“And this is our very talented and efficient Creatives Director, Ruth. Ruth, this is Ian, our new Logistics Director.”

My friends tell me I have an unusually sharp memory for a guy, because I tend to remember names and dates and people better than the normal guy. I never thought it was weird, just responsible, I guess. On my first day as the new Logistics Director of Street Team Events, I wasn’t really expecting to meet an old acquiantance. The company was still small and just starting, and I didn’t really know anyone who was involved in events, but here she was, an old college acquaintance. Ruth.

“Hi, welcome to Street Team,” Ruth stood up and extended her hand to me, which I shook firmly.

“Hi, Ruth,” I said, smiling. I met Ruth almost a decade ago, back in college. We were part of the organizing team of a concert sponsored by our org, with her a part of the marketing team while I was a part of — what else? — logistics. We didn’t really spend a lot of time together, but I can remember her making those posters that we stuck around the campus.

She looked at me curiously, and then I realized that I still haven’t let go of the handshake. “Oh sorry,” I said, feeling slightly embarrassed.”It’s just…you’re familiar.” I finished lamely.

Ruth chuckled. “Really?”

“Were you from DLSU too?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yeah. Batch 2000. You?”

“Same here,” I said.

“Maybe we’ve seen each other around or something?” Ruth said. “I’m not really sure. Sorry, I’m bad with faces.”

“Yeah, maybe,” I wasn’t, and I can definitely remember her. I can remember her in two of my classes, too.

“Well, it’s nice that you two have common ground,” Lia interrupted in an amused tone. I gave a start, completely forgetting that our boss was still there. I gave her a glance and saw she was looking back and forth between me and Ruth. “But I’ve got to take Ian away from you now, Ruth. He still has a lot of people to meet.”

Ruth waved her hand. “Go, I don’t want to keep you.” She went back to her seat and focused back on her screen.

“I’ll see you around,” I said before turning to follow Lia.

“See you!”

* * *

It wasn’t until a couple of months till Ruth remembered all the things I remembered on the day I met her again at work.

“Oh my gosh, I finally remember something about you.”

We were at Cupcakes by Sonja for our weekly bonding with the rest of the Street Team directors, ordering our cupcakes sponsored by Lia. I was absentmindedly snapping my fingers while I was thinking of what to order. Ruth was standing beside me, waiting for me to make up my mind when she gave out that exclamation.

“What?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You were my classmate!”

Well that took her long enough, I thought before spaeaking, “Where?”

“I think it was…RELSTRI? Or FILIPI1? Both?”

I shrugged, pretending not to remember but inside I was amused. “I don’t know.”

“Did you have Sir Maningas for RELSTRI?” I nodded. “Then it was you! You were with your friends in the middle row, and he always calls on you guys. I remember that snapping thing you do with your fingers when he called on you to talk about the nature of humanity!” She looked genuinely excited that I laughed.

“Where were you in the classroom?”

“I was on the first row,” Ruth answered. “Unfortunately.” She added with a sarcastic laugh.

“Yeah, I remember you,” I said, turning back to the cupcake shelves in front of us.

“I hated it when he called me Ruthina,” Ruth continued, still laughing. “And I can’t believe it took me this long. Honestly, did you know?”

I looked at her again, and debated inside if I should tell her that I’ve known from the very start, or if I’d just say I only remembered now. If I told her I’ve known way back, she’d definitely ask why I didn’t tell her, and I don’t really know why I didn’t tell her. I guess I was waiting for her to remember all this time? And what would she think if she knew I remembered her from all these years?

So, I said, “No.”

Ruth turned back to the cupcakes again and smiled. “I’m glad that I remembered.”

I realized I was glad about it, too.

[745 words]

Tags: 46, fiction, first person, i am single and everybody knows