“I think we can spend a few minutes and bring you to the hospital ourselves,” stated Xan’s father. “We can’t leave you in that state.”

“No! Please don’t bother doing that at all. You’ll miss your flight.”

“Well then, we’ll call the—”

“No, no...I’ll handle this, I swear. I just can’t tell mom. She’ll scold me to death.” She suddenly felt nervous. If she was seen like this, she would be questioned. She didn’t know what sort of reason she should come up with.

“But what—”

“Please,” she said. “Just let me say goodbye and I promise I’m going to go home immediately.”

They looked at her with doubt and worry.

“Can you guys not tell mom what happened? I can’t have her worrying too much,” Valeriana pleaded. She watched them exchange hesitant glances and grimace. “Please?”

Anna sighed disapprovingly but nodded. “Alright. One last favor before we go. But you have to get yourself treated at once.”

She looked at Xandra. She had been with her since their childhood days. Over the course of twelve years, they were with one another. It was hard to think that they had to be separated.

While Valeriana was outgoing, she wasn't a social butterfly. She preferred a small group of close-knitted friends over hanging out with a bunch of people she hardly knew for the sake of having fun. She chose to form more intimate relationships, which was why letting go for her was harder than anything else.

She thought she wouldn't cry. She practiced her goodbye in front of the mirror several times and didn’t cry. Even so, the sudden wave of tears flooded her eyes. Without paying her heed, big and fat drops of salty water trickled down her cheeks and sobs started tearing through her throat.

Xandra had the same reaction seeing her face.

“I love you, Val,” she said, their bear hug resuming. The warmth of her best friend and cherry blossoms washed over Valeriana's senses. She closed her eyes, wanting to file this memory deep in her brain.

“I love you, Xan. My god, I'll miss you. It’s so bad we didn’t try Candlepin Bowling one last time,” she murmured with a chuckle pressing their cheeks against one another. She would never get enough of Xandra and the comfort she brought.

“I'm sorry to leave like this. I'll be back, I promise. I'll always be with you.”

Valeriana made the strangest, strangled cry—a cross between a dolphin and a dog. Xandra could not believe what she heard and pulled away, laughter bubbling from her chest. Valeriana could not help but laugh as well, wiping off the tears and snot on her face.

“Oh my god, what kind of sound is that?” She howled with laughter, sounding more like a horse under an asthma attack.

Valeriana snorted at that and shook her head. “I don't know.”

They all laughed, even Xandra's parents. They then dried their faces and composed themselves, sniffing as they held each other's hand.

“Gosh. I'm really sorry. Instead of giving you good memories, I just had to send you off looking like this.”

“I think this is one more reason not to forget about you, not that I ever will,” Xandra told her, sadness coating her words. “I’m so lucky to have you as my best friend. God knows what lengths you went through for me.”

She groaned, shaking her head.

“But really. I'm going to miss you so much...” Xandra trailed off, her voice cracking in the end.

“Don't give me those eyes.” Valeriana chuckled. “I'm going to miss you too. I wish you don't have to move away.”

“Oh, honeys. I really wish we could stay,” Mrs. Hernandez said. “College is really expensive here, though. Besides, Philippines is not that bad. Maybe you can come and visit us. It’s a really wonderful place!”

Xandra's father nodded. “We'll come visit,” he said in his accented English. “And you can come too. You’re always welcome.”

At the mention of her best friend's home country, Valeriana felt herself breathing out loudly. Thinking about the distance between them made her head ache, but it was inevitable.

“So it’s final, huh?” she whispered. “I'm happy for you.”

“Have you decided which university you’re going to?” Xandra asked.

“No, it just isn’t the same.”

“Yes,” she replied and shook her head. “I’m sorry I can’t fulfill our promise.”

“Since you’re not coming with me, I’ll probably go somewhere different. Maybe like Hogwarts.”

They giggled.

“Unleash your inner sorceress, then,” Xandra told her. “And I will, too.”

And they hugged once again, one last time.