Take Off

Chapter 1: Approach

A/N: For the full experience (naks), please visit http://bahalana.net

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"Menggay, ano'ng dream schedule mo this month?"

"Nako ha, ayoko nang isipin sa totoo lang. Kahit naman anong bid ko, ang ending lagi, layovers from heeellll. Paabot nga ng hairpin."

London. Tokyo. New York. Seoul. Nung bago pa lang akong FA, I was over the moon. Travelling to places I've never been to before, discovering the city, eating froyo in little neighborhood shops, what's not to like? 

Well, let me count the birthday parties I've missed, the amount of sleeping pills in my system, the mornings when I just have to get up and swallow all the hurt I feel inside because it's freaking time to smile. 

Sabagay, ganun naman lagi diba? All new things are like snow globes. Gandang tingnan from the outside - the snow gently sparkling down like stars kissing the treetops - pero try mong pumasok sa loob, tingnan na lang natin kung di ka masuffocate. 

"Alam mo kung bakit laging pangit nakukuha mong schedule, Meng? Ang nega mo eh."

"Sabihin mo dinidikitan ako ng malas dahil yung bestfriend ko may balat sa pwet."

Buti na lang rin at may mga breath of fresh air kahit paano. I met Marie during FA training. Imagine a room full of ladies all made up, smiling at each other kahit alam mong naghuhusgahan na yang mga yan kung sino ang mas maganda. Marie is different. Parang hindi nya alam na maganda siya. Kung dapat umarte ayon sa ganda, hindi nakatanggap ng memo tong si Maryot. Which is probably why we clicked. Hindi sa sinasabi kong maganda ako, I guess my point is just that... we're weird together. 

"Hello? Kung malas ako, wala ka dapat sa flight na ito! Walang layover from hell basta andyan si Captain Richard... Faulkerson... Jr! Ooooohhhhh ma-imagine ko lang ang mga biceps nyang nagpupumiglas from his uniform, para na rin akong nasa clouds!"

Ha, baliw talaga 'to forever.

"Pang-ilan na ba siya sa hitlist mo?"

"Excuse me?! Kung maka-hitlist ka naman dyan. #4, bakit? Up na sya from #7 kasi nginitian nya ko nung company partyyyy!!!!"

"Gaga! Lahat naman nginingitian nun. Umayos ka nga."

"Alam mo Meng, di ka lang masungit eh, plastic ka pa. Tingnan mo ko sa mata. Tingnan mo ko sa mata!"

"Ano?"

"Pantay ba yung eyeliner ko?"

"Hambalos gusto mo? Oo, pantay!"

"Okay, thanks. De joke lang.. Ito na, game, tingnan mo ko sa mata! Bilis! Totoo na to! At sabihin mong hindi cute si RFJ. Sabihin mo!"

RFJ? Yeah, he caught my eye. Tall, dimpled and handsome. Popular with the girls, pero walang girlfriend. Nice, smart and driven. Laging sinasbi ni Maryot na nag-iinarte lang ako, na baka deep inside ang gusto kong storya yung mai-inlove yung lalaki sa bestfriend nung bida, sabay bawi na syempre sya daw yung bida, kaya nasa kanya pa rin ang huling halakhak.