~Calum
Paige hasn't said a word to me this entire plane ride. She sits in the window seat with her headphones on and laptop open.
We're on a seventeen hour flight from Australia to Canada and her eyes have been practically glued to the screen this entire time. She constantly has a lot of work to do but she deserves a break, and I know she won't give herself one unless someone convinces her to.
"Paige," I whisper since all of the passengers on this flight are asleep except for the both of us.
"Hm?" She hums in response, keeping her attention fully on the laptop in front of her.
"You need a break don't you think?" I suggest cautiously. Paige never likes being taken away from her work.
Still not turning to look at me, she brushes me off, "I'm fine."
I look at the seats around us that our friends are occupying, but they're all asleep. The last thing I want to do is cause a scene on this plane, so I do my best to stay quiet while still convincing her.
"It's three in the morning, everyone is asleep. You should pause what you're doing and continue after you rest."
I watch her face that is lit up by the screen grow more irritated by the second. She doesn't want a break but she needs one.
"Please Paige?" I ask after a few moments of waiting for a response.
Finally, she takes her headphones off and turns to look at me. At first I thought she was agreeing with me but that thought was quickly shut down.
"I said I'm fine." I can see her frustration seething. Her voice was getting louder than mine.
"I know," I quickly say, making my voice quieter so that she gets the message and lowers her volume as well. "I just think you should take a break. You've been working long enough."
"I can't take a break right now Cal!" She whisper-yells at me. "I have a tour diary to edit and over a thousand pictures that need to be sent out the second we land in Toronto." She lists, clearly too stressed out to handle her emotions properly.
Paige hardly ever loses her temper. She's exceedingly good at keeping it together and guiding other people through their stress. Paige is the the type of person you would say has a calming presence.
"I won't be able to relax until all of this is done okay? Just please stop bothering me!" She furrows her eyebrows but slaps a hand over her mouth as soon as the words leave her mouth.
"Shit Cal, I didn't mean it like that." She apologizes with a guilty look on her face.
"I know you didn't. It's fine." I settle back into my seat and feel like dropping this all together. If Paige has set her mind on not taking a break then I won't push this any further.
While I settle back into my seat and face my attention forward, Paige stays unmoving in her position on the seat with her body facing me. She picks nervously at her fingernails and from the corner of my eye, I see her look down at her hands.
She feels bad but doesn't know how to make it better. She doesn't have to, I understand.
Eventually, her body is back in its previous position, but this time she stares at the laptop and headphones unsure of what to do. Take a break or continue working?
I turn my head the slightest bit towards her, anxiously waiting for what the decision will be. One of her hands goes up to her mouth and she begins biting at her finger nails; a habit she has whenever things become too stressful.
YOU ARE READING
Ghost Of You | cth
Fanfiction"Promise me you'll be fine?" She said as the two of held onto each other's hands for dear life. "I'll be just fine." I said kissing her hand and reassured her through my tears.
