For months, Rody had been crafting the perfect surprise an unforgettable moment that would make all the stress, sleepless nights, and endless scheming worth it. He'd spent hours researching, negotiating with travel agents, texting parents back and forth, and jumping through a million hoops just to pull off one thing:
A group trip.
But not just any trip.
This one was to Bali.
And finally today was the day.
The day everything would come together. The day his master plan would take flight. The day the Secret Mission Trip would officially be revealed.
All he had to do now was wait.
He glanced at his watch, nerves crawling in his chest. Sam would be downstairs any minute, and with her arrival, everything would fall into place.
And as the group waited around the corner, holding their laughter and grins at bay, Rody muttered to himself under his breath:
"Why the hell did I let AJ name this mission?"
_______________________________________________________________________________
Three Months Ago: The Master Plan Begins
It had been three months since Rody and Sam had made their relationship official.
Things had been… great. Actually, better than great. It was all still new and exciting filled with firsts, flirty texts, stolen glances, and inside jokes. But even in the joy of it all, Rody felt something nagging at the back of his mind.
It had been way too long since the whole gang had done something together. A full group trip one of those spontaneous, chaotic, unforgettable ones.
They always talked about it.
They just never did it.
So, Rody decided that this time, they would.
He'd make it happen.
The logistics, though? A nightmare. Getting seven friends and all their parental approvals aligned was like trying to play Tetris on expert mode blindfolded.
Pri and Zozo's parents? Strict and suspicious of anything that included "unsupervised trip."
JJ and AJ? Serial procrastinators. If something didn't have jaw-dropping hype, they'd find a way to bail.
Ray and Lina? Surprisingly easy to convince as long as it was well-planned.
Sam's parents? The final boss.
But Rody wasn't just an idea guy. He was a planner. And when he wanted something, he didn't stop until he made it happen.
He spent a solid month just researching the best possible destinations, comparing prices, packages, accommodations, and peak weather seasons. He even learned how to talk like a travel agent.
That's when he stumbled on it a last-minute, gold-tier package to Bali.
At first, it was just a line on a website. But the more he read, the more it clicked.
The price? Too good to be true.
The activities? Unmatched sunsets, beaches, waterfalls, even a volcano hike.
The vibe? Absolute perfection.
And then it hit him
The dates lined up exactly with Sam's birthday week.
He froze for a moment. Was it too on the nose?
He hadn't even been planning it as a birthday trip. But now, it felt like the universe itself was conspiring in his favor.
So, he decided to go all in.
Rody spent the next two weeks contacting everyone's parents. His charm, relentless persuasion, and squeaky-clean track record worked in his favor.
Some parents said no at first.
But he kept at it sending safety plans, emergency contacts, daily itineraries, and promises of supervision.
Bit by bit, the dominoes fell.
Even Sam's parents famously skeptical eventually agreed.
And that was when the Secret Mission Trip was born.
_______________________________________________________________________________
The Group Announcement: Shock and Chaos
A week later, Rody called an emergency troop meeting.
Everyone thought it was just a random catch-up until Rody stood in front of them, hands behind his back, smiling like a man with a secret.
"We're all going on a trip," he said. "To Bali."
Dead. Silence.
JJ was the first to break.
"WHAT?!"
Pri gaped. "Dude my parents would never "
"I already spoke to them," Rody cut in, grinning. "They said yes."
More stunned silence.
Zozo narrowed her eyes. "Wait. My parents said yes too?"
Rody nodded. "Every single one of your parents gave permission. And they agreed to keep it quiet until I told you all myself."
Lina clutched her chest dramatically. "Even Sam's parents?"
"Even them," Rody said, trying to hide his pride.
The group collectively lost it. The disbelief turned to cheers, then to chaos. AJ and JJ ran laps around the meeting spot. Pri and Zozo were in denial. Ray was silent but smiling.
Then came the question Rody had expected.
"Wait… where's Sam?" Ray asked.
"She's the only one who doesn't know," Rody replied.
Lina gasped. "Oh my god Rody. You planned this as her birthday gift?"
He shrugged. "Kinda. I just liked the timing."
But as Lina stared at him with widening eyes, she started to connect the dots.
"You don't know, do you?"
Rody blinked. "Know what?"
Lina turned to the others, grinning like a cat with cream.
"Sam has always wanted to go to Bali."
The group fell silent again.
"She's literally had a Pinterest board called 'Bali Dreams' since high school," Lina explained. "She once told me she wants to go there for her honeymoon. She's obsessed with the place."
Rody's jaw dropped. "Wait you're kidding."
"Nope," Lina said. "And you, the biggest planner in history somehow planned that destination without even knowing?"
Rody blinked, a little overwhelmed.
It wasn't a plan.
It was fate.
AJ shouted, "THAT'S IT! THIS TRIP IS BLESSED."
Ray laughed. "Rody really out here fulfilling dream vacations without even realizing."
Rody smiled faintly, still stunned. He couldn't believe it either.
"Let's just make sure she's surprised," he finally said. "No leaks."
"Operation Secret Mission Trip is go," AJ confirmed with a salute.
_______________________________________________________________________________
The Grand Reveal: Three Months Later
Now, three months had passed.
Sam's birthday week had officially begun.
And today was the moment of truth.
Rody stood nervously at the complex gate, gift box in hand. His heart thudded louder with every passing second.
"You ready?" Lina whispered behind him.
"As ready as I'll ever be," he muttered.
Sam's voice rang out from the stairs. "Hey, love!"
He turned and there she was.
Dressed casually, still sleepy-eyed from her nap, completely unaware of what was about to happen.
"You good?" she asked. "You look… weird."
"I was just thinking," Rody replied. "The sky's been looking nice today."
Sam squinted at him. "What does that even mean?"
Rody smirked. "It reminded me of you."
Sam rolled her eyes. "You're ridiculous."
Lina stepped in, barely containing her excitement.
"Sam, we have a small surprise for you."
Sam blinked. "What? Why?"
"No reason," Rody said, holding out the gift box.
Sam took it slowly, clearly confused.
She opened the box
And froze.
Plane tickets.
Her hands trembled as she picked them up.
Her eyes darted between the ticket, the boarding pass, the destination.
Bali.
"Wait… is this…?"
She looked up, voice cracking.
"You got me tickets… to Bali?"
Rody nodded.
She gasped, her voice rising.
"NO WAY! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
Everyone laughed.
But then came the real kicker.
"Wait does this mean we're all going?"
Sam turned to Lina. "Did you plan this?"
Lina pointed to Rody. "Credit goes where it's due."
Sam's mouth hung open as she turned to him, stunned.
"You did this? For me?"
Rody shrugged, slightly bashful now. "I just… wanted it to be special."
Sam blinked back tears, laughing in disbelief.
"You don't even know what this means to me," she whispered. "I've wanted to go to Bali since I was fifteen. I used to dream about it. I even told Lina if I ever made it there, it'd be the happiest day of my life."
Rody's heart skipped.
He hadn't known.
It wasn't part of the plan.
But somehow, by pure coincidence or fate or whatever magic was guiding him lately, he had unknowingly made her dream come true.
Sam stepped forward, wrapped her arms around him tightly, and whispered, "Thank you."
As the others teased them from the sidelines, Rody held her close and smiled.
The trip hadn't even started yet.
But somehow, the journey had already become unforgettable