A free vacation with a stranger sounded too good to be true. But the email didn’t ask for my credit card details or any personal information—just a ticket, a hotel, and a mystery companion.
Curiosity got the best of me. I boarded the plane, excited yet nervous. But when I saw who my “stranger” was, my heart dropped.
It was someone I never wanted to see again.
It was a typical Friday evening, but my body felt like it had been through a month’s worth of exhaustion.
I barely managed to kick off my shoes before collapsing onto my sister Deborah’s couch. One arm draped over my face, the other lazily scrolling through emails on my laptop.
Across the room, Deborah was lost in her own little world. She twirled in front of the mirror, changing from one outfit to another like she was modeling for a fashion show. The crinkling of shopping bags and the rustle of fabric filled the air as she excitedly switched between the clothes she had just bought.
She spun around and struck a pose. “What do you think?”
I barely glanced up and smirked. “Nice, Deb. But I don’t get why you need so many clothes.”
Deborah scoffed, placing her hands on her hips. “Of course, you don’t. You weren’t the one stuck wearing hand-me-downs your entire childhood.” She flipped her hair dramatically. “Consider this my therapy. I’m healing, Charlie.”
I shook my head, chuckling. “Whatever you say…”
My attention drifted back to my laptop as I continued clicking through my inbox—mostly junk, bills, and newsletters I kept forgetting to unsubscribe from.
Then, something made me pause.
I sat up, narrowing my eyes at an email I didn’t remember signing up for.
“Congratulations! You’ve won a free two-day vacation with a mystery travel companion!”
Before I could process it, Deborah’s voice interrupted.
“How about this one?” she asked, stepping out in another dress.
I didn’t answer.
Silence stretched for a moment.
“Charlie?” She turned, raising an eyebrow. “Are you even listening?”
I snapped out of it. “Huh? Sorry, I just got some weird email…” I frowned, rereading it. “It says I won a free two-day vacation with a stranger. Definitely a scam.”
Deborah’s jaw dropped. “What!? A free trip? Let me guess—do they need your credit card info or social security number?”
“That’s the thing… they don’t.” I scrolled through the email again, expecting to find some scammer’s trick.
“No banking details, no suspicious links. Just a confirmation with my name, a flight itinerary, and a hotel reservation.”
Deborah practically lunged across the couch, leaning over my shoulder. “Let me see.”
I tilted my screen toward her. She scanned the email, her expression shifting from skepticism to shock.
“No way… Charlie, this looks legit! There’s an actual reservation—flights, hotel, even travel insurance. It’s all here.”
I shook my head. “No, there’s got to be a catch. No one just hands out free vacations.”
Deborah’s eyes darted across the screen, clicking on links and cross-checking details. Finally, she leaned back, arms crossed.
“I can’t find anything suspicious.” She turned to me with a huge grin. “Charlie, you actually won this trip. Congrats, sis.”
I chewed my lip, unsure whether to feel excited or terrified.
“I can’t just go on a trip with some random person.”
Deborah waved a hand dismissively. “Why not? It’s free. And maybe, just maybe, this ‘stranger’ is a hot guy who’ll finally end your dry spell.”
I shot her a glare. “Deborah! I like being single, okay? That’s my choice.”
She smirked. “Sure… I’ve heard that after every ‘seasonal fling’ since your divorce.”
I grabbed a pillow and threw it at her head.
She dodged, laughing. “Hey! Just saying. Maybe it’s fate.”
Fate or not, something about this whole thing felt strange.
And yet, a small part of me wondered…
What if?
The next day, I stood at the airport terminal, gripping my suitcase so tightly my knuckles turned white.
I still couldn’t believe Deborah had convinced me to go.
This was completely insane.
Some strangers had sent me free tickets for a contest I didn’t even remember entering. And somehow, I had agreed to spend two days traveling with a mystery person.
The more I thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed.
I exhaled sharply and turned toward the exit.
What am I doing?
Every logical part of my brain screamed to leave before it was too late.
I swallowed, staring at the automatic doors. I’ve always been cautious. Always taken the safest route.
I can’t keep running from new experiences.
I let out a slow breath, forcing myself to turn around.
Business class felt surreal. The soft leather seats, the spacious legroom, the complimentary drinks—this was a world I had never stepped into before.
But none of it mattered.
My focus was on the people boarding, scanning faces, wondering who my seatmate would be.
Would they be talkative? Annoying? Would we have anything in common?
Then, I reached my seat.
A man was already there, hunched forward, scrolling on his phone.
I took a hesitant step forward.
He turned slightly.
My stomach dropped.
“…Luther?” My voice barely escaped my lips.
His head snapped up, eyes widening. The same piercing gaze I had once loved. The same face I had tried to forget.
“Charlotte?” He blinked. “What the hell are you doing here?”
I exhaled sharply, my heart slamming against my ribs. “Please don’t tell me you also got these tickets.”
Luther ran a hand through his hair, still looking as confused as I felt.
“…Through some contest email? Yeah. You too?”
I groaned, every fiber of my being screaming at me to leave.
“Oh no. No, no, no. This is too much. I’m leaving.” I spun on my heel, ready to march straight off the plane.
But before I could take a step, a gentle but firm hand landed on my shoulder.
I turned to find a flight attendant offering a polite but unshakable smile.
“The plane is preparing for takeoff, ma’am. Please remain seated.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but before I could, Luther spoke first.
He turned to the attendant with that same damn charming smile I had seen a million times before.
“It’s okay, everything’s fine.” Then he reached for my hand, squeezing it lightly—just like he used to when he wanted me to calm down.
My body remembered before my mind did.
For a second, just a single second, my breath caught.
Then, I ripped my hand away.
No. Not again.
