Flying with You

Chapter 1

It takes around six thousand and three hundred seconds or one hundred and five minutes to reach General Santos City when one would be taking a direct flight from Manila. In addition to that, it would take another two hours and fifteen minutes of traveling by land to be able to reach Lake Sebu—my home for the next three days or so. Lake Sebu, otherwise called the Summer Capital of the South, has been one of the places that I've always wanted to visit.

I had planned this trip more than six months ago. I even asked my friends to file their leaves ahead of time so that we could go together. If there was one thing that could be common in our group, it would be the fact that we love out-of-town trips. So when they told me that they couldn't go with me on this trip, I was so devastated.

"Arci, we're so sorry. As much as we would like to come with you, summer is the peak season for work. You do know that we love you, right? But we really have to pass this time," Nyx told me one week before my planned schedule of going to Lake Sebu.

"I understand. I guess I have to do this on my own then," I answered her while trying my best to stop my tears from falling.

"Arci, please don't cry. You know how much we would like to go with you, right? But the timing's not right this time."

"I get it, Nyx. I'm just scared that I can't do this alone."

"Hey, don't say that! I know that you can do it. Go there and make me proud, okay? Take as many pictures as you can so that we can all be jealous since we weren't able to go with you," Nyx said, and she enveloped me in a big bear hug. Somehow, I felt better with what she said. Maybe I could really do this on my own. It's about time that I do something that would satisfy me and my thirst for adventures.

Nyx decided to help me with the last stretch of my preparations. Since she worked before at a travel agency, she knew the whats, wheres, whens, and whos in Lake Sebu. She told me all the things that I needed to bring, the food that may trigger my allergies, and those that are really popular in the area.

"I have to go, Arci. The first thing that you need to do when you arrive in the resort where you'll be staying is to call me. Understood?" Nyx asked me as she stood up from her seat. Following her cue, I stood up as well and raised my hand to salute her.

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!" I answered her as snappily as I could. She just laughed at what I did and hugged me one last time before we walked out of my condo unit.

"Take care of yourself, okay? I'm really sorry for being a crappy friend."

"Hey, don't say that. Even if all of you are ditching me for work, I couldn't even think of having another set of friends. Maybe I could really do this on my own," I told Nyx as I took her hand and gave it a little squeeze. She then smiled at me, and as if on cue, the elevator opened at my floor.

"Aww. My baby is all grown up now. See you soon, okay?" Nyx as she stepped inside the elevator. She even waved before the doors closed. With that, I smiled to myself and walked back to my condo unit before someone thought that I had gone insane.