Charles Abrena

Death has come to a friend of mine just the other day, actually. His name is Charles Abrena. He is a batch mate of mine, he's also from DLSU and he was taking Marketing. I'm not that close to him, but we shared a few conversations before. I really felt sad when I learned of his death this morning. He doesnt even look like the type who commits suicide (that's what I've heard to be his cause of death, he jumped out of somewhere) because he's always smiling and cracking jokes.

Conversation with Rhia just this afternoon:

Babs: Shet. Tawagan ko kaya phone niya?

Rhia: wag! nakakatakot yun! baka mamaya sagutin niya.

Babs: eh d meaning nun d nga totoo! buhay nga siya!

Rhia: oonga noh, sige sige go tawagan mo na.

*Babs reaches for her phone, then changes her mind.*

Babs: wag nalang, takot ako eh punta nalang ako sa wake niya.

He's the very first friend of mine who is now in the hands of God. Well, back in high school a batch mate of mine also died due to some internal bleeding in her brain, something like that, but we never were friends, we never talked. But I visited her wake and I cried a little because I felt she was too young to die and it could have been me, or it could have been one of my closest friends. She could have been fulfilling her dreams now. But God has plans for everyone, and everyone has their purpose in this world. Probably she has served it already.

Charles, even though we're not that close. I will surely miss you. I will miss your smiles at me, the way you call my name and the way you wave at me every time we see each other in school. Thanks for being a part of my life, a chapter that I will never forget. Rest in peace, brother.