Flight 118

Chapter Twenty-Four

Clarisse cringed back and her eyes darted from side to side before settling on my forehead, not meeting my eyes. "I'm so sorry! I know I shouldn't have but I just... I can't stand how everyone takes this life and what we are told at face value! Especially you, Emilia! You weren't meant to be hurt, just rescued."

"Face value? Especially me? What the heck are you talking about?!" I yelled, staring at her with wide eyes. "I didn't need rescuing. I needed to not be lied to and knocked out! You aren't making sense!"

"You were supposed to be my friend! And you've all but abandoned me, listening to their half-truths!"

"Half-truths? I'm really not understanding what you're goin' on about Clarisse!" My voice raised, and my accent deepened a little, in exasperation. Which served just to make me more irritated, if I was honest with myself. I hated the southern accent I had and couldn't seem to shake no matter how hard I tried.

"How? How do you not understand? We aren't meant to be here; in this time, in this place, with these people. They aren't like us, don't you see that? Why doesn't anyone see that? You all look at me like I'm crazy; like I've lost my mind. But I'm not the one who's lost it! Do you have any idea what it feels like getting on a plane after saying goodbye to your family, about to start this great adventure in college...to have it all ripped away?!"

"Clarisse," I speak slowly after struggling to a sitting position. "We all know what it feels like. We didn't choose to be taken from everything and everyone we know. And we don't think you're crazy. We know you're just upset-"

"Upset?! Oh really? I'm just upset? Oh! Poor little Clarisse! She's just a kid! She doesn't understand anything because she's not old enough to. Let's coddle her instead of listening to her because she doesn't know what she's talking about! She's too young! Walking around in the world without being able to fully understand anything!"

I wince. "That's not what I meant and you know it! Yes, you are young and yes, you are upset. But we aren't coddling you! You just need to cool down and realize we aren't abandoning you. Why do you keep trying to make us?"

"Trying to make you?! You know what? I'm done! Look at you all high and mighty! Sitting there, even now when you can't move, acting like you're so much better than me! You're not my mom! You're not my sister! You go on and on about how I'm so young and impressionable when you're TWENTY-ONE. Who do you think you are staring down at me like you're so much older and wiser! I'm eighteen, not some kid. I'm not stupid or too young to understand what I'm seeing!"

I sat there with wide eyes, stunned. My mouth opened but I was not really sure how to respond. Was she right? I feel so much older than her but I'm really not. It was probably for the best that I couldn't respond because she was not done.

She stood up, walking away from me, and began to pace. As she yelled, the rays of light extending in the dark from the lantern lit up the area between us. It brightened the dark enough I could see spittle shooting from her mouth with certain words.

"You want to know why I did what I did? Fine! I'll tell you! I really thought you people were just blind to the truth staring back at you. But I guess you all just don't care if we never make it back home. I bet you don't have a family back there! That would make sense for you! Or maybe it's just so great being popular now that who cares if it's even possible."

I frowned as anger sparked inside me. My eyes narrowed and I shook a little at her having the audacity to think she was the only one whose life had come crashing down around her.

"My life is gone! And you all prance around like it's over while I sit at night staring at the stars and wondering if my family misses me; what they're doing; if I'll be alone for the rest of my life! I thought if I could get you away and remind you how awful this place is that you would finally understand. But I was wrong." Clarisse's voice broke off at the end and she turned away from me, but not before I saw the tears shining in her eyes.