THE RED NOTEBOOK

love suffers long and is kind;...

bear all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

A gloomy, cold morning awakened Meiho as she reached out to turn off her alarm clock on the beside table. She sluggishly stood up and proceeded at the bathroom. She took a quick bath, put on her clothes and screamed to see how late she was, yet managed to smile upon the glimpse of her red journal containing her compilation of inspirational thoughts. She never got tired of reading that though she could almost recall every line in detail.

Meanwhile, Jaybee was forced to stop. He kicked the bumper after seeing the smoke escaping from his car's engine. He would be late for school. He called on a taxi, but soon felt flabbergasted upon seeing a walking beauty hurrying up towards him.

Meiho did not bother to take her breakfast and whistled on a coming taxi.

They entered the taxi from opposite doors.

"Miss, would you mind to back off. I am incredibly late for school. Anyway, I was the first one to call for yhe cab."

"How dare you impose that? It was I, right? (to the driver) and if you're extremely late, so am I. I am not stepping out"

“You’re just going out from the gate; I had already called for this cab.”

“Thank you for being such agent, I hope that makes your day-“

The driver inferred upon seeing their heating discussion.

“Okay. I am booth taking the two of you on your respective destination. Where are you heading up to?”

They responded in chorus, stating the same place.

The driver started the engine with a fleeting smile as if feeling the springing air of romance.

Meiho’s destination was first reached since her first class is on the first building upon entering the university. She hurriedly  stepped down from the cab as it headed after; on Jaybee's directed place.

"$2 dollars Sir."

"what?"

"that woman was with you right? she did not pay me"

"you saw us in cat-dog manner, yet you assumed that she's with me? urgh! here. the nerve of that woman; a walking D with capital T."

"what was that sir?"

"Walking DISASTER with a capital TROUBLE!" he turned his back.

"Sir! i believe it's yours."

the driver  handed him a red notebook. it's hers. He took it and found himself smiling when he was supposed to react otherwise.

*in the room

"you're to early for your  next subject mr.Zarte . what else is new?"

here they go again: first mass in the morning for his usual tardiness.

Jaybee toyed the idea of simply walking back home; anyway i'ts friday. He diverted his usual route and entered into a narrow street. He saw a mosque and paused for a while. Much to this surprise, he saw her coming out.

"you owe me."

Meiho looked up and his eyebrows arched upon seeing him. but as fast as the speed of the light was the sudden change of her expression as she pulled out a bill from her wallet.

"So you stillremember huh?" ignoring the money.

She did not believe on slow motion, nor in ringing bells with the racing heartbeart; at least not until now. His perfect teeth were shown in his broad smile, and then he was astounded for a moment as if memorizing every inch of him.

"Is it not too late to apologize. I was trying to avoid a scolding from my prof, yet, I still got a handful." she smiled.

how captivating her smile was, if she just had any idea. He took a glance of her eyes and found that such smile really reached them. He was taken.