When Playful and Grumpy Collide (English)

Chapter 3

Day of her flight, and she’s ready. She travels very early to the office of the agency as they told her because she doesn’t want to be stuck in the traffic. Excited as she felt because it’s her first time riding an airplane.

While on the bus, she can’t help herself to be nervous. As she learns from her agency, she will travel alone. She doesn’t know what will happen to her on her journey.

When she arrived at the office, the agency personnel were already waiting for her. Holding her documents and tickets for her travel.

“Good morning, Ma’am,” she greeted.

“Good morning, too, Miss Layla. Have you eaten breakfast? In twenty minutes we’re leaving for the airport.” said the personnel of the agency.

“Yes, Ma’am, I already ate my breakfast,” she lied because the truth is, she hasn’t appetite to eat. She can’t eat because of excitement.

When the time comes, they’re on the way to the airport. Her heart beats so fast. She’s nervous, alright.

“This is it!” she said to herself.

When they arrived at the airport, her agency personnel advised her to go to the passenger line where they were checking in their baggage. She only brought a hand carry, she’s planning to buy her clothes only when she arrives in Dubai, once she receives her salary. That’s her destination.

Minutes passed, she was already at the boarding pass. The agency personnel gave her tickets to the clerk. They check the information and enter the code from the computer together with her baggage.

“Thanks, God, I’m with my agent. Maybe if she wasn’t with me, I don’t know what to do,” she talked to herself.

“Thank you so much, Ma’am, for helping me,” she expressed her gratitude to her companion. She remains quiet while they process her documents needed, such as identification and some valid papers that are asking. Layla never thought that when you travel you have to be prepared with your documents to present or else they will not allow you to travel.

After finishing the checking documents, her agent personnel gave her a passport. She didn’t even bother to check on it because of the excitement that was written on her face. She trusted them.

Her agent personnel accompanied her until what gate she would enter and wait for her flight. She even remembered her flight number. Kept it in her mind and bid goodbye to her agent. Then she was left alone again.

Layla prayed a lot while nervous. Asking guidance from God, for her safe flight. Her first time traveling outside the country and it was very scary. She thinks positively that everything will be alright until they arrive at their destinations.

Until. . . 

“Flight AJ8501, flight AJ8501, please proceed to gate B. Your plane is ready to abort.” announced by the customer service. 

 When Layla heard about the flight number that she remembered, she stood up and walked to the gate that was told by the customer service. Presented her ticket and passport to the person at the entrance. She followed some of the passengers where they were entering the gate and proceeded inside the plane. Then off to go. She prayed again and relaxed for the safe flight.

Because of nervousness, she didn’t even hear clearly what the pilot was saying. She just closes her eyes and thinks positive thoughts. In just a minute the pilot started the engine and was ready to fly high. Layla just looks at the window. She was happy yet sad because she will leave her country in the meantime.

The plane started to fly high and Layla felt amazed by seeing the clouds outside her window. Feels like she wanted to touch it.

After a while, the pilot announced that they had arrived at the airport of their destinations. Layla wondering why it was so fast? As far as she knew, traveling abroad takes almost a day or half of the day before they reach it. But her flight just took a minute and it’s done.

“Is this how fast travelin, in Dubai?” she asked herself. As if she would answer herself, too.

She held tight to the armchair because of a sudden touchdown of the plane wheel from the ground. She is almost in depth because of the screeching sound of the plane. That’s why she didn’t hear what the stewards were saying.

“Welcome to Cebu City, thank you for flying with us . . .” that’s what she heard only, then stopping herself to continue listening. As she heard right, the stewardess said, Cebu City.

“Cebu City?” She was shocked. She didn’t bother to talk for a while. Waiting for all the passengers to come down from the plane then she will ask someone if she heard correctly about their destination. She can’t accept why the heck the plane arrived at Cebu where her flight was destined for Dubai. She stayed in her seat and remained calm even it’s hard to do it. Her hands are sweating and cold. Very nervous and scared.

After a while, the stewardess came near to her. She hugged her backpack and she was shaking as the stewardess stood in front of her.

“Ma’am you only left inside the plane. All the passengers are at the airport facility already. Aren’t you going down, too?” the stewardess asked.

Teary-eyed as she looked at her.

“Ma’am stewardess, why are we in Cebu? Is this connecting flight going to Dubai?” Layla asked.

“No, Ma’am, this is the exact destination of our flight, today. We don’t have connecting flights when it comes to domestic flights. That’s applicable only if you travel abroad.” the stewardess answered.

“Ah, . . Ma’am Stewardess, my flight is going to Dubai. I can’t come down yet. Just bring me back to Manila and I will transfer my plane that travels to Dubai,” she’s teary-eyed while explaining to the stewardess.

“Can I see your ticket, Ma’am,” the stewardess opened her palm to give her ticket for checking.

Layla handed her ticket and the stewardess read it in detail. She explained to Layla that her ticket was correct at the destination. And she didn’t miss her flight.

Layla takes back her ticket and sees it for herself if the stewardess is telling the truth. Her eyes widened as she confirmed what was written on the small paper she was holding.

“What is this scam?” she said, staring out of nowhere. Her tears flowed down her cheeks as she confirmed her destination. Her expectations and dreams were all burned out.

As she was about to talk to the stewardess, she suddenly heard her name announced from the customer service. It was connected inside the plane from the airport facility.

“Paging, Miss Layla Metalstone, paging, Miss Layla Metalstone, please proceed to the exit of the airport. The driver is waiting for you.” said the customer service representative.

“Ma’am, it’s your name they are calling. That’s your name written on your ticket. You can go down now, Ma’am. Anytime soon, our cleaning group will come up here and clean the plane for the next flight. You can leave now, Ma’am. Just go straight to the exit of the airport. Your driver is waiting,” said the stewardess.

She didn’t talk back and just followed what the stewardess told her.

After a minute or so, Layla reached the exit door of the airport and found the man handed a whiteboard and wrote her name on it. She went near the man and introduced herself.

“Good morning, Sir. Are you the driver as they announced a while ago? I’m Layla Metalstone.”

“Good morning, too, Ma’am. Nice meeting you Miss Layla. My boss is waiting in the car for you. Let’s go, Ma’am, he’s mad now. My boss doesn’t like to wait too long,” the driver said to her.

She nodded and followed the driver where the car parked.

He opened the door from the passenger’s seat at the back for Layla and spring up the serious and dishonorable face of a man inside the car.

“Why did it take you so long?” he seriously asked her.

Layla at first felt scared because he’s scary, but then she composed herself and told him about her anger.

“Hey, scammer! Why didn’t you tell me or the agency to inform me that my flight is going to Cebu and not in Dubai? Huh? You ruined my dreams!” she angrily said to him.

He just stared blankly at her.

“Get inside and I will explain to you. Hurry!” Akhmad shouted at her.

She was surprised when he shouted. Layla quickly got inside the car and sat properly. She zipped her mouth and looked straight in the front.

Then the driver started the engine and they left the airport.