Raffy looked serious, and I could tell he meant it. He rarely called me by my name, only during times when he felt overwhelming sadness. His sorrow seemed contagious, like a severe illness that spreads easily. And I was always the one who caught it.
"Yeah, it's almost time for me to leave," Raffy said.
I replied, "Yeah, we'll both need to adjust. Hopefully, I'll get used to it quickly."
Raffy sighed, "I hope so too, but it's going to be tough. We've been together since we were kids, and now we're parting ways. It makes me sad, James. I almost don't want to leave."
"We can't do anything about it. We have to part ways. Besides, you should be happy because your family will finally be in a better situation, right?" I said, trying to find a silver lining.
Raffy nodded, "I am happy that my family will be whole now. What makes me sad is leaving behind this difficult life."
"Don't be sad about that. Your life will be better now. You won't have to scavenge for trash under the scorching sun," I reassured him.
"That's true, I won't have to do that anymore. But you, you still must endure all of that just to have something to eat every day. I'm leaving you in this kind of situation," Raffy expressed concern.
"I'm used to it, and don't worry, I'll work hard. I'll do everything I can to leave this place as soon as possible. I know it might take a while, but I won't just wait for luck to come my way," I replied with determination.
"You know, that's what I like about you. You're always a fighter. So, let me help you because I won't allow you to stay in this life while I'm enjoying myself," Raffy offered.
"Thank you. You're such a kind friend. I hope you won't change, and I hope you won't forget about me," I said gratefully.
"I won't forget you, ever. You're very important to me. No one can replace you," Raffy assured me.
"The feeling is mutual, Raffy. You're irreplaceable to me too. I love you so much," I confessed.
He looked into my eyes as we said those words, but unlike before, there was no hint of teasing or playfulness. We were both serious.
"Nah, that is too much. Why does it feel like I'm about to die? You're such a brat. I'm just moving to a different house, and we'll still see each other," Raffy said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Hahaha. You started it, so I joined in. But I meant what I said. I love you," I replied with a smile.
"Why, did you think I was kidding when I said I love you too?" Raffy asked.
"Well, even with that serious face of yours, I still can't tell what's a joke and what's real. Hehe," I teased.
"So, does that mean you don't believe me? Do you want me to prove it to you?" Raffy asked, raising an eyebrow mischievously.
"Okay, okay, I believe you. No need to prove anything," I replied, trying not to blush.
Raffy moved closer, held both sides of my cheeks, and acted as if he was going to kiss me. Panic surged through me, and I struggled to resist, but when he got too close, my heart started pounding rapidly. I involuntarily stopped resisting, and my mind went blank for a moment.
Raffy laughed, "Hahaha. You looked like a fool. Did you think I was going to kiss you? And why did you stop? Maybe you wanted me to kiss you, huh? Tsk, you already have feelings for me, Espren."
Flustered, I managed to gather my thoughts and replied, "I-I didn't know how to respond. You caught me off guard."
Raffy kept tapping me on the cheek playfully, and after a few seconds, I finally regained my composure. "Well, let's just say, you got me there," I admitted with a half-smile. And my hand moved on its own and I hit Raffy on the head.
"AWW! Why did you do that?" Raffy, pain could be seen on his face. "I don't want to tease you anymore! It hurt so much, and I was just joking around. I'll miss you, that's why it took me so long to play around like this with you."
Trying to lighten the mood, I said, "You better be thankful you're leaving, or I'm sure more knuckles are coming to your head."
He nodded, "Yeah right. Come on, let's finish our drinks so we can get to sleep. We need to get up early."
"You're right. I still must scavenge tomorrow," I said, relieved that the awkward moment had passed.
"No, we have somewhere to go tomorrow." Said Raffy, "I didn't ask, because no matter where, I'd go with him.
Raffy handed me 5,000 pesos, and I accepted it gratefully, "Thanks, this will be a huge help for us."
"No problem. Just give it to Mom Martha, and she'll have some extra money," he said, looking out for my family.
As we continued talking and laughing, I realized that, despite the uncertainty of our future, our bond remained strong. Tomorrow will be a new chapter in our lives, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. Saying goodbye to my best friend would be difficult, but I knew that no matter the distance between us, our friendship would endure.
Early in the morning, we woke up and bought breakfast, which we ate at our house to join my family. We were all happy, sharing stories and laughing together. It felt like breakfast lasted forever.
Afterward, the two of us left, and I wore my best outfit, a blue polo shirt with white shorts. He wore a blue polo shirt as well, with cream-colored shorts. My only problem was that I didn't have proper slippers. Thankfully, we were able to wear the clothes our mothers bought for us.
We wandered around a mall, my first time entering one. The last time we attempted to go in, the security guard kicked us out, probably because we looked suspicious. That's why our mothers decided to buy us new clothes, so we wouldn't be mistaken for snatchers.
We continued to explore, watch movies, eat, and play various games. We were so incredibly happy during those moments. I kept thanking him because it was the first time I experienced such carefree joy without any worries. But as I said before, all good things come to an end.
"You know, I think you secretly want me to stay." Said Raffy, trying to distract me while playing the game.
"Oh, please! Don't flatter yourself. But seriously, it's going to be strange without you around." I spoke.
The time came when they had to leave. This was the real goodbye. I couldn't help but get emotional. I was bidding farewell to someone who has been a significant part of my life for so long. When will I see him again? I hope it won't be too long. What changes will I find in him? I hope he'll always remember me. I'll be waiting.