Loving a Believer

Chapter 28: What To Prepare For

I mourned until the sun rose again and Storm comforted me all night.

Kirby's voice kept playing on my mind. The words he said that I couldn't forget: "I've just missed my best friend..." I could still remember Kirby's smile when he said that. I could still remember his smile, his laugh, his silly jokes, and his sweetness.

His condition was already serious when we last met on Mark's birthday. That was why I noticed that he lost weight when I hugged him.

Storm and I decided to go back to the Philippines so we could visit Kirby's burial - and that idea drove me insane.

Bakit sunud-sunod ang mga taong nawawala sa buhay ko? That was the question in my mind.

I relished the warm climate of the Philippines when we finally arrived at the airport. My cellphone vibrated in my pocket and when I checked it out, it was just a random notification. I was about to touch the home button when one unread message on my notification bar caught my attention. I almost lost my breath when I saw Kirby's name. I opened it and read it.

Kirby Dude
+6326****3242

Friday 11:56 PM

Happy birthday, dude!

I checked the time he sent the message to me. It was on the first of November, Friday night, almost midnight. Ngayon ko lang na-check ang text messages ko, so I didn't notice that he texted me.

I felt my tears form in my eyes again while I was staring at his message. It was the first time that he greeted me with "Happy Birthday" because he used to greet me with "Happy Halloween."

I felt Storm's hand patting my back, trying to calm me down. I hugged him and cried into his chest. I didn't mind if the taxi driver would find us dramatic.

I couldn't help but cry whenever I remember how Kirby became a best friend to me...

"Psst! Fara, com'on let's play outside!" Napalingon ako sa bintana ng kwarto ko nang marinig ko ang mga katok doon.

"Kirby?"

"Yes, it's me."

Pinagbuksan ko siya at mabilis na pumasok naman siya sa loob ng kuwarto ko.

"Dad will kill me," I told him.

"You know, my mom has been asking about you. Kain tayo ng baked na cake ni Mommy," he invited.

"I just really can't."

His facial expression softened. He knew that Dad was locking me inside my room and sometimes, not feeding me all day.

"Okay, okay. Ganito na lang. Kukunin ko ang cake sa bahay namin at dadalhin ko rito," aniya at tinungo muli ang bintana.

I just nodded to him and watched him sneak out of our house. I waited for him to come back. And after a few minutes, there I saw him holding a box of cake. I was so glad that our bodyguard did not notice him. Nang makaakyat na siya, mabilis na kinuha ko ang box sa kaniya at pinatong iyon sa kama.

"C'mon, let's eat this!" he said happily.

Pagkabukas namin ng box, bumungad sa amin ang chocolate-flavored cake. I saw something written there.

Happy Halloween
Fara!

My eyes widened and turned my gaze back at him, who was now smiling at me from ear to ear.