Brief Encounters

Timeline 1 (Part 2)

As Paul and I walked toward the longer route around the mountains, I couldn't help but eye the steep, muddy incline ahead of us. "You have to be kidding me," I said, glancing at him with wide eyes. "I can't climb that! The soil's practically a slip-and-slide."

Paul chuckled, shaking his head. "Come on, it can't be that worse than before. Besides, we're already leaving. A little mud won't hurt anyone."

"Yeah, well, it might hurt me. I'd like to keep my dignity intact, thank you very much," I replied, carefully sidestepping a particularly slippery patch. "Besides, I didn't sign up for a high-stakes mountain adventure just to end up as a mud statue."

After a short while, we made it into a jeepney terminal that wasn't far from our original route. The road was narrow, winding between lush trees and thick foliage. The signs clearly indicated that private vehicles weren't allowed, only the authorized jeepneys, to maintain safety and reduce traffic. I could see why; the steep drop-offs on either side were no joke. The next jeepney will leave in 10 minutes.

"The tourist guide literally just left us when we got into the jeepney," I said, glancing around at the locals nestled in the back. Their chatter filled the air, but I couldn't understand much, only picking up bits and pieces here and there of some Spanish words.

"Guess it's just us now," Paul said, sounding slightly amused. "But look on the bright side—" Paul leaned closer, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "I did my homework. I learned a few Filipino phrases. Just enough to impress the locals, you know."

"Oh really? Like what?" I raised an eyebrow, half-expecting him to butcher the language.

"Like 'salamat' for 'thank you' and 'saan ang banyo?' for 'where's the bathroom?'" he replied, puffing out his chest with faux pride.

I laughed. "Those are useful! But I hope you don't need to use the bathroom anytime soon."

Not long after, I noticed a familiar buzz in the air. To my surprise, the two princes, William and Harry, strolled up to the terminal. They seemed relaxed, casually scanning the area as if they were just another pair of travelers. No commotion, no fanfare—just two guys trying to make their way through the day.

The princes approached the same jeepney we were on, looking as nonchalant as possible. The locals had taken the opportunity to clamber up onto the roof, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight—jeepneys were a unique experience, but I hadn't expected to see people taking their adventures quite so literally.

As Harry and William climbed into the jeepney. Harry leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "Oh my God, we didn't intend to follow you here!" 

"We should probably introduce ourselves properly before the universe throws us another curveball," William suggested, flashing a grin. "I'm William. And this is my brother, Harry."

"I might have heard your names before somewhere," I said, pretending to think hard. "I'm not sure if it was the news or the tabloids," I jokingly said. They both chuckled, and Harry leaned in with a smirk, "Our family doesn't have the best track record must I say"

"I'm Jeanna," I said, and gesturing toward Paul, who was trying to contain his laughter, "and this is Paul."

"I'm her assistant," Paul chimed in, his voice light and a bit theatrical, clearly reveling in the moment. He wore a grin that suggested he was fully aware of how it might sound, and he wanted to clear up any possible misconceptions. "Just to set the record straight—I'm not here as her boyfriend or anything scandalous."

"Oh, so you're the one keeping her out of trouble!" Harry teased, leaning closer with a playful glint in his eye. "Must be a full-time job."

"It really is," Paul shot back, throwing a mock-serious look my way. 

William was about to respond when the driver revved the engine, sending the jeepney lurching forward. The metal parts rattled loudly against the rocky road, drowning out all other noises.