Just Like The Clouds

Kabanata 4

[Cleared to land, runway two seven Right, TCI.]

A great view surprised me as I'm slowly descending the aircraft. Sumisikat palang ang araw nang tuluyan itong dumikit sa lupa. Dumiretso ako sa hangar pagkalabas ko ng aircraft na ngayon ay inihahanda na para sa sunod na piloto.

I sacrificed my sleep and time at the gym just to fly early in the morning. The air is smooth, cool temps and better aircraft availability. It's beneficial to fly during dawn flight hours, lalo na kapag nagmamadali. Less traffic to slow the aircraft down, more takeoffs and landings in each lessons. It's better to acquire my license as soon as possible.

After hours of flying from one airport to another, then going back to the flight school, I had a post-flight briefing with my flight instructor.

Tanghali na siguro nang matapos ako. I went our for lunch alone, fastfood lang dahil maaga akong uuwi ngayon. I've never been this busy before. Flights in the morning, online courses in the afternoon, prepairing of flight plans in the evening, then the cycle repeats. Kahit tuwing weekends ay wala akong takas.

"S1 and B2, please," saad ko pagkatapos tumingin sa menu. Tumango lang ang lalaking nasa harap ko. "Dine in, ma'am?"

"Oo." Iniabot niya ang tray na laman ang pagkaing in-order ko kaya naghanap ako ng upuan para sa isang tao. I'm a lonely unpeeled potato. Dati ay nakakasama ko si Maddie kahit papaano, sobrang magkaiba lang ang schedule namin ngayon kaya halos di na kami magkita.

Ibinaba ko ang tray at mag-isang naupo doon habang abala ang lahat ng tao sa paligid.

"Hi, miss." I looked up to see who it was but he's unfamiliar. "I'm Hans." Inilahad nito ang kaniyang kamay at sinuklay naman ang kaniyang buhok gamit ang isa pa. Nagpapalit-palit ang tingin ko sa kaniya at sa kamay niyang nasa harap ko. What am I supposed to do with that?

"Kailangan mo tissue?" tanong ko sa kaniya. He scratched the back of his head and awkwardly walked back to their table. Hindi ko iyon sinundan ng tingin at kumain nalang.

Uminom lang ako pero hindi parin tumatayo kahit tapos nang kumain. Ang hirap na talagang gumalaw kapag busog. I took my flightbag and put it on my lap. The post-flight briefing went smooth and I listed down several reminders from my flight instructor. Marami pa 'kong dapat gawin.

I went straight home after that and no one's there. Siguro ay hindi pa nasusundo ni kuya si Sky sa bahay ng biyenan niya. Ate Quinn was supposed to be here almost a month ago, pero may emergency daw sa trabaho niya doon. Sky was so disappointed.

Naupo ako sa couch at pinahinga ang buong katawan nang biglang mag-vibrate ang phone ko. It was a message from our groupchat.

yhaelleelle: y'all busy tom?

Wala pang nag-seen noon bukod sa akin dahil hindi padin online ang iba. Of course, hindi talaga kami magkakakilala tuwing weekdays.

Heav: di naman jerry

It was on delivered when I turned off my phone to take a shower. Halos mapuno ng kulay ang kwarto dahil sa mga inuwi kong painting dito. May nag-iisa pa doon na hindi tapos, our family portrait. Wala akong oras, e.

Bumaba din ako pagkatapos ko at nag-isip ng pwedeng gawin. I decided to do baking in the kitchen while I'm still by myself. Lagi kasi kaming nag-aagawan ni kuya sa kusina. Kinuha ko lang ang phone ko at sunod-sunod na message ang natanggap ko.