Freshman

Chapter 5: The Commute

No car. No van. No vehichle.

My family couldn't provide any, for we were in the middle class. My mom just had a baby, and a car really wasn't such a priority at the time. So, I had to result to commuting to school.

I lived in the Philippines, so the most common transportation vehichles were jeeps, tricycles, and SUV's. Some, unfortunate ones who had to cope with the far distance, had to result to trains such as LRT's and MRT's. What was even worse, was when you were in the province and had to use little boats!

This delightful Tuesday morning, Loreigne, an old colleague of mine in grade school, decided that we go to school together today. After all, our communication wasn't getting better after high school started. We were starting to part and had less time to talk. This was actually a good way to catch up.

Our subdivisions weren't too long-drawn-out to each other. However, I still needed to walk quite a distance in order to fetch her. I didn't go directly to her house, but we agreed on a place to meet.

Once I arrived at our meeting spot, which was the main gate of her subdivision, I saw no absolute sign of her. I tried to look for her, but she was nowhere to be seen. An early bird gets the boredom I suppose.

Contacting her wasn't an option since I didn't have a phone at the time. Through the dull minutes, I had nothing to amuse myself but the passing vehichles and the early morning vendors selling ¹kakanin and some fruit and produce of the kind.

It was somewhere near 6:30am, and I was getting tense at some point. I was a very punctual person, handling time properly. So, there's no surprise why I act so tense.

Finally, I see her familiar face in the sidewalk, making her way out of a tricycle.

She wore the school's basic female's uniform, a simple blouse and a skirt. Meanwhile, I wore the blouse and slacks to partner.

"You're wearing slacks?" Loreigne blinked, eyeing me from head to toe. She didn't scrutinize, but it was uncomfortable to feel her eyes nonetheless.

I looked at my attire. "Sure, can't I?"

"I'm just-" she hesitated. "Not used to it.... But whatever."

"God," I gave an exasperated sigh. "Where were you? Do you want us to get late or something?"

She looked at me, baffled. "It's still 6:20am and our agreement was on 6:30am," she glanced at her watch. "You could consider me early."

"Well, not for me!" I retorted.

"It's because you're earlier." She conveyed a smug smile.

"I guess," I shrugged. "But still."

"You and your punctuality." She snickered and ruffled my hair. "Come on, there's a jeep."

We hollared for a jeep and we went in the secluded little transportation vehichle.

A jeep could probably fit in twenty passengers at the back, and two more for shot gun. We took the compartment at the back, since it's way safer in our state. We were students, and you'll never know when danger will come lingering around.