Holy Week is over, and the following week, classes resume after a relatively short vacation. For once, Rendo takes a modernized jeepney (or bagong jeep) to go to school. Usually, he runs or jogs from home to the university, which is at least twelve (12) kilometers as the maya (a local bird) flies. However, he was given adequate allowance to at least afford travelling via public transport. Of course, even public transportation is nowhere near cheap these days. The base price is at least 12 pesos in Metro Manila, some fifty (50) percent higher than it was seven years ago. The drivers actually requested at least a 15-peso fare (double the former rate), since jeepney modernization took a toll at their respective costs of living. However, instead of subsidizing the provision of modernized jeeps, the government provided hefty loans with payment spread over a number of years, depending on the capacity of the operators and the drivers. Meanwhile, the old jeepneys were recycled, if there are any remaining to reuse from them, or so they say. As for fare increase, it was negotiated to being adjusted to inflation instead of an incremental increase or a one-time big-time increase. Of course, just like wages, fares are adjusted as minimum as possible. Speaking of wages, bagong jeep drivers would be receiving regular salaries, as opposed to the boundary system wherein they need to compete in the road to take home more money. To this day, jeepney modernization remained slow. It seemed like a clash between tradition and innovation for the iconic vehicle of the Philippines. Beginning with only a thousand (1,000) units, the current fleet of bagong jeeps reached at least 100,000 nationwide. This is only a fraction of the entire jeepney population in the country.

As the jeep traversed the heavily congested national road, Rendo just looked at the window. He sees some people preferring to walk instead of enduring the severe traffic, especially when the destination is near enough to be walked. Even at five (5) kilometers per hour, the normal walking speed, you would reach a location one kilometer away within twelve (12) minutes. Besides, this national road is only a little above four (4) kilometers. Rendo figured that he has enough time anyway, so he decided to savor the paid seat in public transport. When he turns his head away from the window and to his bag in front of him, he saw a familiar sight. So, he turns his head again to the window, covers his lower face with a handkerchief, and using peripheral vision to observe.

Meanwhile, the person parallel to him brings out a phone, looks at it, then back to him, and then begins to study him carefully. Rendo thinks to himself, "No. You don't know me. No. You don't know me. I'm an apparition."

The probing of the person continues, and the jeepney seems nowhere near his destination yet. The slow moving traffic felt much slower to Rendo with the situation he is currently in. Suddenly, that person has a sort of "Eureka!" moment. Rendo becomes more nervous.

She speaks something like, "Rendo," but no sound came out of her mouth. Then, she taps his knees. No response. He stuck his look outside. She taps again. Still no response.

At that moment, the jeep stops! Still, she does this for the third time, and for the third time, her signal fell to bad reception.

The driver stopped the jeep because passengers will unload. One passenger in particular noticed the repeating event that keeps him from going down the vehicle. He grabs Rendo and angrily says, "For art's sake! Notice your girlfriend already! Hrgh! I'm running late for my class!"

Surprised, Rendo was speechless. The student let go of Rendo and went on his way, leaving his harsh words on Rendo's mind and his saliva on Rendo's face. After cleaning his face with wet tissue, Rendo looked at the woman in front of him. At this point, she is seemingly irritated. She remains silent, looking at him intently.

"Um... Who are you again?"

She pouts a bit and then blurts out, "You're the one to talk, mister! You..."

The rest of the passengers look at them. The driver even changes the music, thinking it would match their mood. Noticing the attention attracted by her statement, Rendo tries to calm her down.

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"Hush... We're in a public place... Besides, do I know you?"

"Hrrr...," she raises her eyebrows with his attempts to placate her.

They keep quiet for the rest of the journey. It was like an undeclared cold war between them as tension builds up. Meanwhile, the attention they had a while ago eventually fizzled out. Soon enough, Rendo reached his destination and went out of the jeep. To his surprise, the woman also went out. As the jeep moved away, some of the passengers are still looking until they lost sight of them. Meanwhile, Rendo walked away from her.

She follows him, saying, "That's it? Ha? Hey! I'm talking to you!"

Rendo begins to lose his cool as well.

"What?! I've classes! Really..."

Seeing Rendo at his limit may have had an effect on her, and so she stopped speaking. He looked back at her just standing by the sidewalk.

Rendo continues, "Okay! I may be penniless, but I have a few minutes to spare. Spill it!"

"Is this true...? Can you really not remember me...?"

"It'd be like forgetting the last time I became irritated... And that was not long ago."

"Let me remind you."

She pulls out her phone, looks for something there, and then shows it to him. Behold, it is a photograph of her with him. He takes the phone and stares at it.

She continues, "Well, I'm actually shy to talk to you and all... I'm sorry... I'm just mad at myself for being too soft and... so... it reflected... a while ago..."

He was silent for a few moments, and then speaks.

"You know that... I can take this from you, right?"

"Wait, what?"

He laughs, giving back the phone, "Just kidding. I remember now. Sorry for my attitude, too."

"Oh..."

She laughs as well.

"Nice meeting you, but I've got to go."

He walks away once more, but this time, she tries to match his speed.

"Hey, wait..."

"Hmm?"

"Can you... well... accompany me later?"

"Uh... What for?"

"I was asked to research here since your library has the references we needed. But yeah, I'm not really familiar with this university. So, you see..."

"Just ask some random guy out there..."

"Come on. It's not like I'm a stranger to you," she says as she grabs his elbow.

He shakes off her hand and looks at her.

"Fine. But not lunch time. My free time's in the afternoon."

"Well, alright. But before you go, can I get your digits?"

"Digits? Hmm... 11-34-46-02-27-45?" 

"No! Not that. Phone number."

"It's busted, remember?"

"Oh..."

He pulls out from his bag an antiquated cellular phone.

"... Good for you, I have this spare phone from 2007. It's quite strong."

"That really is an old one."

"Fine. Take down my number..."

So, by this time, they exchanged phone numbers and parted ways. However, as she was about to cross the university road, a jeep (not the modernized type) suddenly appears in the horizon and is closing on her. Despite the lumbering condition of old jeepneys, they somehow showcase unbelievable speed that may well match some buses. The jeep honks the horns, apparently unable to stop the acceleration, but she seemed motionless at that point. She closes her eyes. Is this her end? Will this stereotype of a romantic stint about to meet its final moment?

"Verona!"

The jeep screeches to a halt, but the aftermath? No one died. Nobody was hurt. The driver and the passengers suddenly find her with someone else. It was Rendo! He managed to run and save her by around an inch from being rolled over by a fairly fast jeep.

"Who... Rendo?!"

"Yes."

She blushes, looking away from him. As she looks away, she notices his hands holding her arms tight. She moves them down.

"You... you can let go now..."

He puts his hands behind him, looking away as well.

"Oh! Sorry! So sorry. I didn't mean..."

Then, they hear people being touched by the scene. The jeep that was about to run her over a while ago is still there!

Rendo walks to the driver, smiling at him, "Sir, don't you have something else to do?"

The driver laughs, "Take care of your girl, alright?"

The jeep goes on to its journey. Meanwhile, Verona was about to approach Rendo, but she saw him crush a stone with one stomp of his foot. The stone is not that large, but it was reduced to powder, not into cracked bits. She was taken aback, but she managed to speak to him.

"Um... Thank you... again..."

He looks to her, "Oh, yes. It's okay. Next time, be extra careful. You seem to attract a lot of speedy things."

She bade goodbye and went on her way. Rendo walked back to the college building.

Rendo thought to himself, "Troublesome girl... You look away for mere minutes, and there she goes! Besides, aren't there speed limits in this campus? Really, what's up with these jeeps?"

Verona thought to herself, "He's got a point, though. I do seem to attract anything speedy. But why does he seem colder to me than the first time? Is it because I was mad or what?"

Remember, stay alert on the road. You will never know when the jeepney, or any other vehicle for that matter, strikes. At any rate, there is an arranged meeting between them later this day. Hope you continue reading!