The university takes a brief break at the same month due to the Holy Week. Since it is also summer, people take this short vacation to cool off somewhere, usually beaches and pools. However, some professors take this as an opportunity to conduct one of their course requirements: the field trip. Also known as educational tour, field trips are usually done to let the students learn in... well, the field. However, such trips come at a price, and it is hefty enough for Rendo not to join their field trip. Of course, his professor had the burden of giving him an alternative activity. What is assigned to him? Go to Antipolo City and do a survey of its church, the Antipolo Cathredal, which is much coveted and visited by May time. The church houses the image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Nuestra Señora de la Paz y del Buen Viaje), which attracts pilgrimages from neighboring areas by that time of the year. He is to submit a paper about his findings. Since Marikina City shares borders with Antipolo City, this appeared to be a more feasible undertaking for him than a field trip to Barasoain Church in Malolos and Biak-na-Bato in San Miguel, both located in the province of Bulacan. Sure, it looks close enough in the map, but someone like Rendo who has been accustomed to Mega Manila traffic, an estimated 60-minute trip would take at least two hours. So, by Maundy Thursday, Rendo departed early in the morning with hopes of finishing his assignment quickly. After a few hours of travel and snooping around, he took photographs and then went on his way. He dared not to interview the facilitators of the church. He figured that he could just research both online and offline to complete the paper. Besides, it is like a field trip of one person.

As he jogged down from the city proper (he did not have enough money for a round trip to the church), he saw a speeding bus rush on the national road beside him. There are no other vehicles, giving the bus a chance to swerve back and forth even if it was not slippery. The few people by the sidewalks noticed the speeding bus as well. If it had been a normal speed demon, he would have ignored it. However, even for a split second there, he saw a woman shouting by the large bus window to save them. Then, it hit him. Has the bus lost control and is speeding downhill? While the road is mostly straight, there would be a point where there would be a dangerous curve. If his assumption is correct, the bus and its passengers would meet the end of the line.

He fought in his mind. Why would it concern him? If their fate is sealed, what can he do? He is no hero. This is not a typical love story where you go forth like a knight in shining armor to get the girl. At best, he should just ignore the sight. Perhaps it was a prank done by local evil spirits to fool travelers? Still, he seemed to have not realized a most unusual thing. He is going faster! Instinct? Intuition? Yes, he is running, to the point that he is running towards the bus. Soon enough, he caught up with the bus, catching sight of the woman still asking for help by the window. Perhaps she is the only passenger? As he matched the speed of the bus, he saw that she is the only passenger of the bus! What about the driver? Who is driving downhill at that speed? He cannot see the driver's seat from where he is running.

Urging himself to think fast, Rendo shouted, "Lady! If you can, jump out!"

She remained hysterical, and responding, "Are you cray?! We're over 60 kilometers per hour!"

"Just jump! Trust me!", he said as he extended his arms out to catch her.

She hesitates, still thinking that this random guy is crazy. Is she afraid? Doubting? Every second felt like it is taking forever. Death will come to her either way, but where will she have less risk? Is there even such an option? At any rate, she has to make a decision quickly. Time is running out. Literally and figuratively, get it? Anyway...

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

In a split second, she jumps from the window! Even Rendo did not expect her timing, and she is not even landing on her bottom. She just jumped out screaming, front first, with her hands and arms clumped together, clutching her handbag. Perhaps she does not want to land on her bottom because she was wearing a skirt? Then again, will he be able to catch her?

And he does catch her! However, as soon as he caught her, Rendo stopped running and just stood there. He felt a sort of chill from his shoulders, down to his spine, then down to his legs and feet. It even felt like the chill went up from the ground back to his body. For a few seconds there, neither moved from their respective positions. Meanwhile, the bus continued on its course, and finally bumping on a nearby electric post. Had the driver missed the post, he would have gone directly off the cliff. Antipolo is known for its overlooking view of Metro Manila, and is therefore a mountainous terrain. However, even before the driver could get out as he crawled to the door, the bus suddenly explodes! The explosion is so loud, even Rendo and the woman managed to hear it.

Then, at that moment, the woman begins to cry. Meanwhile, Rendo begins to fluster. Was she injured? He thought to himself, "I'm not touching any personal space now, am I?"

"Oh! Are you hurt? Um, please? Don't cry?", he said to her. Still, she continues sobbing.

So, he just puts her down, feet first, so she can stand up. As soon as she was laid down, she stood up but leaned to his shoulder, still crying but seemingly trying to hold back her tears.

"Uh, you're not someone who'd pick my pocket now, right?", he said, trying to lighten the mood.

She stopped leaning, pulled out her handkerchief, wiped her face, and looked at Rendo intently.

For the first time since a while ago, she blurts out, "Do I look like a thief to you?!"

"Um, well..."

"What?! The nerve!"

She slaps him. Then, Rendo touches his cheek for a while.

"Aw! Come on! That hurts! Kilohertz!"

She stomps his chest repeatedly, left and right alternating. Apparently, these were lighter hits than the slap earlier. After a few moments, she stops, leaning again while looking down and hiding her handkerchief.

"Well... I... T-thank you..."

He smiled a bit.

"... That's okay... So, should I walk you back?"

She pulls out of her lean again, shaking her head.

"No! No! You've done enough, really! No need to carry me back!"

Rendo laughed a little, "Actually, I'm asking if you need company. You know, no carrying. But if you insist..."

She blushed as she said, "Oh! Yeah, yeah. I know that, of course. But..."

"Hmm?"

"It's quite far uptown. Are you sure?"

"I can't let you go alone now, right? After all what happened."

She looked away, now more calm than before, and then nodded.

So, they cross to the other side of the almost vehicle-less road and walks to the city proper. As they were walking, there was silence. Rendo tried to break the ice. Why do girls never do the first move?

"Um. Well... Aren't we supposed to... You know..."

"What?", she replied, looking at him.

"... Call the authorities?"

"Oh, that's taken care of."

"What do you mean? We're abandoning the bus there?!"

"No, silly. While I was going cray inside that bus, I already called everyone I can, including the police and the hospital."

"Wow... I'm quite sure you're not from these parts. How'd you know those numbers?"

"I always keep emergency numbers in my phone," she says as she pulls out her phone from her pocket, and then puts it back inside again.

"Phones really are that smart these days..."

"Is that an attack on my intellect and candor?"

"No! Sheesh. But yeah, why were you even on that speed demon?"

"Uh... I'm actually... well..."

"Yes?"

"Initially... I'm on a field trip."

Rendo laughed hard. She looked at him with agitation.

"W-what's so f-funny?"

"I'm on a field trip, too! What a coincidence!"

Yes, confound it! Those two students are both taking their respective field trips of one person, but now they are two, what can they be called? A field trip for two? A couple trip?

"Hey!!", they both shout.

At any rate, this recipe for a stereotype of a story cannot be happening, right? This simply is not happening. Then again, who is this screaming girl jumping out of a speeding bus? Why is she even on a trip to Antipolo? Why does not Rendo coming home early? Well then, run to you next time.