Right Here, Right Now

Chapter Eight

[Author's note: the photos used in this chapter are just outfit examples, not what El looks like :) ]

*Ella's POV*

"I can't believe you tried bringing a knife through airport security you idiot," Owen laughed as we all sat in our row of the airplane. Charlie had just gotten stuck at security for having a pocket knife on him, and Owen was not letting him live it down. I rolled my eyes as the two boys bickered and leaned my head against the window next to me.

"You excited?" I looked up to see Charlie smiling at me brightly. He wiggled his eyebrows causing me to giggle.

"Ecstatic," I smiled up back at him, allowing myself to get lost in his puppy dog eyes. As time went on the harder it was for me to break eye contact first.

"Okay James with the vocabulary words," Charlie smirked at me and I scrunched my nose at him before forcing myself to pull my gaze away.

"Charlie that's like basic 4th grade vocabulary," Owen laughed.

"I think that's the grade Charlie had to take twice," I leaned over in my seat to fist bump Owen as Charlie crossed his arms over his chest to pout.

"Maybe I should've let you two sit together," Charlie said motioning his fingers between Owen and I. As the plane started to move I felt Charlie tense up and sink a little into his seat.

"Are you okay?" I questioned poking his tightened bicep with my finger.

"You know, just a nervous flier," Charlie closed his eyes, his knuckles turning white from his grip on the arm rest. I watched as the boy who appeared afraid of nothing was nervous for a simple plane flight. The idea filled me with amusement. With his eyes still closed, I saw Charlie's hand slowly loosen its grip on the arm rest and inch closer towards mine.

Do I grab it?

My heart beat began to quicken as his fingers ran along the space between us, searching for my hand. In an act of adrenaline, I reached over and grabbed his hand into mine, interlocking our fingers. I felt Charlie's body relax as he gripped me tighter. My hand looked so tiny in his.

Owen leaned forward and looked at our hands with wide eyes and then back up at me. I put my finger to my mouth telling him to be quiet and he winked back at me, causing my face to turn red. I shook my head before leaning it back on its place on the window.

"The window seat is your favorite," Charlie whispered in my ear, a single curl brushing against my neck. My breathing hitched for a second as I turned to look at him, our faces inches apart.

"Keeping tabs on me Gillespie?" I allowed my eyes to linger to his lips for a split second before turning my head and leaning it against the headrest. From all of my years of traveling, I knew it was almost time to take off. I closed my eyes and prepared myself for it, when Charlie squeezed my hand.

"Hey hey hey, you can't close your eyes. That's cheating! You said you like the window seat," I laughed at him before opening my eyes and turning to look into his. As our eyes met I felt the dimple form in my right cheek.

"I close my eyes while we take off and then try to open them the second I feel like we're in the air. It's a game my dad and I used to play when I was little to distract me from the fear. Now it's kind of tradition," Charlie smiled back at me and then placed his head on the headrest with his eyes closed. I followed him and did the same. We sat there in silence, listening to the hum of the plane on the runway. I felt the plane move faster and faster until there was a small moment when my stomach dropped, letting me know we were now in the sky. I opened my eyes and leaned towards the window to watch the city disappear below us.