[Writing Contest] Story #20

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The family vacation was going smoothly—until someone realized they’d booked the Airbnb for the wrong week.

It was Aunt Lina who first noticed. She was sipping her iced coffee by the pool when she checked her phone and went pale. “Guys,” she said, standing up slowly, “why is this reservation showing next week?”

Everyone turned to look at her. Uncle Danu, who’d just lit the grill, froze mid-flip with a half-cooked burger dangling from his spatula. The kids stopped splashing in the pool. Even Grandma, who had been peacefully dozing under a wide sunhat, stirred in her chair.

“What do you mean next week?” asked Tio, the eldest cousin, walking over. He took her phone and stared at the screen. “Oh… wow. It really does say July 12 to 19. Not July 5 to 12.”

There was a full ten seconds of silence.

Then chaos broke loose.

“Wait, are we not supposed to be here right now?” shouted Dita, who’d just blown up a pink flamingo float.
“Whose booking was it?” “Didn't anyone double-check?” “Are we going to get kicked out?”
And then, as if summoned by fate, a black SUV rolled up the driveway.

A well-dressed couple stepped out, holding matching weekender bags and looking very much like people who had a valid Airbnb booking.

“Hi!” the woman called cheerfully. “We’re the Soejantos. Just checking in for the week!”

Everyone looked at each other in panic. Uncle Danu tried to smile. “Ah… well, you see, there’s been a slight mix-up…”

Within an hour, the family had packed up their belongings—half-dried towels, scattered flip-flops, a cooler full of half-melted popsicles—and were back in their cars, unsure of what to do next.

“Well,” said Grandma from the backseat, “at least we’ll laugh about this someday.”

Aunt Lina, still red-faced, pulled out her phone and began frantically searching for last-minute accommodations. Tio leaned over her shoulder. “How about that budget motel with the water slide?”

Dita groaned. “This is going to be the weirdest vacation ever.”

Uncle Danu just sighed and muttered, “At least the burgers were half done…”

And off they drove—sunset in the distance, GPS recalculating, adventure renewed in a very unexpected way.