Romantic Fanatic

Turbulence

I see a flight attendant uniform heading straight for our row. Their shiny shoes speeding toward us. I look up at their face and am horrified to see it's my ex boyfriend. He definitely saw me. There's no getting out of this one. He knows my name isn't Avery! He could be coming to expose us! Oh no. Could it be?

My mind races through all the options I have for getting out of this. Maybe I should run to the bathroom...again. But he'd see me go. Maybe I should pretend to be asleep... again. But he saw me awake like 2 seconds ago. No. There's no getting out of this. Honestly it can't be that bad...right?

My ex arrives at our row, hands clasped professionally. His smile warm and inviting, unlike the conversation we're about to have.

"Feeling alright ma'am?" He asks Window seat woman

"Oh don't worry about me darling I'm feeling much better" she responds

"Okay wonderful" he chuckles like a middle aged woman "just let us know if you need anything"

Maybe he won't notice me! A flick of his eyes. He noticed me.

"Oh my gosh! Hey!" His whole demeanor changes as he leans his elbow on the top of the seat with a over-exaggerated surprised face.

"Heyyy" I cringe smile "how have you been?"

"Oh you know" he chuckles again like a live laugh love wine mom. I don't know.

"But enough about me!" He gestures to me and airplane boy "It seems like YOU have a lot to catch me up on!"

"Oh yes!" I turn to airplane boy " this is my... my-"

"-Fiancé, hi I'm Pete." Airplane boy interrupts charmingly.

They shake hands and I can see a slight waver in my ex's plastered on smile. Is he jealous?

"Where did you two meet? And when? I've never even heard of you Pete." He says it like a joke but I can sense the suspicion and accusation in his words.

"We met... on a flight!" The words tumbling out of my mouth " I fell asleep on his shoulder and we've been together ever since"

"Aw how cute!" His smile turning rotten, "I've been meaning to catch up with you... I have a big favor to ask."

This can't be good. I brace myself for the worst.

"Do you have my girlfriend's number still? She... blocked me and won't call back."

Excuse me? This man really wants me to help him get back with my friend who he basically dumped me for. The audacity! My ears grow hot with shock. The devil on my shoulder has a flamethrower and he's not afraid to use it.

"Yeah I still have her number, but seeing as she won't talk to you, I think it might be in your best judgment to stop calling her your girlfriend."

"What?" His expression looks like he was just slapped. Good.

The words from our breakup still ring in my ears. I remember the sinking feeling and the disgust in his tone as he told me "We're done. And don't go cry about it either babe, grow up." Grow up? Grow up?!

I say my words slowly and carefully like I'm talking to a baby "Sorry to break it to you, but she literally blocked you. You're done. If it really bothers you then talk to her yourself. Going through another person, especially me, is just immature. Grow. Up."

Airplane boy puts his arm around my shoulder and our blank expressions crumble the flight attendant in power. His face twisted with annoyance, he takes a step back.

"Well, it was... I'll see you around." He swiftly turns his back, switching straight back into his customer survice persona. I watch him walk away smiling and nodding at the other passengers. I absolutely destroyed him.

"You absolutely destroyed him" airplane boy says taking his arm off my shoulder.

"Yeah I did." I sigh a smile of relief.

"Are you going to tell his girlfriend? Well, ex girlfriend?" He asks curiously

"Oh I deleted her number months ago." I say "I couldn't if I wanted to, thankfully I want to forget that ever happened."

We laugh and suddenly a wrinkled old hand grabs my arm gently.

"I'm going to sleep. Wake me if the plane lands" Window seat woman croaks while shutting her eyes.

When the plane lands. I forgot we won't be on this plane forever, so much has already happened. I check my phone. We've been on the flight for 4 hours. Only half way there. Only half way left. And then we'll all part ways. I won't ever know how the girl with the earring's proposal goes, I won't ever know if window seat woman has any cute little witch friends or a witch family, and I'll never see airplane boy again.

4 hours left. I'm sure I could pluck up the courage to ask for his number in four hours. But what if he doesn't like me like that, what if he's fine with never seeing me again. What if he has a girlfriend? No. He would never act so flirtatious if he had a girlfriend. But how do I know that? Honestly I don't know him at all. He could be a awful person. I see him typing on his phone. Could it be to his girlfriend..could it be?