#2
we'll call her Rice.

I met her through my bestfriend in highschool
The Year was 1910 and it was the first summer after highschool had just ended.

It was a weekday night and my friend had a midterm exam to study for (I myself was not fortunate enough to attend post secondary school. for the longest time i was envious of all my friends)
He called me out to go study at a coffeeshop on the corner of #3 Rd. and Capstan way. I was just gonna hang out. he said he was bringing a new friend that he met.

When I got there, they were already there.
I saw it with my own two eyes, the most badass looking Tom Boy I've ever seen.
Leather jacket with those buttons on it. Black military boots. This skinny, short haired Honger girl looked like Janice Man's Character from Paris Holiday (HK movie - google that shit)
I knew from the start that this girl was way too "cool" to even bat an eye to me.

Now don't get me wrong here. I just wanted to paint an accurate picture that represented Rice.
I was in no means physically/sexually attracted to her (not yet anyways)
Up until this point in my life; I'd admire more of a typical Chinese Born Canadian/WongFu/AZN style girls. Long hair - Minimum B Cups - wears TNA paints (fucking ageing myself here) you know.....

Curiosity kills the cat. And with my initial judgement of her. I had to talk to her. had to get to know her more. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone.

After getting to know her I found out that she has quiet a lonesome background story. and with that is when I started to fall in love with her. I wanted to fill that void in her. For some reason I really wanted to help her. I couldn't understand it. maybe its just in my nature to fix broken things....
I had this unconditional love for her that i could not for the life of me explain how it developed or grew.

I had just adapted and started to fit into the Vancouver lifestyle and she had just moved here from finishing private school in Toronto.

I found myself wanting to see her every night.
Get off work at 6:00pm - go home, eat dinner.
Go out and see her, go out and eat dinner with her. Go hang out and have a deep conversation with her.
There were nights we would drive down to the ocean docks and just enjoy the views and company; that was One thing that we both loved about Down Town Vancouver so much. Its the most beautiful peaceful place in the world but you don't feel unsafe or completely alone.

One of our first nights exploring the heart of the downtown core she really wanted to take a picture with me; take a "Selfie" but she was too embarrassed to asked or to purpose the idea. but after much awkwardness I asked her what was wrong. and she brought up the topic. I still remember the excitement i had. the butterflies in my stomach. Of course I'd like to take pictures with you!
This started a tradition of her bringing out her nikon camera every time we went out.

I remember one night we finished having dinner and we just roamed around the university campus until the wee hours of the morning. This was the night it clicked. the night i realised how important she was to me.
It was at least 2am and I got an angry parent calling me. Yelling at me what time it is and where the hell i was. I didn't care. I just wanted to spend more time with her. so I back lashed and yelled back on the phone. I never yell at my parents (back then) and this is when i knew after. how much she meant to me. I didn't want to be bothered while i was spending time with her.

It is now Halloween day.
Our nights out were affecting her focus and attention towards her academic life, so i started limiting our time together. but we would always be on webcam with each other (this explains my obsession with MFC now)
She was getting really stressed and needed a day off.
IIRC Halloween fell on a Sunday that year.
We were on webcam all night long. we both fell asleep at our desk.
when we woke up, we went for breakfast. I drove down the haunted highway at 10am on a sunday morning through the thick fog to pick her up from her dorm.
Off to historic china town for a traditional HK Style Cafe Breakfast. After the first meal of the day we walked towards the Traditional Chinese Garden that was located at the cultural centre. I had lived in Chinatown in my infant years but never wondered into the payment required version of the garden.
After showing her the slums of my childhood we headed towards our favourite ocean docks downtown.
Walked up Robson Street and grab a very famous Japanese Hotdog.
After finishing our lunch we took one of the best driving roads on the lower mainland and stopped at the ferry terminal.
This is where the magic happens
we found ourselves on the docks. she was standing on the very edge of the dock, she was in a deep gaze and i was in the greatest awe.
I pushed that bitch right into the freezing cold pacific ocean!
(just kidding)
I couldn't resist myself, all this time i had not expressed my feelings to her. and had very limited physical contact.
I hugged her from behind. I wasn't sure how she was going to act. but it seemed like she was ok with it. she didn't squirm or push me away.
I still remember the scent of her hair, the warmth of her body. its one of the most magical moments i've ever had in my life. It was like a scene out of a romantic movie.
We headed home after all that; it was time for her to go study.
Driving down the mountain onto the sweeping roads she fell asleep in my passenger seat, and I found myself turning down the music and driving as smooth as silk to ensure she could get acquit rest.
And at the moment on, I knew I loved her.

My friend that introduced me to her told me one day when we were hanging out.
He used her computer to finish up some school work in between classes and he discovered a folder on her computer saved with a bunch of quotes and facebook status. They were all mine.
Rice had saved every "I had the best day today!" facebook status that i had made since i met her. And all those status were about her. she knew that.


But it isn't as perfect and as romantic as I may have portrayed it.


At this point there was a family member who was sick and their final wish was to die at home (AKA hicktown Alberta)
Being the family oriented pushover i am, I was willing to move back as the time approached.

She found out that i might have to move back.
I recall that night very well, even after over half a decade.
It was raining that night and she called me. I can tell by her voice she had been crying. without saying hello or anything her exact words to me were "Do you really have to leave?" her voice was raspy and soft.

It was the hardest decision of my life, I didn't want her to be sad, but I knew I had to do this for my family.
I didn't bother explaining to her why I had to go or the emotions and reasons behind it, all I said was "I'll figure something out"
I needed her confirmation, even though so much happened between us. I needed to hear those words from her own mouth. I needed to know for sure that she liked me. But knowing the nature of her personalty, she wouldn't admit to anything.

I left for home that following spring/summer.

My heart broken. I was such a wreck it took me half a decade to heal.
I remember it was my first week back home. she was back home in Hong Kong for the summer.
I get a message from her she asks:
"Where are you?"
I simply reply:
"At work"
She then continues to ask:
"Location"
I froze for a moment, I could feel her through my computer monitor. It broke her heart. because all this time, she thought maybe i was bluffing the entire time. I simply said "Calgary"

Shit happened to me, shit happened to her.

I tried my hardest to mend and heal everything between us.
There were even moments that i thought If only i moved back right now, we could fix this. and I could be with her.
But now i have come to realise that that will never happen.

What's done is done.
I'm not sad anymore.
I just hope she isn't sad anymore either.

I want to thank you all for reading, and allowing me to vividly reliving some of the best moments of my life.


Just learn to accept things are not meant to be, even if all the peices fall perfectly into place.

For her, I am thankful
she really shaped me into the person i am today.

But if you ask me. Deep down inside
I will Always Love Rice.