Past Illusion

Chapter One

 It is Thursday noon, I am about to finish my morning shift. As I am finishing off daily shift handover, the staff of the next shift arrives. The other shift leader howls at me and I waved quickly while I am finalizing the handover stuff. I am done. I get up and walk toward my locker. "any plans for tonight Shawn?" my colleague Jasper asked. "yeah probably hanging out with the guys" I replied. Near my locker I am talking with the other shift leader Marcus as I am opening my locker and removing my apron and cap. After few mins I left the store heading directly to my home. Arrived at my room after long stressful hours per usual at work. It is just everyday routine for me, that I supposedly used to it by now. Though nothing helps you forget that pain better than a nice noon nap, I guess.

 Later on that day, I have just arrived at the bar with I meet the gang every Thursday night. Yep, we meet every Thursday night at the same bar, doing same things every weekend while every weekdays each stuck at work. That is just the single life for each of us. I am walking inside the bar, and from across the bar at the corner table I hear this voice coming aloud "Over Hear Shawn!", that is Andrew's voice as he is calling me to their table. I approach them and I see Andrew, Jordan, Thomas, Philip and Jackson sitting at the table while on the other side Jacob playing the arcade. "Hey guys" I salute, and each with their responses, "You suck dude" Thomas smirks as usual. I take a seat and look around, "umm I don't see Jacob nor Matt, are they not coming?" I ask, "Jacob is there playing the arcade box" while he points at Jacob "as for Matt, well, he has been MIA these last couple of days, not answering his phone, you know how he is" he continues. And with that remark, opened a whole debate that continues another hour on the subject. While we are arguing violently, suddenly appears in front of our table, Matt himself. Sudden quite for few seconds, then "Here he is has arrived." Jordan while weirdly smirking said, "Why you are not answering your phone?" Thomas shouted, "Hey Matty boy, welcome, grab a seat!" Andrew cheerfully said. "Thank you guys but I cannot stay for long, I came here because I want to tell you something important and you would be the first to know." Matt said. "What is it Matt?" I ask. "Well, I just got married to a nice woman, and I won't come to any future gatherings because I will be occupied and busy either with work or family life" he respond. At that moment we're all shocked and amazed, but we could not say anything except congratulate our friend Matt and wish him the best and respect his wishes I guess. As each of us gave him their best wishes, he then left and remained the rest of us.

Times passes by, we called it a night, and each head home. When I entered my room, I just sat for a while thinking about current career and any possible future plans I guess. I remember back in the days I set target to be video games programmer, and I started making games and learning game engines technologies. Though at the time, there were always distractions that led me to procrastinate, most of them my friend Jordan calling me up whenever I was busy with something, and asks me to play with them online PVP games. It's nothing I guess, but I just could not help but think...

Chapter Two

A year has passed and nothing much has changed really, well except for at this time I have made up my mind to resign from my job and pursue my goals and ambitions, even though that I am drowning in debts, it is a risk I am willing to take. The decision to resign was not made lightly, but it was encouraged after I re enrolled back to study further into software development and programming. Today is the last day at work, I am working my last shift. It late in the evening just another hour left before I am no longer employed by this company. Not much customers at the moment, so it is me and my colleagues having chitchat as usual. As we are talking, I see the next shift partners coming from distance and at that moment I felt deep relief, that when they come and I hand over the shift and everything, I am finally free. So we are talking at the backroom, saying goodbyes to them, hugging, and taking selfies for memories I guess. After all that, I remove my apron and hat for the last time, take my belongings from my locker, and then I give all work-related keys to the other shift leader, and thus as I walking outside, I completely free. I think of it this way, that now I will be able to continue learn what I have left off long ago and pursue a career out of it. Of course I can always try the government labor program to find another job, less hours, just for income at least.

It is Thursday night, I went to the bar to meet the gang. I reach there, go inside, and I see them sitting at the usual table. I give them the big news that I left the company, and it is mostly a shock mixed with optimism. Each are wishing me a better future, though then Jordan weirdly added "you left? Why? But...", almost like he is upset that I left, and few seconds later before I could say anything, "Oh never mind, good luck in other places" he quickly said. I sit along, while they are talking and drinking, I am thinking about the next steps, and also about Jordan's weird remarks.

Philip - Thomas - Jacob - Jordan - Jackson - Matt - Andrew

The Long Flight

Tuesday morning it is as I am heading to the airport now to catch my flight to Star city. I am in the waiting lines and suddenly the plane's gate is open so one by one they check our tickets to enter the plane. It is my turn has come, as I enter and go finding my seat. I find my seat, sit and settle in. "Do you need anything sir" flight attendant asks me, "no thanks" I respond. As I am sitting, this weird noise I hear coming from behind me. I turn myself around and there it is, a young woman giggling the water in her mouth. As I am staring weirdly, she notices me. "Sorry am I disturbing you?" she asks, "Nah, I've seen weirder" I respond "just be careful not to choke, alright" I sarcastically add. She laughs for a bit "haha you're funny". Then she adds "I am Sara by the way", then I tell her my name "Jack!" followed by a handshake. "Nice to meet you Jack" Sara says, and so I respond "Likewise". While I am talking with Sara, a flight attendant approaches and asks me to sit on my seat and plug in the seat belt. So as I am sitting, I open up my laptop to watch some prerecorded programs. As I am enjoying a show I am watching on my laptop, a sound of whip I hear on my left side, I turn and her (Sara) sweeps into the chair beside me. "Hope you don't mind me sitting here" she says, "Not at all" I respond. A flight attendant is approaching to our seats, Sara quickly buckles up so the flight attendant will not notice her changing seats. "Ladies & Gentlemen, we are about to board to Star City. Thank you for using our Airline" the captain announced on the microphone. While I am watching an episode on my laptop, Sara tries to take a peak on what I am watching. "That seems delightful" she says commenting on some scene of the episode. I pause the episode and try to explain what the episode is about to her. While I am talking, she just stares at me with wide eyes lost in the sea of words not really understanding any of it. "yeah I don't get any of it, but it sure seems cute" she says. So I just nod my head and resume what I am watching, while she falls asleep.

Two hours pass, and my laptop's battery has just died. "just great!" I say with little frustration. So I close the laptop and put it in its bag in the upper shelf. I then sit in my chair, looking right and left, wondering what to do next. I look at Sara and she's so deep in her sleep. "This one is so in her sleep" I say in my mind, and then I get my sleeping kit out of my bag and go to sleep myself. While I am sleeping peacefully, Sara suddenly wakes up jumping, shaking me along the way. "What!?" I ask, "Oh nothing, just a little nightmare" she says. Then I roll my eyes and get back to sleep. While I am trying to sleep, Sara gets up, tries to move across in front of me, disturbing me while I'm asleep to go to the restroom. While she's away, an announcement is being made "Ladies and Gentlemen, due to some technicalities, we may land a couple of hours late" the captain says on the microphone. As I am sleeping, Sara comes back to sit on her seat, walks in front of me waking me up yet again. "Do you mind?" I ask her, "Don't look at me, I'm just trying to sit" she responds. I just get up now because I do not feel tired anymore, thanks to her. I take out some book of mine and start reading it. While I am reading, a disturbing sound of chewing distracts me from reading, I turn left and it is Sara eating something. "What?" she asks while I am staring at her, "nothing, just could you please be little more quite so I can read my book?". She then slowly chews with a louder noise now to get on my nerve. I look up, disappointed; "Why me? Why!" I say. I get up heading to the bathroom, Sara looks at me with a smirk- smile.

At the bathroom I wash my face, then I exit heading back to my seat. As I am trying to sit, Sara rushes in front me. "Hold on, need you to help me get something from the top shelf" she says. "But why don't you get it yourself?" I ask. "You kidding, it's a bit far deep above" she says. So I try to reach above for Sara's item. As it is taking a couple of milliseconds, Sarah gets inpatient and pops up in front of me, "just step aside" she follows. "Would you just control yourself and be patient" I respond. Then she points her fingers around, saying too many things per a minute. "Gee, you talk too much" I say. Then stops and stares for a second, "have you been listening to a word I say?!" she asks. I just nod my head and mumble. "Oh for the love of God", she says interrupting me followed by her taking her magazine - the thing she was trying to get - then goes back to her seat. So I go sit as well in my seat. While I am sitting, I take a peak at her reading her magazine about some fancy cars. "So this what you almost bit my head off for? A couple of cars?!" I ask. "It's not just 'some cars'" shes says continued by a long talk. She talks and talks, and I am staring at her, watching her mouth moves but without hearing any actual words coming out except for a song I hear in my mind. Thus, It is the moment I realize that I have truly fell for this woman.

She suddenly snaps her fingers, "are you listening to a word I'm saying" she asks. I nod my head yes but my mind is in complete different world. "Ugh when do we land!!" Sara says. I take a look up at the monitor in the front, "I think in 30 minutes probably" I respond. So I try to start a small talk, "so where you are going in Star City?" I ask. She says that she is visiting some of her friends there, "What about you?" She asks. I tell her that I am going there on business. "What kind of business?" she asks. "Oh just a basic buy and sell kind of a business" I respond. "Oh I see" she says.

Another announcement is made through the speakers, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are about to land in Star City Airport, please return to your seats and buckle up" the captain says. I turn at Sara and she looks relieved that we are finally landing. "It is about damn time" she says. She takes out a small paper of her notes, write something on it, and then she hands it to me. I look at it and it seems like a phone number. "What's that?" I ask. "It is my phone number, I know you have been thinking about it all this time, so here, take it and give me a call later" she says. So I take her phone number, "alright, will do" I say. The plane starts the landing procedure. As the tires touch down the ground, Sara slowly holds my hand. "What ... are .... you ... doing" I slowly nervously ask. "What, just to feel safe" she says.

So the plane moves on the ground slowly toward the building. As it stops, they connect the hallway from the building to the plane's door. Another announcement is made as the the captain is announcing the complete arrival. "AT LAST!!" Sara happily says. Everyone is getting up off their seats and forming a line towards the exit. "We might as well wait for them to move and clear the way" I suggest to Sara. "Oh smart move" she says. Minutes later, everyone seemed to be left and the way is clear to move across. "Well it is time to go now, can't stand sitting another minute in this plane. Nice to meet you Jack. Bye" Sara says as she gets up and leaves. "Good Bye" I say as I watch her leave.

As she walks through the hallway, I run quickly to catch up to her. "Sara, hold on" I shout, and she turns to me. As I slowly approach her, I hold her hands and share this magical kiss with her for about 10 seconds. "What was that for?" she asks. "Well, I know you have been thinking about it all this time, so here, we get it over with" I say. She then smiles and kiss me back.

THE END