Love Means…… Part 1

Joel and Tina had been classmates since primary school. Though they attended different secondary school, they got to meet each other quite often as they lived in the same neighbourhood. They would meet to discuss their schoolwork and play badminton – their favourite game. In fact, they were such close friends that both wouldn’t hesitate to share their joys and sorrows with each other. They would even talk about the kind of spouse they would like to have. As time passed, Joel realised that he got more and more attracted to Tina as she was just the kind of gal he liked. She was attractive, friendly and helpful and as such she was not only popular among the gals but also the boys. Knowing the type of guy she liked – good looking, smart and humorous all of which he didn’t possess, he knew that he wouldn't be among her suitors. Though they were friends, he understood that she had always treated him like a close friend whom she could look for for advice and comfort and nothing more. Thus, he could only keep his true feeling for her within himself. He was willing to wait for her to change her mind and longed for the day when she would accept him as more than just a close friend.

One evening, Joel asked Tina out for their usual game of badminton. When she arrived at the court, Joel sensed that she wasn’t in the mood to play. He asked her what had happened. Tina who was almost in tears told him that she had quarrelled with her boyfriend again. They couldn’t agree on how they should spend the weekend. She wanted to go for karaoke singing with her friends while he had promised to play pool with his friends. She complained that being a guy he should give in to her but he said that he didn’t like to sing. And since she didn’t know how to play pool, she wouldn’t want to hang out with his friends too.

After listening to what she had to say, Joel as usual, gave her some advice. He told her that since both of them wanted to be together, they should learn to be more tolerant towards each other likings and to accept the friends of both parties. He suggested that she could work out an agreement with him, whereby she would try to learn to play pool while he could learn to enjoy singing then both of them could have a good time doing both activities together. Agreeing that Joel’s suggestion made sense, she decided to talk things out with her boyfriend. She was so excited about it that she called him immediately and walked out of the court as she chatted, without even saying goodbye to Joel. That was her habit, always taking him for granted – something that Joel didn’t mind at all as long as she was feeling happy again.