Part 3Bringing Her Home

Hearing my words, Sarah gently stroked my hair.

"Silly. I love you so much. How could I ever let you lose me?"

"You're just nervous about me meeting your parents, aren't you?"

To calm my nerves, she pulled an orange, my favorite fruit, from her carry-on bag. She peeled it carefully and held a segment to my lips. "Stop overthinking. Have something to eat. We still have over an hour to go."

I looked at the piece of orange she offered, and my blood ran cold.

This was the exact moment. In my last life, I felt the urge to use the restroom right then. When I came back, she was gone. Only the peeled orange remained.

I felt the same urge now, but I couldn't bring myself to leave my seat.

I ate the orange slice, my grip on her hand tightening.

"From this moment on, you are not to leave my sight for a single second."

Sarah gave a helpless smile. "Okay, okay. I won't move an inch."

Just as she said that, the plane gave a violent lurch.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing some turbulence. Please remain in your seats with your seatbelts fastened and hold on to your armrests."

As the announcement played, the shaking grew worse. The cabin lights flickered erratically, then went out completely, plunging us into absolute darkness.

Everyone gripped their armrests, frozen in place.

Two seconds later, the lights flickered back on.

The plane stabilized.

Still shaken, my first instinct was to grab the arm next to me.

But my hand met nothing but air.

I whipped my head to the side.

Sarah’s seat was empty.

The orange was still on the tray table. But Sarah was gone.

She was just holding my hand a second ago! How could she have disappeared in the blink of an eye?

A suffocating wave of panic washed over me. I tore off my seatbelt and jumped to my feet, my eyes darting wildly around the cabin.

I checked the aisles, the restrooms, even under the seats.

Nothing.

She was nowhere.

Sarah had vanished again.

"Flight attendant! Flight attendant!"

I yelled, my voice cracking. Jessica rushed over. "Sir, what's wrong?"

I pointed a trembling finger at the empty seat.

"My girlfriend! She's gone!"

"She was here during the turbulence, but when the lights went out, she disappeared!"

Jessica’s brow furrowed. She glanced at the empty seat, her expression one of pure confusion.

"Sir, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"We only saw you board the plane. We didn't see a girlfriend with you."

There it was again.

That same blank, bewildered look.

Those same chillingly familiar words.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I fumbled for my phone, scrolling frantically through my photo album.

"How could you not have seen her?" I shouted. "You just took a picture with us…"

My voice died in my throat. I froze.

The photo of the three of us—me, Sarah, and Jessica—was gone.

My social media post with all our pictures, my message to the family group chat… everything had vanished without a trace.

What was happening?

"Sir, I don't know what photo you're talking about, but I truly have never seen the girlfriend you describe."

"We are currently in flight. Please return to your seat and fasten your seatbelt."

I ignored her and turned to Mr. Peters.

"Sir, you saw her, didn't you? You just saw my girlfriend!"

"You even said she was beautiful and that my parents would love her."

Mr. Peters looked up at me, completely baffled. "Young man, what are you talking about?"

"When did I say anything about your girlfriend? I've never even seen her."

"From the moment we boarded until now, I've only seen you sitting there by yourself. This seat next to you has been empty the whole time!"

His tone was so certain, so matter-of-fact, as if he was stating the most obvious truth in the world. But that only made my fear spike.

"That's impossible!"

"You just complimented her a few minutes ago! She's been with me this whole time! You had to have seen her!"

My outburst drew strange looks from the other passengers.

"Hey, buddy, I remember you getting on alone, too."

"The seat next to you has been empty the whole flight. What girlfriend are you talking about?"

"Are you okay? Maybe the turbulence scared you, and you're… confused or something?"

I looked at the sea of questioning faces, my mind reeling.

"But you all just applauded for us! You wished us a lifetime of happiness! You congratulated us!"

"Have you all forgotten?!"

A wave of confused murmurs and shaking heads swept through the cabin.

"Applause? For what?"

"It's been quiet this whole flight. No one was congratulating anyone."

"Hey kid, you don't look so good. Maybe you should sit down and rest."

They spoke one after another, their expressions open, their gazes clear.

It was as if the moment of shared celebration had never happened.