you. We’re going to make her face look like panda.” Jane inserted. Pie just laugh at them, “I’m going to be alright, you know what I look like when I’m mad.” She responds and follows Yam.

Kim was eating with her friends in the cafeteria while discussing their community extension with the first batch of the graduating students. It’s the traditional retreat program for graduating students to help the community. “Where’s Pie?” Zee asked. “Have you told her about your feelings?” Beam asked. They were talking to her while playing games on Beam’s tab.

“She must be with her friends,” she replied and sipped her coke. “And Yes, I already told her about my feelings.” She picked one the chips on their table and eats. “Then what happened?” Beam said. She paused the game and listen to her. Zee takes the tab and resumes the game. Beam hit her with a spoon in the head, “Will you just stop playing for a sec? Kim just confessed to Pie-” she yelled at Zee. “I know. She told me.” Zee said while playing.

“You-” Beam reacted. “I know the whole story babe.” Zee kissed her cheeks and resumes.

“Anyways, I want you to tell me everything happened.” Beam said. “Well…I said I like her and she said she likes me too. That’s all.” Kim said. She said it straight. Kim is a straightforward person.

Kim’s phone rang all of a sudden before Beam could ask for more details about the confession. It’s only a number flashed across the screen. She was laughing at Beam’s reaction as she picked it up. “Hello?”

“If your hurt her, Jane and I will hunt you wherever you will go. Do you understand me?” it was Jane calling her. Kim’s laughter echoed through the cafeteria and everyone turn their heads at her.

“I got it Ms. Jane.”Kim said.

“It’s good that we’re clear.” She hung up.

“What do you want from me Yam?” Pie asked. Yam was staring at her from head to foot. She may be thinking of how Kim had a crush on her. “What do you want from me Yam?” she repeats and looks at her straight in the eyes. “Leave Kim alone,” Yam said with harsh tone.

“Is she your property?” Pie responds. Yam smirked and walk towards her. “No, but I’m not going to let you take her away from me.” She said. They were staring at each other for a minute, Pie broke it “Then you don’t have the right to tell me that.” She said and turned around.

“Aren’t you afraid of what your parents will say about your affair with a tomboy?” Yam said. She laughs at Pie and passes her by. Her laugh annoyed her, she curled her fist to stop any of her emotions to stop. Yam is so desperate everything about Kim. She won’t let anyone stole her precious pearl. She’s so competitive to anyone. She won’t accept regrets or loss especially coming from Pie.

“At least,” Pie muttered and let go of her hands. She sighed and showed her irritating smile at Yam. “I’m not in the friend zone.” Her words are so sharp and she just smashed Yam’s heart and face with it. She couldn’t react from what she’d said. It was like a knife that stabbed her heart without any warning. “At least, I’m not in the friend zone.” Those words echoed again in her head. Pie walks away from her.

Let the bough break, let it come down crashing

Let the sun fade out to a dark sky

I can’t say I’d even notice it was absent
Cause I could live by the light in your eyes

I’ll unfold before you, What I’ve strung together

The very first words, of a lifelong love letter

Tell the world that we finally got it all right

I choose you, I will become yours and you will become mine

I choose you (2x) Yeahh

Students outside the music room could hear Kim singing. They were mesmerized to her voice every time she sings. Some just sing with her, dance with the song, and some are sitting in their chairs enjoying her voice.

They was a time when I would have believed them

If they told me you could not come true

Just love’s illusion

But then you found me and everything changed

And I believe in something again

My whole heart, will be yours forever

This is a beautiful start, to a lifelong love letter