It's kind of odd that I only got to met her then husband-to-be in person (he's based in the UK where they plan to settle down eventually) when they were already sending out the wedding invitations. But judging from all I heard about him, I already had an inkling that the first guy to catch my choosy friend's heart would be the last one as well.

I would have had a chance to be at the wedding to (one of my seniors said that he would cover for me...), but I decided to finish the last special radiographic procedure for the day and miss the 3 o'clock wedding. If I had been there, I swear I would be crying my heart out.

She already knew I would be late for the reception, (my early Friday evenings are fixed for activities at Banilad unless I'm on duty...) but it didn't matter since I came to the wedding reception eventually.

Seeing her in that gown really tempted me to comment on its style (I had already warned her to wear a bolero at the church-she ditched that at the reception, though... but forgot to warn her about showing more skin elsewhere... ), but I decided to hold my tongue until later...

I then started to reminisce on how a friendship developed some 11 years ago when this other four-eyed girl in loose jeans and a shirt (just like myself) started hanging around my arm (literally!) and sniffing my hair (literally as well!).

On one jeepney ride in between classes (and campuses) I learned the telenovela of her family life, quite different from the normal humdrum one that I had. I was amazed that amidst it all, this was a girl who was determined to rise above her family's past.

We officially quarrelled for the first (I think, it was also the last time) from the stress of working on our baby thesis together for Ecology in 3rd year college. We patched up almost immediately.

I wrote several poems for her, but I still wonder if she was able to keep them all.

We started attending activities at Banilad together. She was one of the few people who new I was about to become an associate and let me go my own way. I'm sure she did not understand my decision entirely (eight years ago, I'm sure she'll agree how immature she was then....).

In medical school, she made more new friends, had different interests while I focused on my studies and slowly adjusting to my vocation. Somehow, we drifted apart, but still a certain connection was there whenever we start up a conversation again, just like we just talked yesterday.

I'm going to miss her when she moves to join her husband definitely, but right now, I savor the times we still text with each other now that we are doing residency training in different cities.

I guess, Angie, I'll always remember you as that four-eyed girl attached to my arm and sniffing my hair over my shoulder...