Almost

11.1K 269 59

by shirlengtearjerky

by shirlengtearjerky

Since I've been writing a ton of sad stuff lately, I might as well share this ~thing.

**
Title: Almost
Characters: IIF/TMEUAS
Prompt: Write a five sentence fic based from this quote: "The saddest word in the whole wide world is the word almost. He was almost in love. She was almost good for him. He almost stopped her. She almost waited. He almost lived. They almost made it." - Tiny Stories by Nikita Gil

*
Ficlet #1: The saddest word in the whole wide world is the word almost.

She manages to drink three shots of tequila in succession, hoping it will somehow dull the punishing ache blossoming in her chest. The alcohol fails to do its trick, much to her disappointment. She slaps Rocky's hand when her best friend tries to grab the half-empty bottle of Ocho from her reach.

"Ja...pleas--"

"I-I know we're not together anymore." She chokes on the last two words before breaking into a sad smile. "It's been what...almost eight years, 'di ba? I was the one who broke up with him. It was for the best, right? We eventually got past that, and we're friends! I thought... I really thought I'd be okay with this. I'm fucking over him, Chel. But why the fuck am I hurting?"

She pauses, inhaling sharply. "14 years old ako nung una kong na-imagine na ikakasal kaming dalawa. All of us did imagine that, right? We even got married nung 4th year! Then...things happened. Masaya na ako sa buhay ko ngayon pero ang sakit. I should've been there with him. I should be the one marrying him, not her. I should--"

The rest of her what-ifs turn into broken sobs on her best friend's shoulder.

*****