Best Friend

Dear Diary,

It's been a year since the last time I opened up this story of mine. Way back in 2020, my high school days is indeed one of the most roller coaster experiences in my life. I was just an ordinary student who consistently with honor. I know that there are more students smarter than me, and prettier than me but it doesn't matter. My high school life is better than the others. I guess. I have supportive parents, great teachers, and peers, and most importantly is that I have my best friend Belle who's always by my side.

We've been together since grade school, we're like real siblings since our moms were also friends. We mostly played together during the summer vacation and when we turned teenagers, we often stayed at a cafeteria for an hour sharing secrets about our crushes. We also loved to window shop in town after school and dream to buy the things we'd seen in the mall. I can still remember when she gave me a gift on my 16th birthday, it was a nice personalized pink handkerchief as she knows my favorite color with a floral frame. In the upper corner was written my name, "Alisa" while on the other side was hers, "Belle". In the center of the handkerchief was the word "BEST FRIENDS", all words were embroidered. I so love it. She's the sweetest friend I ever met.

Belle is way prettier than me with her long shiny hair, smooth and whiter skin complexion, and good body figure at a very young age. Not to mention that her family is a wealthy people who have a marketing business in town. I know she's way better than me with those things but I also know one thing where I'm excellently than her. In academics.

Way back then Belle and Jerome -our childhood friends, used to spend their time at our house asking for my help with our homework, and sometimes even with projects or reviews. I was like their tutor and they're my tutees. Belle knows how much I liked Jerome that much that's why she always asked him to go to and study at my house. That was another treasured moment for me, and how I appreciate Belle's effort to make me happy in return.

Times pass so fast, and the only thing I know is that I and Jerome we're so in love with each other. We kept our puppy-love relationship with everyone except for Belle. The two of us were inseparable in school and even during weekends, we make sure to see each other. Belle was so supportive and tolerant of us whenever we asked her for help to escape. She knows everything about me and Jerome well.

The next school year was a bit tough as we enter the senior high and were required to choose the strands. I took STEM while they both took HUMMS. By then, I was separated from their building leads us to see each other in school barely. We also lessen the time spent at the weekend since some of our subjects were not the same. That time, I and Jerome still managed to see each other after school even for a few minutes before heading home.

One vacant afternoon in school, I decided to visit them in their building, knowing that they might be vacant because it was a faculty emergency meeting from both departments. I saw Belle sitting on the chair and Jerome on the table so close to her. They were both laughing while talking to their classmates. Then I knocked on the door. They were both startled and Jerome almost jump off the table when he saw me. I laughed hard when I see his reaction. I know that he and Belle were just close friends and there's nothing wrong with what I saw. I trusted him. I trusted them.

The intramurals came, and everyone was so busy. Our departments were competing for the grand trophy. Belle was competing as the muse representative of their department while I was competing in Math Chess. The latter was held that morning while the muse and escort competition was in the afternoon. I invited Jerome to watch me at the conference hall contending with the other math wizards in school. He came and good lucked me but during the game, I noticed that he was looking at his cell phone from time to time. As if he was checking and waiting for someone's message. I just ignored the thoughts.

That afternoon, Belle invited me and Jerome to watch and support her in the muse competition. We were in the gymnasium where it was held and the crowd was so enthusiastic about their bet contenders. I excused him for a while and told him that I will just buy some snacks, and so I went quickly to the cafeteria. and finally came back to our seats.

There, where the crowd is so loud, I witnessed how Jerome is so supportive of Belle without noticing me. He almost lost his voice after shouting Belle's name. "That's my Belle! My gorgeous Belle!" he shouts repeatedly. "Slay, my Queen Belle! Slay!" he added. I was astonished after hearing from him those words. It's like I was poured icy cold water over my body. The crowd is loud yet I was deafened hearing his words. "That should be me he is cheering". My head is screaming but I can find no words to utter then. My heart was shattered. It feels like my heart was sta@bbed a hundred or a thousand times by a small kniv3s. I was silently crying in silence deep down inside. I can't pour tears into the crowd but it felt like I was about to burst anytime soon. So I just ran to nowhere. I just ran without knowing where to go, with my tears started to slip from my eyes.

I cried a lot and more. I even wasn't able to finish the program in school because of crying. I just realized that I was more than an hour hiding behind the junked chairs and tables in one of the abandoned rooms in the old building. When I checked the time, it was almost 5 in the afternoon, and I know that the program for that day is over. I was about to get up when I heard two familiar voices hushed talking.

"Do you think she heard you saying those words?" asked Belle.

"I think so, because if she wasn't, then why she didn't come back to our seats then? Or maybe she just stays out of the crowd. We both know how she hates crowded places." Jerome answered, sounding irritated.

"Then if she did hear you, what are we gonna do now? She might get upset or mad at me. On us." bothered Belle said.

"Then I will tell her the truth, that I don't love her from the beginning, that I only needed her help to survive my studies," Jerome uttered confidently.

My heart was so wreck3d hearing it from him. Was I just a thing for him? A thing that he can dump when he's done using it? When he doesn't need it? That was so unbearable but I still manage to cry in silence. Hide from junked stuff like a real one. I was a dump and junked by him easily.

"No! You can't do that. We can't do that to Alisa. She's still our friend. We can just explain to her that we just fell in love with each other without us noticing it. That it wasn't our intention to hide it from her. How 'bout that?" she advised.

"Well, I guess that way is better. I'll do what you wished, my real love, Belle." Jerome changed the tone of his voice. Like a seductive guy to a girl.

"I LOVE YOU" I heard from Belle, her voice was so soft almost a whisper. My best friend is telling my man how she loves him. I felt my body shiver full of mixed emotions. I was so jealous, badly mad, and devastated at the same time.

"I LOVE YOU SO MUCH MORE" Jerome answered. His voice was so soft and full of sincerity. That voice that I never heard from him since we were together, the sincerity that I never felt from him when he was telling me those words.

Why do I never notice that before?

Then, a few seconds of stillness between the two of them.

I bitterly smirked and finally came out from where I was hiding. There, I witnessed how Jerome tenderly kissed Belle. The look in their eyes was so full of love as they stare at each other. Then Jerome moved slowly to gently feel Belle's lips by his lips. His lips that I had never yet wanted to kiss, were kissing my best friend's lips passionately.

I can't even believe that they came to that part. I was a split-second shocked as if I dropped my jaw seeing them kissing in front of me. But I exhaled and fixed myself together easily. I know I was trembling inside and how vulnerable I was to overcome that moment but I choose not to be a loser anymore in front of them.

"You real think that I was that stup!d not to notice everything before this day happened?" I interrupted their romantic moment. They were both stunned seeing me in fierce eyes. Like a beast. A beast with composure.

"You did hear us, didn't you?" Belle asked nervously.

"Of course I did. I heard and witnessed everything." I replied confidently. I did a slow clap gesture to lessen my trembling yet cold voice. "Curtains down. The show is over." I added.

"Alisa, please let me explain" Belle pleaded to me

"I said I heard everything. What should I expect more from you two? Sugar-coated words to fool me again?" I declined with an intimidating look.

Belle was about to hold or hug me but I avoided her and stared at him from head to toe. "Don't you ever try to come close to me, you filthy b!tch!" I frowned.

"And you, son of a b!tch! Yes, you!" I pointed to Jerome's pale face, "Don't you ever dare to show me that hideous disgusting face ever again! We're done!"

I ran out of them after saying those nasty yet a bit satisfying words. That night I skipped dinner and told my mom that I'm still full and tired from the school activities. I locked my door and wept. I cried not only for that night but a week until a month after. I cried a lot for my heartaches but I cried the most for losing my best friend.

It's been almost 3 years since that thing happened. I never had a chance to talk to them or asked about them after our confrontation. The pink handkerchief that Belle's last birthday gift to me is still in my treasure box. I still keep it, because I still believe that she was once loyal to me, that we really became best of friends. With or without Jerome in our life. But even if I understood her, it still hurts me so deeply that she fooled me all those times. I might even hurt her too badly unintentionally when I and Jerome were together, every time she helped us to see each other, and whenever we said sweet words in exchange.

I might once ravage by them but I just realized that I might also hurt them too.. Or maybe it's fate's game that we need to play the hide and seek of true love tho. I don't know now. All I know is that I'm still healing my broken heart all over this time. Hopefully to find the right man who will accept and love me wholeheartedly.

^^^Love,^^^

^^^Alisa 💔^^^

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