Chapter 8 - Flying Across The Ocean

The call had ended with a soft word of "Goodbye."

He had only one year left to complete his aeronotical engineering course. He was doing his best to be a better fast food restaurant crew so that after his graduation he could be hired as its regular permanent employee while training to fly an aircraft.

He was aware that he and his parents need to invest a huge dent from their pockets just to fulfill his ambition in life especially when he would have to work for his licence being a pilot.

They were also informed that after their graduation, they had to take fourteen examinations on Navigation, Flight Planning & Monitoring, and Aviation Laws.

An example of these Aviation Laws were; Ohm's Law, Turn Radius, Law of Moments, Point of equal Time, and Point of No Return.

He had burned his midnight oil ten times than his usual study habit as his intelligence quotient in Math belonged to average. Likewise, Science subjects were relevant to Math as there were formulas and calculations to be learned like Physics and Earth Science for Aeronautical Principles.

Sometimes it came into his mind that maybe if it had not for his dream to be an airbus pilot in the future, he would have failed in Math and Science subjects. Another 'maybe' in his thought was that.... Maybe he was inspired by his TRUE LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT no other than Leonor.

Thinking of his Leonor, made him regretful for telling her that they would see each other in person three years from his last year in his aeronautical engineering course. At this point, he was fourth year in college.

Not long after the first semester of his fourth year in college for his bachelor's degree, without knowing it, it ended fastly as though only in a snap.

He was overwhelmed with joy when he received his class cards. Just like the other school years, he had no problem at all.

"What you sow is what you really reap." He was again talking to himself only in his mind.

Semestral break was over that he didn't even feel that he was able to relax since he decided to work full time to earn more money to be saved for future use. As though he had just woken up from a deep sleep to find out that it was enrollment week again.

His enrollment during the second semester, his last semester to be called a college graduate, needed him to curtail some amounts from his savings. It was his savings allocated for his flight training to have a student license certificate to fly an aeroplane.

Like that fast running bullet train, school semester was almost nearing to its end. Most schools have their tour to places for sight seeing, others went to industrial firms as an educational tour.

The school where Leonor was one of its students decided to have a tour in the City of Pines. It was during the first week of February when she texted Kenneth about it.

The text message that Kenneth read was that the date of their tour was February 12 to February 15.

That text made him to have a drastic decision. He had sent Leonor the required amount for the tour. He told him that he would be going with her in the tour as their buses would be passing by in Metro City.

Leonor was thrilled of Kenneth's sudden decision. But was saddened to think that the amount sent to her was another deduction from his savings.

At dawn of February 13 he boarded in the bus where Leonor was. His seat was beside Leonor's.

Kenneth Allen was trully an honourable man. Leonor knew this when he wooed her at her home for the first time. His insinuation to kiss and hug her was only a joke. Another proof was during his summer vacation when he visited her again at her home. Like the first time, he was contented with only holding hands.

She never doubted his politeness and his regard for her being a lady and his girlfriend. She was glad for they didn't wait their agreement of the three long years before they could be together again.

However, she realized that she was wrong when Kenneth swiftly hold her face and kissed her amorously after getting rid of his backpack. Leonor was unable to move away from him.

No matter how her mind dictated her not to be responsive, her heart opposed it. Instead, her heart outsmarted her mind to control her body. The truth was... She really liked it that he kissed him back just the way he did.

But... mind you, she didn't forget to cover their head with the big scarf she had wrapped on her shoulder.

Anyway, she was thinking that whatever happens between them.... Who cares?... After all, they're both graduating college students by April.

Both of these two lovers who were matched by Little Master Cupid with an arrow, seemed to be too good to be true as they had self-discipline and self-control to themselves. However, without her parents, would they not be tempted to discard chastity even for only once?

No one ever knew from their own family as there was no unusual behaviour that was observed from them. They arrived in each home tired but happy.

April came when both lovers graduated in college separately. Kenneth Allen graduated in Metro City while Leonor graduated in Prosperity City. However, they had a picture where anyone else could tell that they were together. As it was the era for an advanced technology, they used an application from their gadgets to be together even only in the photo during their graduation day.

Each of them prepared for their licensure examination. This was also the time when Kenneth Allen had changed his choice of employment. He would accept the teaching job offered to him by the Aircraft Pilot Training Institute where he graduated.

Resigning from being a fast food restaurant crew was an opportunity for him to take modular course in his flying training while he would be teaching.

The moment of truth came when they would have spent a big amount of money for his flying training after passing the fourteen examinations he had doubtfully thought not to pass them. And after successfully passing them, he was issued with his student pilot certificate. Fortunately, he did pass them, the reason why he was offered with a teaching job.

It was also the reason why he had to go through with his flying training through a Modular Course so that while teaching at day time on weekdays, he could have his training either at night or weekends.

It really challenges his determination to fulfill his dream as they were not rich. If he was born with a silver spoon, he wouldn't be meeting difficulty in his routine, working and taking up Modular Course for his flight training program. He could have spent full time in his flight training course.

Even though he was able to pass the fourteen exams that he took up, if he was not physically, mentally, and psychologically fit, then he would never achieve his plan in life.

He had undergone to an application for a student pilot licence for him to be able to fly an aircraft. In his flight his flight instructor should accompany him for his log of 20 hours flight time. Another 40 hours of flight time should be completed by him in order to be qualified as certified private pilot.

When he started his flight training course, his saving for this purpose was exhausted.

He had to apply for a loan to a certain bank so that he could continue his modular training course. His income from teaching could be used to pay his loan. Upon completing his payment, he would have applied again to have another higher level licence certificate as a pilot.

How he rwished to be a licensed commercial pilot before getting married.

Speaking of marrying, he had always his Leonor waiting for him to completely achieve his dream. In fact, this dream was not only for himself but for his family and for Leonor.

Tomorrow is Sunday and the time to communicate with her TRUE LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT who would sooner or later be his WIFE.

Before he called her by the phone he texted her first.

"Hon, I was able to glimpse the beauty of the clouds and I have flown across the ocean."

"We are very happy for you, Ken."

"It seemed that the three long years for us to wait would be shortened."

"Maybe... more and more shortened if you come home."

"As though someone couldn't wait anymore."

"I can't really wait anymore. Can you come home for us?"

"Why and when?"

"There is a problem."

"Whose problem?"

"yours and mine."

"Wait I'll call you."

When he called he found out that her cell phone was switched off. It intrigued him more about the problem she said they have.

He pressed again the number of Leonor, again it was unswitched on yet.

He did it several times to no avail.

He had no one to voice out his worries. He was not used to telling his mother about his lovelife. He didn't feel telling about it either to his father.

He paced back and forth from his bedroom to the terrace that adjoined his bedroom to his older sister's. He did it for almost twenty minutes.

When he couldn't fathom the unrevealed problem he sat on his coach with his right hand on top of a table in front of it. Next, he moved his fingers as though he was playing the keys of a piano. The sound of his fingers tapping the table was the only sound that was breaking the silence.

Peeved, he stood up and walked towards his bed where he flatten his back on the soft bed feeling the velvety sheet. He put his two hands under his head while looking up to the ceiling.

He was deep in thought pondering and as if he was trying to reminisce an unforgettable occurrence in his life.

Smiling, he quickly sat down on his bed grasped one big pillow and hugged it tightly while talking. "Leonor"

He layed down on bed again without releasing the pillow from his hands. He was still hugging it.. Changing his position by facing at his left side.

At the very least, he did the changing of position facing from left to tight, from right to left for about ten times.

Finally, he decided to return to his first position when he was looking up the ceiling. Only at that time, he was still holding, squeezing, and hugging tightly the pillow. Again he called her name, "Leony."

Could it be the result of our impulsive agreement to solidify our relationship? However, if it could be... Why did it take her too long to tell me?

Then he counted through his finger. It was already then the month of November. Christmas is about to come. Then he threw the pillow he was hugging that landed on the floor and concurrently scratched his head with his two hands, looked upward, and sighed deeply with a sound.

Soon he left his bed, went to the closet where he took out his backpack. Next he packed some clothes, got his toiletress from his bathroom, changed his clothes, went downstairs and left his home.

In a bus terminal he paid a ticket bound to Prosperity City.

In the bus, he was restless. He tried to type the number of Leonor to call her once more, only to find out that it was still switched off.

He just texted hoping against hope that she might be able to read it when she felt switching her cell phone on.

"Hon, I am on my way coming for you. I am excited.💋💖🎶💕"

It was a miracle when he was lulled to sleep with a worried heart.

He arrived five in the morning knocking at the door of Leonor's house.

Her father opened the door for him who seemed to be hesitant to let him in.

He greeted him in words and by kissing his right hand.

Before long, he opened the door wider and told him to get in. He was also told to sit down and wait for Leonor to wake up.

He complacently sat waiting for Leonor to wake up.