And for some reasons, our company decided to have our annual outing at Puerto Galera.

Lemme tease you a bit (shot from my friend's camera):

I'll post more photos when I get time. Right now, I'm too busy at work. Yeah, less time online. Miss you guys! Muah!

Chai

It's been a week since Richard left. Nobody knew he would. He's really not that close to me so I guess he didn't dare tell me. The thing is, he didn't tell anyone too. Darn you, Richard! You didn't even say goodbye? I hate it! Lemme tell you a story about this guy and why he deserves to be in my blog.

Richard is one of my good friends since high school though. We used to go out in groups. He is usually quiet but cracks up jokes from time to time. Surely, he's a good laugh too for all of us. Here in the Philippines, we call it barkada - a clique or group of friends (sorta) sharing the same interests and ... you know what I mean.

Here's one photo (actually, 1 set but 3 photos) with my group of friends as we graduated in high school:

As you can probably figure out, I am the girl with the long white (gala) dress at the bottom photo. I'm beside my best friend, Boots Ann. Beside her is Arvin. And beside Arvin is Richard.

Sorry for the small photo hehe. I don't have much of my old photos anymore since our house burned last 2006. This is one of the few I kept online! Thank heavens we can now save photos online, right? I am also very grateful coz Boots kinda "adopted" me during that time. Luv yah, Boots!

Anyway, back to my story. Well, Richard used to be my best friend's boyfriend way back high school. I can't recall when exactly did they start dating but they did ... approximately during our junior to senior years (yeah coz during our Junior & Senior Prom ... well, that's another story so I'll skip it). Before they did date, he was once paired with me. Yup! Enough of the dirty minds though but it was just like, teasing us as a couple haha. But sad to say, I guess, we both were not each other's type so it didn't flourish. He eventually fell in love with Boots, and I'm very happy for that. He really made my best friend happy.

As their relationship got stronger, me and my best friend got weaker. During our Senior year, though we went out as a group for summer vacations, Boots and I were rarely together. Ok my friends, there's no lesbianism in here or something haha. But honestly, I got jealous of Richard. Boots and I used to talk over time about our frustrations,. crushes, hated teachers, etc. but when Richard came into the picture, he stole all of Boots' time for me, to him! Although Boots never really abandoned me, I just felt more ... away. This continued until we finished high school. However, I've learned to accept it. We're growing older ... young teenagers ... and Boots has fallen for him so, I shouldn't be jealous anymore. In one of our getaways, I even entrusted her to Richard.

Chard was wearing a yellow "Lakers" jersey in this photo. Me, that chubby girl (yep, I was that chubby way back high school) in blue, beside my best friend Boots in yellow tee. The rest are my good friends since high school.

I told Richard, "Chard, please take care of my best friend, Boots Ann, for me. I know she wants to be with you more now than with me so my only wish is for you not to hurt her." To my delight, he assured me that he will, and that he will keep this promise 'til the end.

We grew up so fast and entered college. During our sophie year, if I remember it correctly, me and my best friend have celebrated our 18th birthdays. Fine young debutantes! Chard's relationship with Boots soured but they were able to move on with their lives. Know what? I couldn't explain my feelings that time. I guess I was angry a little coz I thought he would keep his promise. I didn't even ask him to his face why he made my best friend sad. I was gathering enough courage in me until Boots assured me she was fine ... and she had Chart escort him during her debut. This made me more calm than usual.

Boots is the only girl in this photo and on her right is Richard, her escort. These are our good male friends in the group.

And with this, I also invited Richard to my debut as one of my 18 Roses. Sorry I don't have a scanned copy of this photo (but as soon as I find one, I'll share it with you guys).

Our friendship grew strong even after college. The group continued to go out on weekends, monthly, on special occassions, etc. I was the one who didn't have time to join them. I got too busy with my college years ... and I got too busy with work. Yeah! Boots got a job on a cruise ... her dream job. I got my corporate job. We kept in touch thru texts / SMS and emails. I'm glad she continued her friendship with Richard. And I'm also glad that Richard accepted this whole-heartedly. Dang! He grew more handsome than ever and he met new girls. I'm just happy that this didn't break Boots' heart so much.

Then last year, December, I caught dengue fever hehe. Boots came back for a vacation and she visited me at once in the hospital. There was a planned Yuletide Season trip but the unfortunate Chai was not able to join. Yep, that's me. I was instructed to just stay at home and rest after almost a whole-December confinement. My friends went out of course, even without me.

Richard's wearing a pink shirt and a white baseball cap - he's on farthest right. This was during Boots' visit last year, December. They went out. I couldn't. I was on bed rest after having dengue fever. Poor me!

He looks good in pink, right?

Anyway, now that we're grown ups, we still continued communicating and going out and ... everything friends can do! Chard worked in a local telecommunications company while having his own dog-breeding business. He also joined me in a seminar way back March as an option to increase his income. I promised him I'd buy a Labrador from him once I move into a place allowing pets.

Oh well ... the last time I could've seen him was about a month ago. We were supposed to watch the movie Iron Man but it rained hard and the ceiling of the apartment (studio type) where I reside was ruined by ... well, the rain of course! Yes! Totally ruined! It was like a cave with waterfalls! I had to move our appliances away from the waters and it flooded our room! Dang! So again, I wasn't able to join our night out again. Poor ... poor me!

Last Sunday, May 25, two important men in my life left me. One's my boss to whom I dedicate my goodbye letter and blogpost called, "A Call To Young Leaders;" and two, Richard. He left me and my friends without saying goodbye. The short story I shared with you above is his story too. He's not a hero or something but he deserves a "special mention" for all the good things he did. Like what, you ask? For just staying quiet when he knows I'll get back to him whenever Boots cried ... for taking care of Boots whenever she's not crying ... for keeping the friendship even after the relationship ... maybe, simply for being a good friend. Why did he leave then, you ask? And why 25? He's only 25?

A traitor condition called Acute Hemorrhagic Pancreatitis or bangungot in our native tongue, made Chard go without saying goodbye. He just ... didn't wake up. He's been having nightmares according to his roomate-cousin but they were just ignoring it; treating it as normal. I just feel that, had this been checked by a specialist, his condition could've been at least, solved? You see, these were the things that happened before he went ... He has a life insurance policy that he just finished paying in full the Friday before he went. He bought loads of grocery items and sacks of dog food the night before he went. He visited the basketball court where he normally plays, the night before he went. The only thing he wasn't able to do was ... say good bye. Gosh! We didn't even know who Steff was (a mysterious girl in his phone) ... we didn't know what type of nightmares he was having. As I said, he's normally just a quiet guy ... doesn't talk much. It was said that when they found him, his arms were still accross his chest with his fists closed, as if trying to fight someone ... or something.

Chard, if only you could read this, I want to thank you for being a good friend to me and Boots. I want to thank you for keeping your promise to me about taking care of Boots. I want to tell you that I appreciate having you as a friend, and I know that our friends feel the same about the you. Chard, if only you told us what nightmares you were having ... if only you knew how sad Boots will be if you leave ... if only ...

I don't want to end with too many "if only's" coz ... it already happened. I can't even write coherently ... I am saddened by the fact that he's now gone. I am sad because I know my best friend is also sad. I couldn't turn back time. I don't know how Chard wants to be remembered. We all didn't know. I wonder, do people really do something like some sort of a "preparation" for their loved ones before they die? Superstition comes in now coz, Richard seemed to have done it. Jolay told me that usually, this AHP condition happens in succession and there's always this one-last-blow that will hit you hard ... wherein you cannot fight it anymore. Do you think it's true? Is this what happened to Chard? Why didn't he tell us about those bad dreams? Why didn't he bid us good bye? Why ... *sigh* I know I have loads of questions still unanswered ... but I dare not ask ... coz I might get an answer and it would be really creepy. Today, we'll all be there at his interment.

To Richard Clemente Reyes ... we love you. May you rest in peace. You're surely missed by us, right now ...

Chai