Where are you Nayza? We've been waiting for you."
"I'm almost there," Nayza replied. "Just a few more minutes."
"Alright, we'll wait," Leera said before ending the call.
A little while later, Nayza arrived at the airport.
The moment she stepped inside, she spotted the familiar group gathered near the waiting area. They seemed to have been waiting for her for quite some time.
"Finally!" Leera exclaimed the moment she saw her.
Nayza laughed apologetically and hurried over to them. As she greeted everyone, her eyes instinctively searched the group.
A few seconds later, she realized someone was missing.
Erhaan.
The realization instantly lifted a weight off her shoulders. "Looks like he canceled at the last minute."
For some reason, that thought made her feel much more relaxed.
"That's probably for the best."
"If he had come, I would've spent the whole trip feeling awkward."
A small smile appeared on her lips.
"I honestly thought this Greece trip was going to be a waste."
Soon, it was time to board the plane.
After everyone settled into their assigned seats, it became obvious that none of them would be sitting together.
Leera and Yesir had managed to get seats beside each other, but everyone else was scattered throughout the cabin.
Doruk was several rows away. Leera and Yesir were somewhere behind. And Nayza found herself completely alone.
When she reached her seat, she noticed someone already sitting beside the window. The man had his blazer pulled over part of his face and appeared to be asleep.
Since she couldn't properly see him, Nayza didn't pay much attention. Careful not to wake him, she quietly placed her bag overhead and slid into her seat.
A few moments later, after fastening her seatbelt, she leaned back comfortably. For the first time since agreeing to come, genuine excitement began bubbling inside her.
A whole trip with friends. No work. No responsibilities. Just fun.
The thought alone made her happy. "I'm definitely going to enjoy this, I was worried for nothing."
Her smile widened, "And honestly, if Erhaan had come, I probably wouldn't have been able to relax like this."
"Thank goodness he didn't."
The image of spending an entire vacation avoiding uncomfortable interactions made her almost laugh.
A soft giggle escaped her lips.
Then another.
She quickly covered her mouth, trying to stop herself.
Unfortunately, the quiet laughter was still loud enough for the person sitting beside her to hear.
For a moment, the man beside her remained still.
Then, with an irritated sigh, he pulled the blazer away from his face and rubbed a hand through his hair.
"Ugh... what's the matter?"
Nayza casually turned her head toward him. The moment their eyes met, time seemed to freeze. Every bit of excitement on her face vanished instantly. The smile that had been there just seconds ago disappeared completely.
Her expression fell silent. Because the person sitting beside her was none other than Erhaan.
At the same time, Erhaan's eyes widened slightly in disbelief, "You?" he said, clearly caught off guard. Then he frowned, "Why are you sitting here?"
Nayza stared at him for a second before replying, "I was about to ask you the same thing."
Before either of them could say anything else, an announcement echoed throughout the cabin, informing passengers that the flight was preparing for takeoff.
Erhaan clicked his tongue in annoyance and leaned back into his seat, "Was this really necessary?"
Nayza immediately turned toward him, "Excuse me? I'm not exactly happy about sitting next to you either."
The words made Erhaan glance at her. For a brief moment, their eyes met again. But this time, he said nothing.
Instead, he looked away and stared out the window while Nayza crossed her arms and faced the opposite direction.
Neither of them had expected this trip to begin like this.