It was probably because she went to sleep with so many thoughts that Kayla woke up in a not-so-good mood, her face shrouded in sourness. She reluctantly dragged herself to the bathroom for a shower, but even there, her mind was crowded with thoughts. Countless overthinking scenarios kept flooding her mind.
She hastily finished her shower and carelessly chose random clothes to wear. Grabbing her phone as if expecting a particular message, she sighed when she saw none and walked out of her bedroom dejectedly.
Moving slowly, she prepared jasmine rice, cooked an egg and some sausages, and brewed some coffee. Afterwards, she sat around the countertop, quickly ate her breakfast and prepared her luggage. Kayla was planning on visiting her parents and grandparents back in her hometown since it was summer vacation.
She opened her phone and booked the earliest flight back. After confirming all the details, Kayla checked her luggage and packed an ample amount of clothes. Double-checking everything and making sure all essentials were in place, she locked her apartment and headed downstairs with her passport and luggage in tow.
Since her apartment was in the heart of the city, it wasn't long before she hailed a cab. The driver got down and helped her put the luggage in the trunk, then assisted her into the car. Kayla then politely told the driver the airport's address. The driver just nodded and drove off.
There was no traffic since it was a bit late in the morning, so she quickly reached the airport. After paying the driver and retrieving her luggage, she walked into the bustling airport, the sound of rolling suitcases and murmuring voices filling her ears. There were only ten minutes before boarding, so she quickly ordered coffee from a nearby coffee shop. During this time, she hastily message Matthew about her flight.
After finishing her coffee, she walked briskly to the boarding gate, her heart thumping a little faster. She handed her boarding pass to the attendant, who scanned it with a polite smile and directed her down the hallway. Kayla followed the signs toward her designated gate, passing by various shops and passengers hustling to make it to their flights on time.
Once she reached the gate, she joined the line of passengers waiting to board the plane. After a few minutes of waiting, the boarding process began. Kayla followed the crowd down the jet bridge and finally stepped into the plane. The cool air-conditioning brushed against her skin as she navigated her way through the narrow aisle, her eyes searching for her seat.
"27A, 27A..." she murmured to herself, spotting her window seat and sighing in relief. She lifted her luggage into the overhead compartment with some effort, then plopped down into her seat. The cushion felt surprisingly comfortable, and the gentle hum of the plane's systems was almost soothing.
Looking out the window, Kayla allowed herself to relax for a moment. Her phone buzzed softly, a message notification popping up. It was from Matthew.
[Matthew: Have a safe flight, Kayla!]
She smiled and quickly typed a response.
[Kayla: Thanks! I'll text you when I land.]
As she buckled her seatbelt and settled into her seat, Kayla couldn't help but feel both excited and nervous. After all, she was heading back to her hometown. Until the stewardess reminded her to turn off all electronic devices, Kayla radiated the aura of a lonely woman lost in her own world throughout the entire flight.
A month and a half later…
Kayla found herself in a familiar cycle. She would wake up, check her phone, see if Matthew had left a message, and then go about her day with his words lingering in her mind. Their conversations had evolved from casual exchanges about random topics to something deeper, more meaningful. They would talk about their dreams, their fears, and even the silliest little things, like whether pineapples belonged on pizza. Kayla would always insist they didn't, while Matthew defended them with fervour.
Their chats had become the highlight of her day, and even though they hadn't met in person, she felt a strange attachment to him. It was like having a friend who understood her quirks, her awkwardness, and somehow managed to make her laugh despite the distance.
Even Laura, who had visited after her grounding punishment, noticed how much time Kayla spent on her phone, often making teasing comments about her 'online friend' whenever they chatted. After all, she gradually shared this incident to her during Laura's first visit, after she was caught giggling after a text message.
"Come on, you're practically glued to your phone now. I bet if I threw it into a lake, you'd dive in after it," Laura once teased with a chuckle.
Kayla rolled her eyes but couldn't deny the truth behind the joke. "Shut up. I'm just... you know, socializing. Getting to know other people."
"Uh-huh, sure. Is that what you call falling head over heels for a guy you haven't even met in person?"
"I told you it's not like that. Why do you always have to put meaning to it." Kayla protested, her cheeks warming up. "We're just... friends."
"Uh-huh." Laura's sarcastic tone pierced through the room. "And I'm a mermaid princess ruling over the entire Pacific Ocean."
Despite her friend's teasing, Kayla couldn't deny that Matthew had become a big part of her daily routine. She would anticipate his messages, wonder what new topics they would discuss, and feel a little flutter in her chest whenever she saw his name pop up on her screen.
But time didn't slow down. Summer vacation was coming to an end, and with enrollment looming, Kayla had no choice but to pack her things and prepare to head back to City T. The mere thought of leaving the quiet comforts of her ancestral home filled her with unease.
The night before her trip, Kayla sat on her bed alone as Laura went back ahead of her, since she was also busy with her own matters. Her phone resting in her hands as she stared at Matthew's last message. He had been surprisingly supportive about her going back to City T. In fact, he seemed excited about it.
[Matthew: So, when's your trip to City T?]
[Kayla: Tomorrow morning. Gotta prepare for the enrollment.]
[Matthew: Oh, nice! Guess I'll have to welcome you back properly when you get here.]
[Kayla: You're just saying that.]
[Matthew: I'm serious. Maybe we could finally meet up? I'll even treat you to something nice.]
The suggestion sent Kayla's heart into a frenzy. Meeting up? In real life? Just the thought made her stomach do a series of backflips. She hesitated before typing her response.
[Kayla: Uhh... Maybe. We'll see.]
He sent a laughing emoji, followed by a thumbs up.
[Matthew: No pressure. Just thought it would be fun. Anyway, I'll let you get some sleep. Safe travels tomorrow, okay?]
[Kayla: Thanks. I'll message you when I get there.]
Kayla tossed her phone onto her pillow and flopped backward, her mind racing. Her nerves were all over the place. She was excited, but also terrified. What if Matthew turned out to be completely different in real life? What if he found her awkward, nerdy, or worse, completely uninteresting? The what-ifs flooded her brain until her exhaustion finally forced her to sleep.