I was seventeen at the time. I stopped a tricycle to take me to the terminal. Heavy traffic held me back a few minutes, and definitely irritated me. It was already 10:04AM, and we were supposed to leave by 10:00AM. Once I finally arrived, I gave the driver my fare and jumped out. There she was, on the bench, wearing a white button up shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. She looked so peaceful and innocent, quietly listening to music through her earphones. You wouldn't know that something was wrong with her unless you were told.
She caught me on the corner of her eye and smiled at me so sweetly. I smiled back. For that brief moment, all my worries about what we were about to do disappeared. For that brief moment, I was at peace. She stood up, and we walked towards each other. The closer she was, the more obvious her eye bags. Neither of us wanted to do this, but we both knew we had to. At least she tried to remain cheerful, I couldn't hold my smile.
"Ready to go?" she asked me, as if it were one of the many dates we've been to before. I could only purse my lips and nod. She was trying to be strong for the both of us, and I felt ashamed because of it.
We boarded a van, and the both of us sat at the very back. I was next to the window and she was next to me. She offered me one of her earphones, and we both listened to Regina Spektor as we waited for the van to leave. Once I felt it moving, I knew our decision was final.
Despite the the music in our ears, the majority of the ride felt silent. The four lanes of highway made the ride smooth. She held my hand, and her head was on my shoulder. I soon let my mind wander.
We soon passed a beige mosque. I had always wanted to enter one out of curiosity, but never found the opportunity to do so. Later, we passed by Silway 8 Elementary School and National High School. I remembered that we should've been in class, that we were absent. My head jerked to see if there was anyone in the van that might have known who we were. To my relief, there was none.
We crossed a bridge, and then it was just endless fields on both sides, with the occasional house or small roadside eatery. On one of these fields, a cow was resting while its calf kept hopping around. I thought it was cute, for the brief moment we saw it.
"What will we do while we wait?" she asked, breaking the silence between us. Her head was still on my shoulder, and her finger was playing with the earphone's wire. I did not notice the music had gone out. "I sort of want ice cream... and chicken." She seemed embarrassed for saying that, but it was adorable to me.
"We'll get ice cream and chicken," I answered, then kissed her forehead. Her hair smelled like coconuts.
She chuckled, then snuggled against me. We often weren't this showy in public. Even in a tight, closed space, like a van. I didn't mind, however. It was nice, sort of refreshing, to act like this even if we weren't in our bedrooms.
We passed Mandaue Foam, the grey giant, containing floor after floor of beddings. Then, the first of two military checkpoints. We had to get out of the van, and show our bags to the guard then show him our identification before we could carry on.
The tent we passed through had PMA recruitment posters, "More than a scholar," it said. The thought of signing up once I finished high school crossed my mind. The salary would definitely be nice, as well as the change of scenery. Looking back, it might've been the opportunity for a fresh start, away from where I was, that really made the offer enticing.
The round ball was up ahead, littered with posters I did not bother to read. A turn to the right was the way to the airport. I thought about, then decided against, running away. I did not know where the road to the left went. I noticed that she had fallen asleep on my shoulder, and I remembered why I have to stay.
