SHORT STORY Cut All the Ropes Rogee Mar Dayanan “They say if you’re still up at 4am, it is either you are in love or you are lonely. Which do you think is worse?” she said as we took a break from an exhausting swimming session. The night was no longer young, we were soaking wet, and the night’s cold breeze felt torture to our almost bare bodies. So, I grabbed another bottle of beer to somehow keep us warm then filled my empty cup and said, “Well, I don’t know. In my case, I am both in love and lonely.” “You’re crazy, that’s easy! You just have to cut all the ropes,” she said with so much confidence. “Easy for you to say,” I answered in a much lower voice. “It is really easy,” she insists. Then I looked at her nervously and said, “Really? If you’re in my position, would you want to cut all the ropes between us?” And that was the beginning of our many awkward moments whenever time bring us together. I guess, friendship is over....