Booked to Disappear Chapter 05

Booked to Disappear Chapter 05

“That’s impossible. She’s traveled abroad several times before. How could her passport suddenly be invalid?”

Gavin pushes through the crowd and demands an explanation from the airline employee.

The staff member opens my passport.

Part of the page containing my personal information has been torn away.

The passport is no longer valid.

“I’m sorry,” she says politely. “Your passport has been damaged. You’ll need to apply for a new one before you can travel.”

Getting a new passport will take at least seven days.

Their flight is leaving today.

There’s no way they’ll postpone the trip for arf entire week just because of me.

At last, I won’t have to leave the country with them.

I force down my relief and let my voice tremble.

“How could this happen? I was supposed to travel to Europe with everyone…”

Sarah turns to the airline employee.

“Isn’t there any other solution? We have photos of her passport on our phones. Could we print one

out and use that?”

The others keep suggesting alternatives, but the employee maintains her polite smile.

“I’m afraid not. We must see the original passport.”

Gavin shoots me a suspicious look.

“Hannah, did you damage your passport on purpose because you didn’t want to come with us?”

My heart skips a beat.

He guessed right.

While they weren’t paying attention, I tore it myself.

It was the only way to make sure I stayed in the country.

“What are you talking about?” I say, trying to sound offended. “My passport is one of my most important documents. Why would I deliberately ruin it?”

Lowering my head, I sigh.

“But it doesn’t matter now. It’ll take at least a week to get a new passport.”

Sarah immediately pulls out her phone.

“How about I ask the travel agency if they can delay the departure by a week? This is our Spring

Break trip. It wouldn’t feel right to leave anyone behind.”

The smile freezes on my face.

“N-no… there’s no need,” I stammer. “That would only inconvenience everyone else.”

Gavin folds his arms and snorts.

“And whose fault is that? Since you delayed all of us, you should pay for everyone’s expenses during the trip.”

I stare at him in disbelief.

“Why should I? If you don’t want to wait for me, then go without me. I already said from the

beginning that I wasn’t coming. You’re the ones who dragged me here.”

All forty freshmen in our major signed up for the trip.

Did he seriously expect me to pay for all of them?

The moment I finish speaking, Gavin kicks me to the ground.

“This is all your fault! You’ve wasted everyone’s time, and you still have the nerve to complain?”

I hit the floor hard.

All I see are my classmates looking down at me with disgust.

“She’s so annoying.”

“If she doesn’t want to go, fine. I do. One bad apple really does spoil the whole bunch.”

“Stop!”

Tiffany rushes over from the next check-in line, shoves Gavin aside, and stands protectively in front of me.

“What are you doing?”

Then she looks at me in surprise, “Hannah? You know them?”

Since we all attend the same university, we’ve seen each other around campus before, even if we aren’t close.

“We signed up for Hannah’s tour,” Tiffany says. “We’re leaving today too.”

The students from my class burst into laughter.

“You mean that $6,999 tour?” someone mocks. “You actually fell for it? It’s way overpriced. She’s ripping you off.”

My heart tightens.

After all, the price I quoted Tiffany’s class is actually $8,999.

To my surprise, Tiffany doesn’t think twice about it.

“I actually think it’s a bargain,” she says matter-of-factly. “A quick search online will tell you that round-trip nonstop flights alone cost over five thousand dollars. The price isn’t expensive at all.”

Gavin lets out a mocking laugh.

“Our travel agency only charges $3,999 for Europe. We even stay longer than you do.”

He clicks his tongue smugly.

Tiffany blinks in surprise.

“You’re going to Europe too? Then why weren’t you checking in with us?”

She looks around the terminal.

“There’s only one flight to Europe leaving from this airport today.”