C 1

《 Dedicating this story to JG and all the JG fans out there 》

《 NOTE : Double quotation mark will signify that they are speaking in English and single quotation in Thai .》

Let's begin the journey :)

...

" Honey !"

" Yes, Mom !"

" U ready ? Oh no, baby . Be quick, or we will miss the flight ."

Mom starts complaining as we have a flight to catch in the next one and half hours, and I'm still in my bed, laying down with the guitar on top of me . Mom walks inside my room and looks at me, being all lazy . I look back at mom and sigh .

" I know, baby, it's hard to let go, but we need to . It's for everyone's good . Now be strong and start packing, or we will miss the flight . Can't let that happen again , now we ? "

Mom kisses me on my head before heading downstairs and tells me to get ready by the next 15 minutes . Well , only 15 minutes left, huh to empty this den of mine for 12 years . I'm not being emo, but I will miss here for real .

My mom and I had been living in Pennsylvania for the last 12 years . I grew up here watching the sun set by the lake Erie . Though the weather can get a bit chilly sometimes, which I can't say I hate, but I didn't like it either . I attended my high school here, so I don't have a lot, but some friends u can say . Some really good friends . Stress the word, really, because I'm for real .

Life was going smoothly . I joined the basketball team in my high school and got good friends there also . After graduating from high school our team was supposed to go for the state level tournament, trained really hard for it, but then boom, one month before the tournament, my mom got a surprise for me .

10 days before :

" What do u mean we leave in 10 days ? Mom , u know I have a tournament coming up next month, and u also know how much hard I trained to get into the team and for the tournament also ."

" I know, baby, but please understand . Daddy needs us to go back there . He isn't doing so well ."

" He was doing just well for the past 12 years . How come he isn't doing well now, huh ? "

" Baby, I need u to understand . Please, u can get all of these opportunities back there also ."

" How, mom ? I have been living all my life here . I can't even remember the language , just a vague memory . How do u expect me to live there ?"

" Oh honey , come here ." Mom pulls me in for a hug . " It's going to be ok . Trust me . It's ok ." Mom rubs my back .

Back to present :

Brrr.....brr.....

While I was lost in my thoughts, my phone started buzzing . The screen showed " Martin."

" Hey man . What's up ?"

" Hey bro . U taking off in an hour, I guess ."

" Yeah, man . It's fucked up . I don't even know how am I going to blend in there ."

" You will do fine brother ."

" It's giving me a headache. "

" U just gotta go with the flow, man . Sometimes, just let life take the turn . Ok, I was just calling u to wish a safe flight, bro . "

" Thanks, man ."

" Alright, bro . Call me when u reached there and all settle down . I'll miss u, my brother . Sorry I didn't come to see u off . U know how it is ?"

" I know . Good luck with your practise, man . Give it your best and mine also. "

" Sure, bro . Talk to u later ."

" OK, bro ."

Martin has been my best friend for 11 years . He was there with me through thick and thin . I love him like my own brother . We were having the time of our life, but then it all had to end up this way . What a waste of my youth ?

Sigh*

Tring....

Erika ♡ : I'll miss u...

A message from Erika, my ex-girlfriend, popped up . I broke up with her the day before yesterday cause I know that long distance just doesn't work . She understands me, for which I'm glad . Of all the girlfriends I had in my life, Erika is the only one who makes me feel alive . She understands me , always ready to listen to whatever I have to say, and she's a chill person . Overall, she's a 9.9 , 0.1 deducted as she becomes wild after drinking . But when she's normal , she's the most coolest girl I have ever met in my life besides my mom .

" I'll miss u too ."

I texted her back . The screen shows seen with no reply . I know she's hurt even though she gets me and understands me . Man....I'll miss her , we both love each other so much, but I guess we weren't destined to be . Martin was right , sometimes we just got to go with the flow .

" Haaa.....I wonder what Thailand has got for me..."

I started packing up real quick . Nothing much is left to pack as almost everything was packed and sent to Thailand already through courier . Advance technology we have nowadays. I looked around my room for the last time . Empty rack , white sheets over my bed, and sofa , basketball hoop with no more ball to throw in .

Sigh* " I'll miss this ." I took a long breath and walked out of my room, shutting the door behind me . I walk downstairs with my luggage to my mom, who is already waiting for me by the car .

" Thought I wouldn't be seeing u for the next 1 hour ." Mom teased me before getting in the car .

" Well, we have to learn to let go sometimes. " I replied, putting my luggage at the back and hops into the car .

" So long ." My mom said, looking at our home for the last time . " U forgot nothing right, baby ." Mom asked before turning on the car engine .

" No ." I reply . " It's gonna be OK, baby ." Mom rubs on my arm as she notices the sadness in my voice .

At the airport :

" Come baby, hurry ."

We rush inside the airport .

" Um, excuse me . Which way for the flight to Thailand ?"

" This way . Please be quick, only 10 minutes left, and the boarding will be closed ."

" Oh shit ! Baby hurry. "

Fortunately, we boarded safely on the flight .

' Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is Captain Lexy . Thank u for choosing our flight . In the next 24 hours, we will be landing in Thailand . Until then, happy journey .'

For the next 23 hours or so, I slept like a baby while my mom does some work on her laptop with in between waking me up to have some food .

' Ladies and gentlemen . We have landed on the soil of Thailand. We are now at Suvarnabhumi Airport . Thank u for choosing our flight . Happy holidays.'

" Finally, we have reached ." Mom hugs me all excited . She missed my Dad so much as they haven't met each other since last year when Dad came to visit us . I hug her back with a smile that doesn't look very sincere . To be honest , I'm not at all happy to be here . I feel like my life is over now .

At the airport, Dad was there to pick us up . He was waiting there for us with a big smile on his face .

" Honey...." My mom ran towards him, extending her hands . They hug each other, all excited and giggling before shifting their attention towards me .

" Hey, son . Come here ." Dad hugs me . " More muscle now, huh ?"

" Oh, he has been training hard for the basketball tournament, but it's a pity . The tournament is next month." Mom told Dad .

" Oh , sorry to hear that, but um, u can also join in the basketball team in ur new college . I heard it's really good there ." Dad tries to lighten up my mood . I just smile faintly.

I was to join the University of Pennsylvania and play for the university's basketball team but I didn't get enroll at last since my dad already enrolled me in a university here and the session already started one month before .

" Let's go home . U two must be tired ." Dad takes our luggage and puts it at the back of the car .

On our way home , mom and dad talked to each other all the time as if they hadn't been talking to each other for years .

" It's all set . Though he's going mid semester , I have talked to the principle and there's no more problem . "

" Oh, that's a relief . They are having a break now, right ?"

" Yeah . The session started last month . Guess u have got a lot of things to take care of , son ."

" Well, I'm sure he can handle that ." Mom said, turning her head back, looking at me .

" Easier said than done ." I sigh .

" Come on, son . I know u can do it ." Mom cheers me up . Dad also nods his head as a yes, supporting her wife .

Easy for my parents to say but it's going to be a hard thing for me . I would have to practice my Thai which is kinda weak now and also have to caught up with the lectures from last month . Will I be able to handle this ? I sigh*

The rest of the journey , my parents kept on talking to each other while I just put on my earphones and listened to Elvis Presley's songs . The only thing that is calming me down and making me feel home in this unfamiliar place . The coming future is going to hit me hard for sure . I have this strong feeling that it's going to fucked me up completely. Guess I need to prepare myself for what's coming next . But for now, I'm so tired, so I just close my eyes and lean back the seat while my parents keep talking to each other .

《 see u on next chp 》