We Are FLOXCI, the Forever Friends!

I don’t exactly remember how the three of us first met. But I’m sure that the moment we did, we hit it off immediately.

I first met them while in our first semester in college in Davao City. While the other one was timidly beautiful, the other one was full of vibrance, always clowning around. The thing that made me took a second glance at her was her eyes. She seemed to be wearing contact lens.

So, in August of 1991, an extraordinary friendship was born that has stretched almost 3 decades until now.

We call ourselves FLOXCI (pronounced as floksee). FLO stands for the first letters of our names - Flora, Lovessa and Ofelia. We met in the year 1991 so XCI is the Roman numeral 91.

When I transferred to Cebu City to continue college, they followed suit. Though we didn’t study in the same school, we always spent time together. I usually hanged out at their place in Labangon. My father would always reprimand me for coming home late. Who wouldn’t get worried? I lived in Mandaue City and it’s quite far from Labangon.

I attended their college ring hop. I was also there on their graduation day though they never got to be there on mine since they finished college one year ahead of me and went back to Davao City. But we continued to keep in touch and see each other occasionally. Since social media was not prevalent then, we kept in touch in the conventional way, writing letters and cards to each other.

When we’re together, everything seems to be in animation. We laugh at the silliest jokes. We can’t seem to stop teasing each other. There is never any dull moment. I don’t remember that we argue. It’s just that being with them makes life more fun and easier. Do you know what we love to do most? We love tickling each other. And I always lose to them because I easily succumb to being tickled. :)

We truly get along. We have a lot of favorite things in common. We love nature. And we love being swept by the waves.

There was a time that the waves sent us in different directions towards the shore almost taking our clothes off. Hahaha! It was one of the best days of my life.

The best thing about this friendship is that we haven’t forgotten each other even though we are miles apart from one another. We’ve been there for each other in good times as well as in bad. We cry with each other. We feel happy for one another. We feel what the other feels. I’m sure there’s pure love and utter respect in this friendship.

Over the years, we have witnessed not only important events in each other’s lives but also heartaches and failures. Lovessa got married. Ofelia opened her printing shop. Though life hasn’t been perfect for us, we’ve always been there to support each other.

I remember one day a few years ago, one of them called me about a personal problem. As she was sobbing while telling me about it, I was crying, too, feeling the pain she was feeling at that moment. We’re all just so glad that it was already over and everything’s all right now.

The last time the three of us were together was 15 years ago. Lovessa was in the country for a holiday from the USA. I saw Ofelia a year ago though. I wonder when the three of us are going to see each other again.

So, how do I describe our friendship? It’s like being swept by the waves. And wherever the waves drop us, we will always stand up and find each other whatever it takes.

We call ourselves FLOXCI. And yes, we will always be the forever friends!

♫You just call out my name

And you know wherever I am

I'll come running, to see you again

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I'll be there, yes I will

You've got a friend♫