"Arviiiiiin." She spits out my name like a siren. "It's cold and it's dark and it's late. Why are we here?"
Although I did not ignore her predicament, I did not respond either. I absorbed her irritation, took a long breath, and kept staring at the city below us.
"Hey Lui. How high do you think we are right now?" The question was not a dodge, even. I really wanted to know how high we were. At these kinds of moments, it's just somehow important to know. "If I jump right now, where do you think would I land?"
I took one step closer to the edge of the ravine. The cold breeze is brushing my face, making my eyes water a bit. She's already hysterical. Lui dela Merced, I thought to myself, you have always been a drama queen.
"What the hell are you doing, you idiot. You wanna die?"
"That would be ideal, don't you think? I mean, considering that's what I'm planning right now."
"Arviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin." My name resounded from her lips like a siren again.
If I do jump right now, that sound would be ringing in my ears. At least until I hit ground. "What the—What the hell are you thinking right now?"
Still not moving from where I stood, I turned to her. Even in the dark she's glowing. She's been glowing so much these days, I could never figure out why. I studied the details of her face (what I could make out of anyway), focused on her eyes a bit (reflecting the lights coming from the city), then her nose (and that small unfortunate mole that landed at the tip), then her lips. Her lips were shining in the darkness, looking so moist and soft.
She's my best friend. She's getting married tomorrow. And I'm jumping tonight.
"If I jump fifteen seconds from now, what would you do? I mean, right after. Would you run to call for help? Would you cry and feel lost? Or would you just pass out from shock? The last one is probable. Knowing how much of a wienie you are."
"What the f—are you trying to be funny? Because this is not funny. This is not even in the same zip code as funny. Stop fooling around, Arvin. Step away from the edge and get your ass in here. There are mosquitoes here, you bastard. I want to go home." Her words are harsh, but I could tell she's starting to get scared. I've known her long enough to not be fooled by her animosity.
I said nothing. She stopped ranting too. There was an awkward silence for a while. Knowing Lui, she's probably getting her thoughts together, try to reason with me. Tell me whatever it is that's bothering me right now, this is not the answer.
"Arvin. Arvin, listen to me. Whatever it is that's bothering you right now, this is not the answer."
I stared at her face again, making most out of this moment. After tonight, I would not be able to anymore.
"You think?" I said with just a touch of sarcasm, which she was too worried to catch anyway.
"I know. Now step away from the edge."
But I was not ready to move just yet. Even if I could feel her losing her temper.
"Hey Lui." I said. "If I die , would you miss me?"
"Of course I would you dumbass. What kind of stupid question is that?"
"Yeah? Would you cry like a kid who lost her lollipop?"
"I would cry like a kid who lost her best friend. Honestly, what kind of response were you expecting?"
I contemplated for a moment. "That, I guess."
"But you can't die on me now. Actually, you can't die for a long time. I need you in this planet alive. Especially on my wedding tomorrow."
"I can't come to your wedding." I said quietly.
