𝓔𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓼𝓾𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓮
ᵃⁱʳᵖᵒʳᵗ ᵍᵒᵒᵈᵇʸᵉˢ

Elena's alarm buzzed at 7:00 a.m., pulling her from a restless sleep.

She groaned, reaching over to silence the sound before sitting up in bed.

Today was the day. The day she'd been anticipating and dreading in equal measure.

She was leaving for Belgium, to begin filming Now You See Me 3.

She stretched, padding over to her dresser to grab a hoodie and some sweatpants before heading to the kitchen.

Her mom was already there, flipping pancakes, the smell of syrup and butter filling the air.

"Morning, honey," her mom said, offering a warm smile.

"Morning," Elena replied, sitting down at the table. Aaron was already there, scrolling through his phone with a smirk on his face.

"What's so funny?" Elena asked, reaching for the juice.

"Nothing," Aaron said, his smirk widening.

Her mom raised an eyebrow but said nothing, setting a plate of pancakes in front of her daughter. "Eat up. Big day ahead."

Elena nodded, digging in while her mind buzzed with thoughts about the trip.

She barely tasted the food, too preoccupied with everything she had to do.

By 8:30 a.m., Elena was showered, dressed in a comfortable travel outfit of leggings, an oversized sweater, and her trusty sneakers.

Her luggage was packed and waiting by the door.

"Ready?" her dad called, grabbing the car keys.

"As I'll ever be," Elena replied, grabbing her backpack and heading out the door with her family.

The car ride to the airport was filled with light chatter, though Elena found herself gazing out the window for most of it.

Her mom and dad talked about the logistics of her trip, reminding her to call often and to stay safe.

Aaron was uncharacteristically quiet, texting someone with a small grin on his face.

"Who are you texting?" Elena teased, leaning over to peek at his phone.

"No one," Aaron said quickly, locking the screen.

"Right," Elena said with a smirk. "Let me guess... Charolette?"

Aaron's ears turned red, and her mom turned in her seat. "Charolette?" she asked, surprised.

"Don't look at me like that," Aaron said defensively. "We're just talking."

"Uh-huh," Elena said, leaning back with a knowing grin.

Their dad smiled softly. "Charolette's a sweet girl. If you like her, Aaron, that's okay."

Aaron groaned, hiding his face in his hands. "Can we not do this right now?"

By the time they arrived at the airport, Elena's stomach was in knots.

She grabbed her luggage and followed her family inside, where her friends were already waiting by the check-in counter.

Alex spotted her first, rushing over to pull her into a dramatic hug. "Our star is leaving us!" he wailed, pretending to wipe away fake tears.

"Stop being so dramatic," Amelia said, smacking his arm.

Elena laughed, hugging them both tightly. "I'm going to miss you guys."

"You better FaceTime us," Amelia said sternly.

"I will, I promise," Elena said, turning to hug Heaven, who offered a small but heartfelt smile.

Charolette was next, wrapping Elena in a tight embrace. "You're going to kill it out there," she said, her voice confident. "Just don't forget about us little people back home."

"Never," Elena said with a smile.

Elena had barely finished her heartfelt goodbye with Charolette when she felt a familiar warmth behind her.

She turned around, eyes wide, as a figure emerged from behind Aaron.

The unmistakable mop of brown hair and those mischievous eyes were enough to make her heart flutter.

"Mason?" she asked, her voice soft, a little surprised. She had barely been expecting to see him after their recent distance.

Mason grinned, his eyes gleaming with a playful but sincere spark. "You think I wouldn't come say goodbye, Star Girl?" he teased, his tone lighter than she had expected.

Before she could respond, he closed the distance between them in a swift, almost too smooth motion, wrapping her into a hug. Elena's arms instinctively went around him, feeling the familiar warmth of his embrace.

As they pulled apart, Mason's hand lingered on her arm, and he leaned down slightly, his voice quieter, almost like a confession. "I'm sorry for being distant. I've been so busy... but it wasn't because of you."

Elena blinked, her chest tightening with something she couldn't quite place.

She gave him a reassuring smile, trying to push down the fluttering sensation in her stomach. "It's alright, Mason. I understand. Really ."

She squeezed his hand before letting it go, the comfort of his touch leaving a lingering sense of warmth.

"Take care, okay?" he said, his smile softening just for a moment. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too," Elena replied quietly, watching as he gave her one last look before stepping back.

She turned toward her family, taking a moment to see her mom and dad standing together, their faces a mix of pride and concern.

Her twin, Aaron, was grinning from ear to ear, while Alex and Amelia stood behind him, watching with knowing glances.

Heaven was standing off to the side, her phone in hand, capturing the moment as best she could.

The goodbye with her family was emotional but also filled with that bittersweet excitement of something new. "Make sure to call me, okay?" her mom said as she wrapped her arms around Elena one last time, her voice thick with emotion. "I know it's going to be a huge adventure."

"I will, Mom," Elena said, giving her a tight hug before stepping back.

Her dad gave her a firm but loving pat on the shoulder. "Go show them what you've got, kid. We're proud of you."

Aaron clapped her on the back, his eyes teasing but genuine. "Don't forget about us while you're out there."

Amelia smiled at her. "Just make sure you bring us back some chocolate from Belgium."

Alex, as usual, was standing there with an exaggerated grin. "And don't forget to send me pics of those cool European outfits you'll undoubtedly find."

Heaven waved, giving Elena a thumbs-up. "Have fun, and try not to get into too much trouble, alright?"

Finally, it was Charolette, who pulled Elena into a tight hug. "Don't be a stranger, okay? I'll keep things together back home for you."

With one last exchange of words, Elena turned toward the security check-in, her heart swelling with a mix of emotions.

The weight of saying goodbye, even temporarily, was heavier than she had expected. But at least she knew she had people who supported her.

After making it through the check-in and security, Elena wandered toward a small convenience store.

She grabbed some snacks for the long flight: a packet of chips, a bottle of water, and a candy bar she knew would keep her satisfied for a while.

The hum of the airport surrounded her, the chatter of people, the announcements over the speakers, the hurried footsteps of travelers all creating a familiar buzz in her ears.

She glanced at the gate number displayed on her phone and made her way toward her gate, where she could already see other passengers lining up to board the flight.

The thought of Belgium, of filming Now You See Me 3, hit her again, the excitement rising in her chest, but so did the heaviness of leaving everything behind for a while.

She found a seat near the gate and settled in, stretching her legs as she checked her phone as she scrolled on TikTok .

The flight was called, and Elena stood up, stretching one last time before making her way toward the gate.

She passed through the tunnel, feeling the cool air shift as she stepped onto the plane.

Finding her seat by the window, she nestled in, fastening her seatbelt and settling back against the seat.

As the plane taxied down the runway, Elena pressed her palms to the cool surface of the window, staring out at the sky.

She was heading into the unknown, leaving everything behind. Yet, there was something thrilling about it. She was about to embark on a new adventure.

— ETERNAL SUNSHINE —