For What It's Worth

Chapter 1

There he was.

Looking extremely gorgeous despite being covered in sweat, he kept up with dribbling the ball as he passed through some players from the enemy team who was trying to block and stop him from getting close to the basketball ring.

And here I am... sitting on one of the bleachers with a few more of my friends, frantically cheering not only for him, but for our school's basketball team as well.

"GO MILO! GO MILO! GO MILOOOOOOO!!!!"

I heard another group, not too far from where we were, hollered while raising their homemade pompoms in mid-air.

I glanced over to them and realized they were just some freshmen from our school. Probably one of Milo's so-called "fans".

And then... with them... I saw her.

Sophie Reid.

It was like my entire world stopped rotating as I saw her. She was tucking her beautifully woven silky red hair behind her ear while smiling, all the while enthusiastically screaming Milo's name.

It was at this moment that I realized why people from our school labeled her as "our school's precious gem." She was indeed a gem. A rarely expensive gem.

She was beautiful. Yes. She was mesmerizing to look at. Yes. When she smiles, you could tell that she's a sweet and innocent girl... someone who can't dare break.

I took in a deep breath and decided to ignore her and look over to Milo again. Everyone in our school who was watching the game live stood and clapped their hands as Milo made a perfect 3-pointer shot.

...on a buzzer beater.

This was it. Our team had officially won the final game.

I watched as Milo jumped ecstatically. His teammates started carrying him on their shoulders, cheerily smiling and laughing out of victory.

It didn't take long before our eyes had met. He smiled at me. And I smiled back at him.

I know quite for sure the gymnasium was filled with loud screams and cheers, but as soon as our eyes locked, I couldn't hear anything else except my own heartbeat.

Unfortunately, I had to snap back to my senses, especially when I saw his gaze shifted from me then to our school's most precious gem.

He smiled at Sophie. She smiled back. And mine faded away.

Of course he would notice she was there. She was probably the first person he was looking for but his eyes coincidentally landed on mine first before it caught sight of her.

My friends and I decided to go after the game ended. There was no reason to stay longer anyways.

Well, I had. Milo, the guy a lot of girls along the bleachers were ogling at, was my best friend after all. It would be natural for me to go to him and personally give my congratulations but when I saw Sophie and her friends started making their way towards Milo and his teammates, I chose to go with my friends.

If I'd see Milo gawking at Sophie once more, I might snap and kung fu kick her out of the gym.

Yeah you guessed it. As cliche as it may seems...

I am inlove with Milo. I am inlove with my bestfriend.

For how long you ask?

I can't even recall. Heck, I don't even remember why and how I fell inlove with him. I just woke up one day carrying these feelings within me.

Of course he doesn't know. How could I tell him? Why would I tell him? If I tell him, would it make any difference? Would he start seeing me more than just his best friend?

Such rhetorical questions.

Questions I already know what the answers are.

******

"What would you have Alex?" one of my friend Ken, short for Kendrick, asked right when we were already at the counter.

My friends and I went to the nearest snack diner after the game. We've also decided to go straight to the movie theaters to catch up with that recent Tom Holland movie after we finish eating.

"I'll have one mint choco milkshake and some fries please," I told the counter lady. Ken also told her his order of burger and milk tea.

The diner lady told us that she would just serve our orders directly at our table so we went back to our friends, who were also waiting for the snacks they ordered.

Thank god it didn't take long though because I was starting to feel a little bit famished.

"Uh-oh," Laura, my curly-haired friend, whispered almost to herself, but I caught it.

I asked her what's wrong but she just glanced away. I looked behind me to see what exactly caught her off guard, and immediately regretted it.

Sophie came in with her freshmen friends. Our school's basketball team came in next-- Milo entering last.

"What are those freshmen doing with the basketball team?" Sarah, also with us, asked while she secretly steals glances at them.

Kendrick and Laura shrugged. They obviously didn't care but Sarah and I sure did.

To me, it was no surprise that Milo would be with where Sophie is. He is in fact courting her to be his girlfriend.

Typical Milo going for the pretty ones before the others could.

He wasn't a player. I should know that as his friend since childhood. But he sure falls in love so easily. He usually gets attracted to someone, and then takes it really seriously as if he'd die if he couldn't have them.

However, it happens almost so very often that he'd end breaking up with a girlfriend just to pursue the new one.

Okay. Perhaps it's what a playboy does... but like I said... he takes the relationship seriously... for a while until he starts liking a new one.

Poor Sophie.

Poor me.

Despite that characteristic he has, never once in my life had he ever gotten attracted to me. And it sucks.

There was a point in my life where I found it very much unfair because why wouldn't he be attracted with me? We've been together since both our mother's childbirth.

He could have at least have 3% feelings for me.

But he never did.

"Isn't Milo dating Sophie? Maybe that's why?" Ken nonchalantly said while he slurps on the straw of his milk tea.

"It was a rhetorical question Ken," Sarah rolled her eyes.

I was about to steal another glance at them but noticed Milo coming our way, so I hastily looked elsewhere.

"There you are Alex!" He greeted, his arms wide open to give me a hug. "Hi guys," he greeted my friends, while I was locked in between his arms.

I could feel my heart pounding as I was wrapped around his warm body, the scent of his cologne enveloping me causing me to almost fall into a daze. Luckily, I managed to keep it together.

"I waited for you after the game but you never showed," he said to me. I scooted over since was going to sit next to me.

"They were going for a snack and I got hungry so I went with them," I lied so perfectly with a smile. Well, it was half a lie. I did get hungry but the main reason was mostly because I couldn't handle him being with Sophie while I suffer in the hands of being the thirdwheel.

No thank you.

"Yeah we're going to catch the new Tom Holland movie later. Would you like to join us Milo?" Laura butted in, her eyes sparkling as she stared at my best friend. She was always so open about having a crush on Milo. Fortunately for me, she never had a chance too.

At least I wasn't alone in the friendzone.

"Yeah no thanks. Sophie wants to go uhh--," he paused to look at me. I can see the discomfort in his eyes and I wondered why.

"--she wants to go shopping," he continued.

Aah. That's why.

"Milo!!" Just then princess Sophie called out for him. Her voice was a tad bit whiny and I couldn't tell if she did it on purpose to look cute or it's really how she speaks.

Either or.... I hate her.

"Gotta go. My princess needs me," he chuckled. He stood, grabbed one of my fries, then ruffled my hair before he went back to little miss flirty whiny pants.

I used to be his princess. I thought to myself.

But that was way back elementary days and was in no way inclined with any romantic shits.

"Well I lost my appetite," Laura furrowed her eyebrows. "Movie time!"

"But I'm not done yet," Ken, who was still chewing on his burger, retorted.

"Just bring it with you," Laura insisted we should go.

I don't blame her.

Sophie was having her hands around Milo. My Milo.

And it definitely wasn't a sight for sore eyes.

xx