The drive to the airport was smooth, the late night traffic light. At first, we rode in silence, the weight of the mont settling between us. But eventually, Eric broke it.
"So... this is really happening," he said, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.
"Yeah, I am" I murmured. "It feels unreal."
He nodded. "I an, you went from being stuck at ho to relocating in the span of what? A week?"
I let out a small laugh. "Pretty much. And to be honest, I don’t even know how to feel about it."
Eric glanced at . "Are you scared?"
"I’m not scared, just... uncertain. Everything is happening so fast. A month ago, I didn’t think my life was going anywhere. Now, I’m heading to another country to work on a ga that might actually change my life."
Eric smirked. "Might? Bro, this will change your life. You just need to be ready for it."
I nodded slowly, letting his words sink in. "Yeah... I guess you’re right."
We fell into a comfortable silence for a while, the hum of the car filling the space.
Then Eric spoke again. "So, what’s the goal? Like, beyond the ga? What do you actually want out of life?"
I stared out the window, watching the city blur past. "I don’t know, man. Success, obviously. But not just money—I want to be soone, y’know? Build sothing that lasts. I don’t wanna be one of those guys who gets a lucky break and fumbles it."
Eric nodded. "That’s solid. But what about personally? What do you want for yourself?"
I exhaled. "Peace, I guess. A life where I don’t have to constantly feel like I’m running from sothing. And... maybe one day, a family. But that’s way down the line."
Eric chuckled. "Man, you’re talking like an old man already."
"Shut up," I laughed.
"You’re serious about this, though," he said, his tone shifting slightly. "And that’s good. Just make sure you don’t let anything—or anyone—hold you back."
I knew what he ant. But I didn’t say anything.
We reached the airport not long after. As Eric parked, I took a deep breath, gripping the handle of my suitcase.
Eric stayed with through it all—checking in my luggage, printing my boarding pass, and making sure I didn’t forget anything.
Even as we stood in the security line, he stuck around, cracking jokes to keep things light. But when the mont finally ca—the point where he couldn’t go any further—we both just stood there for a second, neither of us speaking.
Then, without saying a word, we pulled each other into a firm, brotherly embrace.
"Take care of yourself, bro," Eric said, his voice low but firm. "And always watch your back. Not everyone’s gonna want to see you win."
I nodded against his shoulder. "I know. I got this."
He pulled back, giving a small smirk. "Damn right you do. Now go make proud."
I chuckled, shaking my head before turning toward the departure gates.
One last glance back, one final nod, and then I was off.
By the ti we were done, the trunk and backseat of Eric’s car were packed with bags. Clothes, shoes, essentials—everything I’d need to settle into my new life in Vancouver.
When we got back to his place, we spent the next hour sorting through everything, packing them into travel boxes. Eric kept making jokes about how I was finally embracing my status, and I just rolled my eyes, focusing on getting everything in order.
Once we were done, I sat on the couch, staring at the packed bags. It was really happening. In less than a few hours, I’d be on a plane, leaving everything behind. The thought was both exhilarating and terrifying.
Eric clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Get so rest, man. We live in about 4 hours."
I nodded, exhaling deeply. Yeah... big day ahead.
The next few hours ca faster than I expected. Even though I barely got any rest, I was way too restless and eager start going.
Eric and I loaded my luggage into the car, double-checking that I had everything. Passport, docunts, wallet—everything was in place. As we pulled out of the driveway, a strange mix of excitent and unease settled in my chest. This was it.
As I walked through the terminal, the weight of everything hit at once. This was it. No turning back. A whole new life waiting for on the other side of the world.
I kept my pace steady, even though my mind was racing. Thoughts of ho, of Eric, of Faith and Abby—of everything I was leaving behind—swirled in my head. But beneath all that, there was sothing else. Sothing I hadn’t felt in a long ti.
Excitent.
For the first ti in my life, I wasn’t just drifting and wasting away in my uncle’s house. I had a purpose, a destination. A chance to start over, to beco sothing more than the guy who had spent years running in circles. Being an ordinary errand boy.
I handed my ticket to the flight attendant, stepping onto the plane. The cabin lights cast a soft glow, and as I settled into my seat, I exhaled, feeling a strange sense of peace.
I pulled out my phone, scrolling through my ssages one last ti before switching it off. There was nothing new from Daniel. Nothing from my parents, either. I montarily thought about leaving a ssage for Faith but I decided against it.
There was no point in doing that.
I leaned my head back, staring at the ceiling.
No. I wasn’t coming back—not like that.
The engines roared to life, the plane rolling down the runway.
As we lifted off, soaring into the sky, I looked out the window, watching as the city faded beneath .
A new Chapter had begun. And I closed my eyes saying a little prayer for safe journey ahead.
My life begins now. I said to myself.
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