Of Our Dear Friend, Brycel

CEBU, Philippines - As we looked at the pale and unusually deformed face behind the clear glass of the coffin, we had difficulty accepting the fact that it was our dear friend. My best friend, Dess and I couldn’t contain our tears as they cascaded down our cheeks. We hugged our dear friend’s mom and then each other as we let out some loud sobs for more than 10 minutes before we finally recovered from the painful thought that Brycel, our beloved friend was gone. Fate took her away from us.

A week before the accident, my best friend and I bumped into her at the third level of SM City Cebu, near Toy Kingdom. Dess was supposed to meet her boyfriend at that time who came very late for their date. So, we walked around the mall, doing window shopping before we’d meet up with Mark.  After a few rounds, we went back to their supposed rendezvous, and that was when we saw Brycel with Hannah, another friend of ours. They were also hanging around the mall, after their classes.

When we saw each other, we were so excited that we chatted non-stop. Dess was a little bit anxious seeing some friends because her relationship was not open to everybody. She was scared other people might know that she has a boyfriend and even feared the idea that it might reach her mother. So, while chatting with Brycel and Hannah, Dess was a little uncomfortable and was in a bit of a hurry. Brycel, sensing her uneasiness, told her, “Si Dess bah, karon ra gani ta nagkita, nagdali na’g lakaw… (You’re in a hurry to go when we have just seen each other.).”

Ignoring Brycel’s words Dess explained, “We’re actually in a hurry because we need to meet someone.” I continued to laugh and chat a bit longer with Brycel and Hannah.

After we graduated from high school, we went to different schools to pursue different courses. Brycel and Hannah studied at the University of San Jose Recoletos, while Dess and I took up Mass Communication at Saint Theresa’s College. It was only that time that we saw each other after we graduated from Saint Alphonsus Catholic School.

After a few chitchats, we bade goodbye to each other as Brycel and Hannah took the winding staircase down to the floor below. Before we separated, Brycel told Dess, “others na kaayo ka ha…” an expression stated in a joking manner that suggests a bit of coldness in the relationship. Dess just gave her a grin and shrugged off her words.

It was summer and we took summer classes. A few days after our rendezvous at SM, we got a text message from a common friend: Brycel got hit by a multi-cab and she was at the ICCU in Mactan Doctors Hospital. Hearing this, my best friend and I were worried. Dess was more worried because she had witnessed a relative sent to the ICCU a few months ago.

A day or two after, we decided to visit Brycel at the hospital. Dess, Michelle and I met up at Burger Machine, in front of our Alma Matter. When we got to the hospital and finally got in the room to see our friend, we were so surprised at what we saw. Our dear friend, Brycel was totally in a bad shape. Her faced was a little bit deformed and was purplish with bruises. Her right leg was raised and she couldn’t open her eyes. When we talked to her, a tear would slide down her cheek. The sight of her on that bed broke our hearts.

On our second visit, Brycel didn’t look any better. To make matters worse, Michelle told me softly that she dreamed that her tooth fell off her mouth. Trying to be cool, I just ignored the fearful thought despite my little knowledge on the meaning of dreams, because I was bracing for the worse to come.

One afternoon after our second and last visit to the hospital, Dess got a text message: Brycel passed away. We just finished our classes and heading for home at that time. It seemed like the clock stopped at the moment! I was still hoping it was just a joke, but crazy me, who would pull such a serious joke. Dess and I talked a bit about it, but most of the time, we were silent as we rode the 21B jeepney heading to SM, then the shuttle van towards Opon Mercado (Opon Market).

As Dess and I hugged each other in front of Bycel’s coffin, my best friend couldn’t help telling me her regrets. As we looked at Brycel in her coffin, she said, “If I have known that it would be the last time I would see her at SM, I would have given her more time. Now, I won’t ever see her again and I am so sorry for that…”  

Indeed, life has given us many chances to be with our beloved family, friends and other love ones. Perhaps, even the chance to say goodbye to them formally before fate would finally take them away from us. Who would have thought that in a single instant, Brycel would be gone forever, even before we had a chance to say “goodbye” to her. A thousand pleasant words won’t matter anymore when the person is dead. Therefore, live your life everyday as if it were your last, so when the time comes, you won’t have to regret a single moment. Time lost can never be found, so live each day fully, by sharing wonderful moments with the people you love and cherish... because who knows?