Flight of Return

"Why have you surrounded me?" she asked, fear evident in her voice as she instinctively used her backpack as a shield.

 "We were asked to accompany you to the plane," one guard replied.

Mara frowned. "Who asked you to do that?" she demanded.

"Mr. Max Warren III," the guard answered.

Mara's frown deepened. "For what reason would he say that?" she asked firmly.

"He said you are a bit slippery, so we should make sure to hold you tight and send you straight into the plane," the guard explained.

Mara raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Me, slippery?" she echoed, pointing to herself.

The guards and the driver couldn't help but stifle a chuckle at Mara's reaction. However, Mara's stern gaze quickly silenced their amusement, and they returned to a professional demeanor.

"Ughh, I hurt him so much," Mara groaned, feeling a pang of guilt.

Fast forward, they held her hands and surrounded her as they entered the airport. She was not required to undergo any security checks or wait in line; all arrangements had been taken care of on her behalf Immediately upon entering, Mr. Max's private jet was already waiting for her.

She stepped inside, finding the seats clear this time. "Finally, a seat to sit on," she thought to herself, relieved. She smiled and swung herself a little out of excitement. "I have this all to myself without having to deal with a pesky person," she remarked, walking around inside. Settling into one of the seats that seemed comfortable, she adjusted herself slightly and smiled broadly as she looked out of the window.

"The plane is about to set off, please fasten your seat belt. Safe trip, and have a nice 15-hour trip," the plane attendant announced as the plane prepared for takeoff.

As the journey began, Mara was served with more than four different meals, each one bringing joy to her heart. Her eyes widened with delight as each dish was placed before her. As a foodie, there was nothing that lit her up more than some good food.

She relished every bit of her meal, capturing pictures as she went along...

She relaxed into her seat after enjoying all the food, feeling content and satisfied. Slowly, her eyes closed, and she drifted off into a peaceful sleep, a smile still lingering on her face. As she snoozed, it dreams danced among the clouds, accompanied by the gentle hum of the plane soaring through the sky.

"Hey, hey, hey," a voice called out, but Mara was still fast asleep, unaware of the disturbance. In her dream, she heard the voice and felt irritated. "Even in my sleep, his voice irritates me," she muttered, her eyes tightly closed as she covered them with her hands to block out the noise, which seemed to grow louder.

"Can you just shush, so that I can have a peaceful sleep?" she spoke in her sleep, her tone firm. "You want to die?" But the voice only grew louder and closer, startling her so much that she jumped from her seat and stood up, wide awake now.

With her eyes still closed and dozing off as she stood, Mara heard the voice persisting.

"Can you open those eyes of yours?" the voice said.

She reluctantly opened her eyes slowly, scanning lazily with a turn of her head as her hands lay weakly beside her. As she looked around and didn't see who was making that noise, she finally spoke up, her voice tinged with irritation, "Who are you and why are you making noise on my peaceful flight?"

"Here," the voice instructed again.

Mara blinked and tried to focus, still groggy from sleep. She glanced around, then slowly lowered her gaze, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. "Down where?" she mumbled, her voice thick with drowsiness.

When she saw where the voice was coming from and who it was, she was startled a little and took a step back. "Mr. Warren III," she said, her voice softening.

Max looked at her seriously through the screen. "What were you saying, Mara?" he asked.

"Nothing," Mara quickly replied, forcing a smile.

"Don't come to the company this week," he said.

"Why have you fired me?" Mara's heart began to beat a little faster.

"I haven't fired you, Mara," Max clarified. "I've simply given you some time to rest before you resume work."

"A whole week without seeing his face, thank goodness," Mara murmured to herself.

"Where you saying something?" he asked.

"Oh no no," Mara said quickly, flashing a smile.

He glanced around the plane through the screen, then focused back on her. "Safe flights," he said before ending the call.

Mara danced a little in her seat and settled back. And just like that, she had landed in Cali.

"This place still looks the same," Mara said as she dragged her suitcase through the airport.

She spotted a signboard with her name written boldly on it, swinging in the air. "Paloma!" she called out and rushed over to her friend.

Together, they hugged tightly and jumped around happily, swinging themselves. "I miss you, my bestie," Mara said, touching Paloma's face and pulling her into another round of jumps.

Paloma helped Mara carry her things. "I heard you flew in and out with a private jet," she asked.

Mara nodded with a smile, and Paloma smiled too as they entered the taxi. "I have a lot to tell you. I have a week off, so no problem, we have time to spend together," Mara said as the car took off.

"I can't wait to hear them all," Paloma said, and they both laughed as the car drove away.

…....…

A black Lamborghini pulled up to a three-story mansion with towering golden gates painted in pure white with gold accents. Surrounding the mansion were colorful gardens and a vibrant floral landscape. As the car approached, a waterfall in the center of the property cascaded gracefully, sending water dancing through the air before flowing back down into its basin.