21 Days in the Philippines

41 - So Close Yet So Far

I closed my eyes after the stewardess announced to turn off devices before the take off. I continued to chew on my gum after the plane had taken off. I opened my eyes to the sound of the stewardess' voice  returning to the speakers.

"Good afternoon and thank you for choosing Alpha Air. We'll be arriving in New York in 3 hours. We hope that you enjoy the trip."

I bent down to get the barf bag at the pocket behind the seat in front of me and spat my gum in it after I had planned to take a nap since I might swallow it.

Now, time for that nap...

***8:08PM***

"Good evening passengers. You have arrived in New York. Thank you for choosing Alpha Air."

I did a mental groan at the sound of the stewardess' voice. I wish I didn't sleep so I didn't have to suffer my aching ears. God! They feel swollen! Argh! How could I have deeply fallen asleep?

I tried to open my mouth as wide as I could before closing it again repeatedly as I got off my seat and reached for my hand-carry  Gucci--another present from Greg. Seriously, what kind of friend would give you a present for no apparent reason, right? I'll miss that crazy person--at the overhead compartment. Then, I noticed the guy who was seated beside me. He looked amused.

I stopped globbing my mouth like a fish and tried to get out of the plane as fast as I could. Talk about embarrassing.

I waited for my white hardcase from the baggage conveyor along with some other passengers.

"Hey."

My back strickened when I heard a very familiar voice from my side. It sounded almost like...Stranger. But this time, closer and now, beyond the rectangular device that kept us connected.

"Look, I may be a stranger, but I'm one of the nice ones."

I turned and squinted my eyes. "Stranger?"

He looked chuckled. His acquainted blue eyes lit up. I stared right through his eyes, reading through them, trying to recall where I'd seen them. "Of course!" Then, he squinted as though to recall something. "Unless...I've met you before?" he sounded uncertain.

I studied his prince-like features. His angular nose was a bit off at the bridge, like there's a bump on the bridge. His strong jaw was muscular. Almost like...Alex's. But clearly, Alex didn't look like an angel.

He smiled. "I'm Caleb." He held out his hand.

I blinked. "Uh...hi."

He looked down to his hand, then awkwardly putting it down. Well I'm not grabbing that. He may be good-looking but a lot sindicates use those kinds of face to pull off a modus operandi. I'm not that stupid.

I watched him grab his Samsonite from the conveyor with one try. He was smooth. His shirt followed the curve of his forearm as it flexed. I made a leap when he'd turned to me. His lips curved open, giving way to expose his yellowish-white teeth with sharp lateral incisors on each side, but it doesn't make him look like a vampire. He had the normal kind of teeth, the one that never had to undergo braces, but still not the perfect set of whites which showed a straight set. Just plain normal.

"Aren't you going to get your luggage?" he asked without a hint of sarcasm. If this were Stranger, he would've been teasing.

I turned and waited for my white hardcase to arrive in front of me. I struggled to pull it off of the belt.

"Here let me." He made a slight grunt as he lifted my luggage off. He placed it on the floor, filling the space between the two of us. "What do you have in there? Rocks?" he laughed.

I giggled. "Sorry about that."

He jutted his chin, his smile unfazing. "Don't worry about it." He studied my 3 carryalls and the gigantic suitcase, probably thinking which one contained the money and which one to snag first and run past the security. "You live here?"

I shook my head. "No. I have to go." I said. I turned, my heart beating fast, scared of what he might do.

He nodded but he just won't quit. I realized that he was strolling along side me with his luggage trotting behind. "Is somebody going to pick you up?"

"Yeah," I lied, pairing it with a fake smile. "Don't you have anywhere else to go?"

"Oh, I do. It's just been a long time since I've been here and I haven't met a new friend since."

What, you think I'm a noob? I have seen Taken and I don't have someone like Bryan to save his daughter Kim. Yes, my Dad is a policeman but I think he has enough cases to handle, not to add his own daughter's life on the line.

I wave to the arrivals bay, pretending to see my relative or something. "Oh, well. I hope you find one."

I walk to the arrivals bay, I know he was still watching and as stupid as it sounds, I call out "Dad!" as I sped past security railings, and into the sea of loved ones who are waving to the others who have arrived. Some looked behind to see who I was waving to but some didn't care. Who cares if I looked stupid? This is my life being endangered here!