6: My Best Friend part 2

A pleasant evening, readers. As promised, I will finish the story of my friendship with Kenshin here. Hajimaru desu.

June 1, 2015. Kenshin and I were classmates again in Grade 9, section Burbank. Naturally, we stuck to each other like glue, since I didn’t know much of my classmates yet. During the first few weeks, Shin-nii and I went with Marvin, Hennie, and Patricia, though this little circle of friends will soon evaporate.

As the days progressed, Shin-nii and I grew closer, and we met two new friends: Ariel and Jayzer. These two seemed normal at first, but spend some time with them and you will see their true colors. Jayzer is the most hyperactive person I have ever seen in my life, while Ariel was the weirdest, having a weird style of talking and weird habits. I grew close with them, and we began calling ourselves Triple Trouble (yes, we make trouble). However, Shin-nii and I kept in touch with each other, and all of a sudden-I don’t remember how-we were just best friends. No questions asked, no affirmations made. We just became best friends. During this time, we both had a crush on the same girl in our class, but it didn’t affect our friendship. He got over it pretty quick, to my delight.

On October 28, Shin-nii slept over at my house. It built a solid foundation of trust between my parents and his. And also between us. I’ve also wanted to sleep over at their house, but I haven’t found the time to do so. After the sleepover, Shin-nii and I became inseparable. Partners in pair work, groupmates in group work, and the like.

But like I said, every friendship has rifts. Our second rift was on November 14, the date of the AP play at SM Centerpoint. It was on that day that my best friend and girlfriend got on each others’ bad side. At first, I was forced to choose my girlfriend. Shin-nii left without me, so me and my girlfriend had special time together at Centerpoint.

My best friend never contradicted my relationship, in fact he was supportive of me, even though he didn’t like her, didn’t want her for me. But I didn’t let that small rift grow bigger.

In English under Ms. Estrada, Shin-nii and I always pair up with each other, and our combined works were always top class. There is one creation we have that I can never forget. It’s a poem we made together and recited together. Here it is.

Poetry is Love, Poetry is Life
By Kenshin D. Maehara and Joshua A. Inopiquez

Poetry is love,
Poetry is life,
It flies like a dove
Oh! What a wonderful sight.

Like a majestic mountain
With a dizzying height
Like a flower under the rain
Oh! How it gives me delight.

From its rhymes and chimes,
To read between the lines,
Like a sentinel in the jungle
Overflowing with vines.

Poetry is blank
Like a reflection in the moonlight
While you gaze upon the riverbank
So deep into the night.

Poetry speaks
Poetry feels
Poetry thrives
For it is love and it is life.

We enjoyed each others’ company, we always ate together, did things together, and otherwise did what most best friends do.

But there was one day I never thought would come.

It was March 4, 2016. I was anxiously waiting for my girlfriend to get home, when she sent me a text. To my horror, it was a break-up text. Her parents wanted her to break up with me. I hit the denial stage quickly. I tried to talk some reason into her, but it was no use. Feeling alone and cold, I curled up on my bed, tears streaking down my cheeks. Slowly, my grief turned into anger, and I turned on those whom I believe was responsible for this: my classmates. They’ve always judged our relationship, wanted to know every detail down to the last bit. And to that end, I hated them. Tears blurred my vision as I screamed into the group chat, at people I thought I could trust. In a blur of pure hatred, I coldly pushed Kenshin away, telling him not to talk to me.

But instead of saying “Fine! Do what you want!”, he calmly withdrew and said that he would always be there if I ever needed him. This message sliced through the fog in my mind, and I immediately regretted what I did.

Wait, I’m crying again. I need to calm down for a while.

Okay, I’m good. As I was saying, I regretted lashing out at Kenshin, but I was too hurt to do anything right. I’ve never experienced such crushing pain before. After I had calmed down, it took me a few more hours to stare at myself in the mirror and throw all sorts of insults and curses at myself.

“Useless, good for nothing son of a b*tch. You couldn’t even make her parents accept you. You’re trash. You belong in a garbage can, along with other piles of trash and sh*t. Look at you, so pathetic, even pushing your own best friend away when you needed him most. Ain’t that f*cking stupid? But then, that’s what you are. F*cking stupid.”

I cried some more, then talked to the cool evening wind. Threw a few more insults at myself before finally crying myself to sleep.

Kenshin was one of the first people to get me back up on my feet. He supported me as a big brother would do, and I appreciated it. He cared for me like a brother would. I can’t remember if I cried in his presence, but if I ever did, I’m sure he’d put his arms around me and comfort me.

With his help, I began to live normally again, and the summer vacation began. Kenshin was there on my birthday, when we watched Captain America: Civil War, and whenever I needed him. He never left my side.

Until now, we stay strong together. He didn’t even flinch when he learned I was bi. (Yes, I’m bi. You got a problem with that?) According to him, he doesn’t care if the person is a man, woman, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. What he cares about is the inside, the personality of the person.

And so my blog post ends. But our friendship will not, as long as we stay together. The EnglishRazor and The Iron Samurai. The bi and the straight. The Filipino and the Japanese. Joshua Andres Inopiquez and Kenshin Diola Maehara. This is your friendly neighborhood blogger The EnglishRazor, logging off.