and her name was Alyssa...

Once upon a time, Stephanie Alyssa Perez Amada was one of my tightest and most pronounced rival debaters. She was excellent at what she does and she was very feisty and passionate about debating. We would epicly battle it out on the podium and see who's opinion was stronger than the other at the end of the day. I never really expected that our rivalry would blossom into anything more than a premature and mediocre tug-of-war. 

A year later, she was my seatmate during my very first accountancy class. Contrary to that overflowing confidence often mistaken as a bitchy image she exudes when she's debating, I discovered, Alyssa was actually a shy, timid and well-reserved young woman. Nevertheless, she was a force to be reckoned with in class. We grew close as blockmates and even closer as FRIENDS since she belonged to our tight circle which we have come to call ourselves as "bayOotZ!". Here, Alyssa developed a more cheerful disposition. She not only sat by the sidelines while laughing at my jokes but she occasionally pitched in her own witty retorts whenever she has some.

Our friendship went from Me furnishing her that winning piece and helping her out with her delivery during the ROTC Oratorical Contest, to her opening up and pouring out her innermost thoughts and tucked-away secrets when she became my partner during an activity for our BC11 class. We also had our fair share of disagreements, healthy squabbles over which hunky hunk was hunkier than the other and petty disputes over which really came first between Neanderthals and Aling Dionesia.

We bonded even more during the CBA Squad practices because we were often the only ones on duty since the other Officers cannot really stand being at such a close proximity with someone as awesome as Alyssa (*wink* aminin! XD). But even then Alyssa displayed her paramount dedication and conviction in wanting to fulfill her responsibilities with the most favorable outcome. Our efforts were rewarded ever so generously when CBA bested two other Colleges during that competiton. From then on Alyssa and I both knew that we had a true friend in each other whenever we needed one.

Aside from being an esteemed leader, Alyssa was also an extremely accomplished student. We then became some of the chosen few along with another who would represent the school in various learning-giving bodies in the country. We hailed a taxi in Cebu together towards I.T. Park when we applied for the American Chamber of Commerce. She of course, although deeply heartbreaking, was easily chosen before us. It was perfectly undeniable since excellent leadership and dexterity seem to inherently course through her veins. She, however, with her thoughtful and considerate heart, saw it fitting to pay homage to our ambitions and efforts by sharing with us the spoils of her victory. We, of course, were more than happy to oblige (thank you for the shirt lys!).

She did what she can in order to ease the burdens of those around her even if she was already experiencing an even herculean burden far greater than ours put together. She lived a simple life. Enjoyed the company of ALL her silly friends. Laughed so hard that made breathing so difficult. She was a model student and a well-grounded person. While others were stressing over deadlines, Alyssa was stressing over her own personal deadline here on our plains. While others felt sad over an absence of a genuine LoveLife, she was busy fighting her own battle just to keep her heart pumping a little while longer. She had an unparalleled thirst for life and she taught me that every opportunity given is meant to be taken, after all, it's not so hard to die when you know you have LIVED. Her borrowed time here on earth might have been short-lived but she will forever be remembered by the number of lives she has touched, the friendships she has built and the legacy she has left behind, and her name was Alyssa... A FRIEND... A COMRADE... A VISITOR... Once... upon... a time...