I's What Ifs

5: Serendipity in the Garden

Third Person

It was a warm summer afternoon, and Greggy found himself on a mission, a mission of the heart. He had first laid eyes on Irene at Imee's birthday party a few weeks ago, and since then, he couldn't stop thinking about her. She was the older sister of Imee and the girl he couldn't get out of his head.

Greggy's heart raced as he made his way to Bong's house. Bong was one of his closest friends, and Greggy had concocted an excuse to visit him this afternoon. He pretended that he needed to return a book he had borrowed, though his real intention was to catch a glimpse of Irene. He hoped that by some stroke of fate, she'd be there.

As Greggy entered Bong's house, he was greeted with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the soft murmur of conversation and a display of family photographs adorning the hallway. He couldn't help but be drawn to them. Among the pictures, he found himself fixated on the images of Irene. There were countless photos of her from her childhood, capturing her growth into a beautiful young lady.

One photograph, in particular, caught his attention and held him in its grasp. It was a picture of Irene wearing a pristine white dress, holding a violin in her hands. She looked just as enchanting as the first time he had seen her at Imee's party. In that photograph, Irene gazed at her violin with a look of absolute delight, a smile gracing her lips. The sight of her with the violin, that same smile, stirred something within Greggy's heart.

He stood there, lost in reverie, as he couldn't help but marvel at her journey from a little girl into the incredible young woman she had become. Irene's beauty and grace were evident in every picture, but it was the one with the violin that held a special place in his heart.

Bong's voice broke Greggy's trance. "Hey, Greggy! What are you looking at there? Lost in nostalgia?"

Greggy quickly snapped back to reality, a hint of a blush on his cheeks. "Oh, just admiring the family photos, Bong. Your family pics are nice and your sister, Irene, looks lovely in every one of them."

Bong grinned knowingly, recognizing the admiration in Greggy's voice. "She sure does, doesn't she? Come on, let's go to the balcony."

With one last glance at Irene's picture, Greggy followed Bong2 to the balcony, anticipation growing in his heart. He was here to see Irene, but the sight of her in those photographs had already given him a glimpse into the beauty and grace that had enchanted him from the very beginning.

Bong led him to the balcony, where two chairs and a small table were set up. A couple of light beers awaited them, along with a picturesque view of the garden below.

They settled into their seats, and the conversation started.

"Hey, Bong," Greggy began, "I haven't seen your sister around lately. Is she busy with school or something?"

Bong's face furrowed and had this confused face, "Which of my two sisters are you referring to?" Bong asked.

Greggy was having second thoughts on telling him, but he said it anyway. "Ah...Irene."

Bong's face lit up at the mention of his sister. "Yeah, Irene's been working hard in college. She's studying over at UP. She's always been the studious type, you know, top of her class and all that."

Greggy nodded, impressed. "That's great to hear. What's she majoring in?"

Bong smiled proudly, "She's majoring 2 fields which are Anthropology and Biology. She's got a thing for animals and the environment. You should see her room; it's filled with plants and books on wildlife."

Greggy's interest grew, and he couldn't help but ask more. "Wow, that's impressive. What does she like to do in her free time? Any hobbies or interests she's passionate about?"

Bong took a sip of his beer and thought for a moment. "Well, she's quite the animal lover, like I mentioned. She gardens, supports local things, and she's always taking our Shih Tzu, Audrey, for walks. Oh, and she's got a knack for art, too. She's into painting and sketching."

Listening to Bong describe Irene's interests, Greggy found himself more enamored with her. She seemed like a fascinating person with a big heart. He was also curious about one more thing.

"So, Bong," Greggy asked, "is Irene seeing anyone special these days?"

Bong chuckled and gave Greggy a knowing look. "Well, she's been pretty focused on her studies and her volunteer work lately, so she hasn't really had time for dating. But who knows, maybe someone will catch her eye soon."

Greggy nodded and kinda felt relieved, his heart leaping with a mix of hope and nervousness. As the afternoon continued, he couldn't help but wonder if he might be the one to catch Irene's eye, and he looked forward to the chance of getting to know her better.

The two friends continued talking and reminisced about friends, business, politics and shared stories about their latest escapades. Greggy, however, couldn't concentrate fully on the conversation. He kept glancing around, hoping to spot Irene.

Bong noticed Greggy's furtive glances and couldn't help but chuckle. "Looking for someone, are we?" he teased.

Greggy blushed and chuckled nervously, "Nah, just enjoying the view, you know."

Bong raised an eyebrow, his eyes dancing with mischief. "Enjoying the view, huh? Well, the real view is right here, my friend."

They both laughed, but Greggy couldn't shake his restlessness. His heart skipped a beat every time he thought he saw a glimpse of a familiar face in the distance. He was utterly captivated by Irene.

The evening sun was beginning to set, casting a warm orange glow over the garden. As the two friends continued their conversation, Greggy's eyes wandered again, and this time, fate favored him. He saw Irene, standing near the garden's edge, holding a leash attached to a tiny Shih Tzu dog.

Greggy couldn't take his eyes off Irene. He stood there on the balcony, transfixed, watching her for what felt like hours, even though it was only a couple of minutes. Irene, unaware of his gaze, seemed to radiate a special charm, and Greggy was spellbound.

It was Bong who finally broke the silence, noticing Greggy's fixed attention. "Greggy, you seem pretty taken by my sister there. Would you like to meet her again?"

Greggy blinked, snapped out of his trance once more, and his heart raced with anticipation. "Yes, Bong, I would love that."

With Bong leading the way, they both descended to the garden, where Irene was still playing with Audrey, her Shih Tzu. His focus was solely on Irene, who was unaware of his approach.

As he drew nearer, Greggy couldn't help but smile. She was even more beautiful up close, with her short hair and a gentle smile on her face. The Shih Tzu wagged its tail excitedly.

Their eyes finally met, and the world seemed to fade away. Time stood still as they exchanged smiles, a silent connection sparking between them. Greggy's heart soared as he finally met the girl who had captured his attention and made his heart race since Imee's birthday party.

As Bong stepped away to give them some space, Greggy and Irene began a conversation.

"Hey there," Greggy managed to say, his voice a little shaky but filled with warmth.

Irene returned his greeting with a soft, "Hello." Her eyes twinkled, mirroring the same excitement and interest that had brought Greggy to Bong's house in the first place.

From that moment on, Greggy and Irene were bound by something more profound than mere attraction. They were connected by a chance meeting that felt like destiny, and as the evening continued, they found themselves drawn into a conversation that seemed to have been waiting for them all along.

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