Going the Distance (Book #1 of Distance series)

3: If Only

"Dreams do come true if you only wish hard enough, You can have anything for life if you will sacrifice everything for it."
-James M. Barrie

🤍🤍🤍



"Between Us"
by Peter Bradley Adams

♪ Hey stranger or may I call you my own
I know I don't know you,
but there's somewhere I've seen you before
Whatever your name is, whatever you do
There's nothing between us I'm willing to loose
Wherever you live now, wherever you walk
There's distance between us
I'm willing to cross ♫

🧳🧳🧳🧳

Andy: Let me rephrase that.

Andy: If ever, you'd go out with me?

Sophie: Possibly. Yes. Whatever.

Sophie: If only you're near me.

Catching my finger in my mouth for I'm absentmindedly biting my fingernails again, I stop dead in my own tracks. Lagi kong pinapagalitan si Marcia noon all throughout our growing up years regarding this annoying habit of hers, habang ito ako ngayon at ginagawa na rin ang ganito. Nakakahawa! Lagi ko kasing pinapansin, eh.

Andy: Yeah, too bad!

Andy: And I'm just wondering, if only you live next door, next block across my street, or even many blocks more... Or if you just live in the same town or the next... anywhere around England, it would be easier for us to get to know.

Sophie: I fancy that thought.

Sophie: You know what, we have this unique Filipino custom called as "panliligaw" in Tagalog (that's what our language is called), which is equivalent to traditional courtship. In this practice the guy woos the girl he likes and proves his pure intention and worth to her.

Sophie: Traditionally, we don't have a short cut to having a relationship after a guy professes his feelings to a girl. He does have to go through this process of "panliligaw" in order to win the girl's "YES" before they become an official couple.

Andy: We don't usually do that here. It's far different from dating because on the latter it's clear from the beginning that you have mutual feelings for each other, and you just have to determine along the way if you're compatible or not.

Sophie: Right! Truth is, traditional courtship rarely applies in my country in these days. But long ago, a guy who wishes to win a girl's heart undergoes strenuous household chores and tasks for her family. And aside from the test of patience and security, it's like an assessment to her suitor that he is a man capable of raising a family.

Andy: Long courtship. That's pretty very unusual to us. But I'm amazed learning about this Filipino culture that's completely different from ours.

Sophie: There are countless, out of the ordinary traditions and sometimes over and above "strange" beliefs to complete the long list, that Western and English people like you may find really odd. Well that's just us.

Andy: Hahah, I don't think I may find them odd, really. As I've said, I'm amazed learning about your culture and I would love to hear more. You're the only Filipino that I know.