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“Be strong, don’t let other people ruin your life. Ignore them, just be yourself!”.

The quoted words that my friend keep on telling me. It was her favorite lines that she shared me every time I’m feeling helpless and weak. Often words from her that I truly missed. I was in the Elementary when I met a dear good friend. She approached me one day in our canteen under the mango tree.

I’m a new kid in town and a new pupil of the school. I’m always all by myself, no one to talk with, eating at the school canteen alone. It’s been months in school but I’m still with no one. My world seems too gray because I feel so lonely. I feel like nobody likes me and they hate me.. Until one day, a cute fellow approached me and gave his sweetest smile.
“Hi! Why are you alone? Can I take this seat? Can I eat my meal together with you?”, she asked. And I, so happy knowing that someone had offered me a hand and gave me a great treat! I considered it as a great treat because its the first time that someone had approached me and asked to be my friend since I transfered to the school.

She was my first friend at the school. From Elementary, we’ve been friends. Imagine, that simple situation gave this great chance to have a very true friend. I couldn’t ask for more. She’s very kind, thoughtful, loving, and above all the character that she possessed, I love the way she faced the world. My friend was a very strong person. We’ve been together up to high school. We knew each other well and we shared same things together. If you don’t know that we’re not related to each other, probably you think that we’re sisters. Yap! the way we dress, the company we have, all of it! But of course, I can’t deny the fact that we also have contradictions. Not in terms of our physical appearance, but with the ideal attitude that she had. Just like what I said, she’s that brave. She’s always at my side in anyway. A fighter of course. She’s always at her smile. You can’t see her lonely or depressed. Imagine, every time or whenever I’m about to sob, she’s always there to make me laugh. She’s my clown in every lonely party that I encounter. A funny, almost problem less.. SHE.

I remember one day when I’m with my pet. I was walking the highway when my pet ran over me. With my innocence, I almost lost it. I was crying in the middle of the road, and finding my friend at no where. I’m crying so hard and realized that its almost dark. Tracking my way home, I’m lost. So depressed that I couldn’t find my dog and so alone in a dark highway. I sat down at the shed and cried that harder. About to give up, a flash of light had catch my attention. I looked up to find where it has been.. there I saw my dear friend holding my dog on her arms. Because of my sudden lost, I stood so quickly, hurriedly approached my dear friend and embraced her! ‘m so glad to see her at my darkest way. And I’m so thankful that she spent time just to find me in the middle of the dark. I cried on her shoulder, tears of joy for now I’m not lost anymore. She found me in the dark and gave back the courage that I almost lost.

“Hey! Don’t cry.. I’m here now. See I brought here your pet. We came here to take you home..”, she pampered me and kept me safe.

“I’m so scared. I’ m alone and its dark.. I’m at no where. I’m really glad that you’re here.”, I said with my crying voice.

“I know.. Ahm, just think of this.. always be brave, be strong!”, she quoted me and asked for my courage. I looked at her, her eyes were full of courage. The courage that longing to have. But I know, that’s the attitude that I couldn’t achieve, because I’m a coward. And that’s who I am. I’m a weak young lady and she’s my shoulder whom I can lean on.

“You fight!”, she encouraged me to be strong when things seems too hard for me..

We reached college together and enrolled at the same University. We took the same course. Study together and doing homeworks every time. My father kiddingly said me to adopt her for us to introduced as sisters.

Our bonding gets stronger. I could still recall when she was suspended at the school just because of me. I was sitting under the mango tree when a brat girl approached me. she said bad things about me and she almost slap my face without any valid reason I know. The brat girl throw my books away and had pushed me. My friend saw me and hurriedly came my way. She pushed the brat girl and slap the girl’s face. My friend and that bratt girl fought at each other, and where suspended for two weeks. At the guidance office, I came up crying. I’m defending my friend and but the counselor ignored my explanation. I begged for an apology but they refused. My friend came closed and said..


“Its okay Kathy, I’m doing fine. Two weeks is just like two days. Don’t worry. Just do some assignments for me.”, she whispered and kiddingly said the last line.

I felt so ashame, because of me she was suspended. I apologized at her but she said..
“It’s not your fault, that brat girl should be blame. Don’t blame yourself. Anyway, I need some vacation. Maybe this is my chance to take some rest.”

For almost ten years that we’re together, she never did blame me. I found her as big sister. Although she’s only at my age, she’s that matured. Unlike me, a foolish and a childish friend. After that suspension, another sinister came my way. The brat girl poisoned and brain washed our campus mates’ mind. She told everybody that I’m an adopted child and a bad girl. So many threatening but I didn’t say any to defend myself. The news gets bigger and the worst was, my friend knew about it. she wanted to confront the brat girl but I beg her not to.. Good thing she listened and did nothing. But she’s that
angry and punched the tree.. There, I cried at her shoulder. Looking at me closely, she said..
“Be strong, don’t let other people ruin your life. Ignore them, just be yourself!”.

Days pass by.. Still at the darkness shadow. Vacation, and its the first summer that I will spend time with my family. My parents decided to go out of town for some vacation. I don’t really want to go with them. But my friend told me that its my chance to know them better, so I decided to spend my vacation with my family.

After one and half months of vacation, we’re going home. I was so excited to see my best friend again. I really miss her that’s why. Besides, I brought her many “pasalubong” and all of her favorites. Finally, we’re home. I came rushing way to my friend’s house to surprise her. It was 7:00 p.m. and maybe she’s reading some books. Blocks away from their place, I felt so nervous. Its my first time to feel this way. My knees were cramping and my heart felt too tight. I took a deep breath and saw their house full of lights and people were there, sitting and playing cards. All I could hear was the sound of ladies’ playing bingos at their garden. My heart beats too fast and my feet were rushing way to their house. Before I enter the gate, I saw my friend’s mother hurriedly approached me and cried. I was unease. Slowly, I’ve noticed a white casket with a brown carper below. The lights were around and candles adds way in.

I stood with cramping knees and looked at it slowly. I’m about to recognized the face and was terribly shocked. I move closer to the casket and saw a young lady lying onto it. I kneel down and cried.

“Why?!”, I shouted.

I can’t believe that the young lady was my dear friend. My mind on telling me that’s its true but my heart says not true. I hug her casket and I can’t believe true. Her mom approached me and gave me a box.
“Kathy, take this.. She asked me to give it to you when you arrive home. She’s always at that door, waiting for you..”

I sat down and opened the box. There, I saw pictures of ours together. Eating the ice cream after the Elementary graduation, swimming during the high school vacation, exchanging gifts on a Christmas Tree and all the pictures of us together. A diary was there, a letter.. And wait, a little paper doll, I remember, it was my first gift.

“She kept it..”, I said myself and saw our name indicated at the back of the doll with “Best friends”.

I opened the diary..

JULY 20, 1994

Dear Diary,
I’ve met a girl just like me. Also a weak crying child. I approached her and I love her company. From now on, she’s my best friend.

AUGUST 26, 1998

Dear Diary,
Lately, I’m so scared. You know why? My friend was lost with her dog. I came out to find her, thanked God I saw her. Believe me she cries like a baby. She made me scared, I thought I lost her forever.

NOVEMBER 15, 2003

Dear Diary,
I was suspended for two weeks. The pushed my best friend, so I fought back. I’ll get that brat girl!

With the diary, I realized. My best friend was not tough. I can see the cowardice of her inside it. I closed the diary but the wind opened the uncovered page.. I read and found out.
Dear Kathy,

Hope you’re enjoying the vacation with your family.I’m so happy for you. I want to wait for you but I’m running out of time. I wrote you up to say thank you so much. Thank you for all those happy moments that we’ve been together. Guess what? I;m so lucky to have you around and to be your best friend. Such an unforgettable experience to be with you. Maybe you’ll read this while I’m lying on my last bed.

Kathy, believe me, you’re much stronger than me. I really want to hang out with you but I can’t take the pain any longer. I am sick and no one knows about it. I wanted to tell you about this but I don’t want to see you crying. From then, I decided not to tell you. I can’t take the pain anymore. So I decided to end my life to stop my suffering. I’m so tired and hopeless. Oh my gosh.. I’m about to cry. Before tears fall from my eyes, I want to say Goodbye and I Love You Best friend. Don’t get mad at me okay? Take care and God keep you safe always.

Love lots,
Best friend

 

The wind wrapped around the place, around me. Candles were melted and the lights turned off. I closed my eyes and felt the wind. As i open my eyes, a hand on my shoulder I feel. I looked and starred closely, it was her. Looking at the me, smiled then she disappeared. The lights turned on and even for the last time she still keeps me safe and brave. I stood up and looked at her body lying with a smile. Just like the first time I saw her, full of courage.

Even for her last time, she still gave me a hand to find the courage within me.
“Thank you so much..”, I sincerely uttered followed by.. “Goodbye.”, I closed my eyes.
She’s the most brave person I ever met. Truly, a little courage in me is HER.