DIARY OF VALERIA [ COMPLETED ]

Chapter 4

"What's your problem?" Albert mouthed, while slightly irritated.

We were at the sidewalk heading to the avenue. I turned around to face my best friend, with my eyebrows furrowed, to tell him that I was pissed.

"My problem? You!" I yelled.

Albert winced to see how upset I was, and I could sense that he was surprised with my sudden outburst. But this was Albert, he could easily recover and add insult to injury. He enjoyed pissing me off; he does that a lot, ever since we were kids. I saw his reaction change from being surprised, to obnoxious smiling. And in that moment, I wanted to strangle and wrestle him to the ground. But I knew for a fact, that I couldn't win a one-on-one match with Albert. With my skinny ass against his muscle-toned body? I wouldn't stand a chance.

We walked in silence; Albert was mumbling some words, but I ignored him. This was my way of telling him that I was still pissed. It was always been this way ever since. Every time we had a disagreement, I would ignore him for a week. But years strengthened our friendship; we became more like brothers, than friends. Albert knew that I couldn't stay angry with him. Eventually, my anger would cool down. Even though we were not in good terms, we were still inseparable. Even if I were ignoring him, we would still eat and go home together. I was accustomed of Albert ignoring me, ignoring him. He would keep blabbing words like a talking parrot, even if I were committed to not pay any attention. I kept on walking, and I tried diverting my attention onto anywhere else. The coffee shops along the avenue were almost empty at that time. Only a few students were smoking outside, holding their lattes and frappes.

When Albert finally stopped talking, he lit up a cigarette. I didn't smoke, so I didn't get the whole point of smoking, and why people are addicted to it. I already told Albert about it, and the only thing that he would get out from smoking is a deadly disease for the long run; but nothing could stop Albert. What Albert wants, Albert gets. No matter what the cost. He's been living by this very motto all throughout his life. He started puffing this cancer sticks during our Senior year in high school, and he never stopped since. I winced and put a reasonable distance from my best friend and myself, so I wouldn't inhale the smoke. This previously offended him, but I didn't want to be a secondhand smoker. This might cause me to get cancer, because this inconsiderable bastard blew smoke on my face. But this time, he accepted the fact that the two of us would never enjoy a cigarette break together. I scowled at him, looking disgusted; from which he responded by rolling his eyes and ignoring my judgment. He then puffed, and blew the smoke to the opposite side.

We walked in silence, only constant noises of car horns and engines separated us from our train of thoughts. I don't care if Albert didn't believe the story of Valeria, I don't blame him for that. First of all, what I presented as the truth was unsubstantial. It was insane and ludicrous, that even the world's most brilliant minds would pass it as fiction. I was toying the ground of fantasy when I made my conclusion –Valeria is immortal, but my gut was telling me a different story. In my heart I knew, that what I believed in was true, that Valeria was indeed an immortal who would shutter the human race's idea of human existence.

Looking for the elixir of immorality was quite exhausting, ever since the dawn of human civilization. Cleopatra wanted it, Alexander the Great wanted it, and even Emperors of the mighty dynasties of China wanted it. Not to mention, the cosmetic products the market was endorsing in television ads. Everything was dedicated to staying young, and living as long as you can. They all wanted to live forever, to stay beautiful and powerful. But no one succeeded in solving the mystery of immortality; no one found the elixir. No man was known as an "immortal"that passed the millennia, and told the tale to the NY Times. Not until my discovery, I can prove that immortals exist. But, I didn't have the proper documentation to support my conclusion. And even for me, my belief about the untold myth of Valeria fell under falsehood, romanticizing goddess who captured the hearts of two famous heroes in Philippine history.Her beauty preceded her; she was the muse of the Katipunan. The legendary cry of the Himagsikan kicked off as retribution for her false death.