Goodbye to you my friend

December 2004. It was our Christmas party. One person was missing: Carmelle Garces, who was confined to the hospital due to her illness. As we were all preparing to go home, my classmate Tonio suddenly approached me and gave me a drawing. He told me it was from Carmelle. Immediately, tears sprung from my eyes. 

I had been badgering her to give me a drawing even though she insisted many times that she can't draw. I still insisted because I wanted to have a remembrance from everybody and I told her that anyone can draw. 

I cried because even in her condition, she was still very thoughtful and kept her promise to give me a drawing. And like a domino effect, my other classmates were crying with me until almost everyone in class was crying. We were crying because she had been absent from school for many days already and we were all worried because she had been battling this illness for quite some time.

She was one of my close friends in high school who would patiently listen to me. And everyone loved her because of her funny yet innocent remarks. She was often my seatmate during rearrangements because both our family names start with "G", and whenever I'm with her, I feel really comfortable and at ease. As I always think to my self, she is one of my favorite classmates. 

January 2013. I received the news that she had already taken her eternal repose. It had been years since I last saw her. It now feels painful, awful, and sad. But I'm quite relieved that she doesn't have to continue the fight and suffer anymore.

As I look back on this drawing, I can't help but be glad that I badgered her in giving this to me. But even without this, she will remain in my heart and in my mind forever. I'm crying once more as I look at this drawing and writing this post which I am dedicating for her.

I'll miss her. I'll truly miss her. I wish I had replied more to her texts. But now, I pray for her soul to be happy there in heaven now. I hope God will take good care of her in heaven. I'm sure she will be a beautiful and funny angel there.