flipped. charlie conway

63

"all aboard!" coach bombay ushered the minnesota-flying members into the dissipating boarding queue. waving their final goodbyes to their teammates flying to miami, texas, maine, and more, as they passed the boarding gate, adam threw an arm over his sister's shoulder as they walked in silence.

charlie trailed behind, chewing on his lip with nervousness. he was lucky enough to land a seat beside leah on the way to los angeles, and he prayed he would have the same luck on the way home to minneapolis. charlie watched as his teammates crammed into the small airplane door, and did his best to push in line to get as close to leah as he could. the conway boy let out a relieved breath as he stared directly into the back of leah's golden head of hair, trying not to step on the back of her shoes as they shuffled down the airplane isle. charlie was excited to sit beside leah banks once again.

as they awaited their teammates to shove their baggage into the overhead storage, charlie scrambled through his mind for something to say. in all the time he spent thinking, leah was already placing her bag overhead. charlie snapped out of his prolonged silence.

"let me help you." charlie rushed to offer, reaching to take the bag from leah's hands that were already hovering into the overhead bay.

leah frowned as she pushed her bag to the back of the bay. "all fine, thanks charlie."

the conway boy nodded and sighed, gulping the slight embarrassment away. charlie watched as leah collapsed into the isle seat beside averman, who was sat beside fulton in the window seat. there was not a free seat beside leah. silently cursing his luck in his head, charlie looked for the closest available seat. adam beckoned charlie into the isle seat beside himself and guy. in his flustered state, charlie took his seat that was diagonally behind leah banks. charlie let out a saddened breath as he glanced at leah chatting with averman. he'd chosen a really bad seat, charlie realised, as he'd be stuck watching leah banks the entire plane ride. he wouldn't admit it, but watching her animated conversation was an enjoyable pastime.

coach bombay smugly shook his head from his own seat, noticing charlie's unchanging gaze on leah. how times change. bombay thought back to an old memory.

"you can't call her a cheat just because you don't know how to handle your crush on her."

"what?! i hate leah banks."

"you say that, but you never stop talking about her."

"yeah, because she's annoying."

not so annoying now, huh charlie? bombay pondered how the younger charlie would react to the fact that leah banks won his team an international hockey championship. the mere thought had gordon stifling a laugh. coach bombay was waiting for the long-awaited moment to satisfyingly say 'i told you so'.

——

"welcome home!" adam and leah's parents sang in unison, their mother embracing adam as their father embraced leah. the airport terminal was busy, full of photographers and fans cheering on the victorious team usa.

"oh, how i missed you." their mother pouted, ruffling adam's hair.

leah looked up to her father giddily. the long airplane ride beside a snoring fulton reed and a hungry lester averman was not pleasant. leah was so glad to be home.

"how are my chickens?" leah asked eagerly.

her mother instantly tut. "i just knew you'd ask that! i promise i took great car—"

"adam, leah!" averman interrupted as he bound over, charlie quickly trailing behind.

adam greeted the two with a large smile. "what's up?"

lester nudged charlie forward. the conway boy cleared his throat and dried his clammy hands on his sweatshorts. "we just wanted to say... see you next week for our last weeks of middle school... ?"

the banks father chuckled as he pat his twins on the back. "what a kind reminder, charlie."

"yeah, thanks charlie." adam rolled his eyes, sarcasm dripping from his tongue. adam earned a quick scold from his mother.

averman perked up as his parents waved excitedly. "see you later!" he exclaimed, grabbing charlie's arm to drag him away.

in a hurry, the conway boy took a final glance at leah banks. "bye leah, bye adam!"

"yeah, bye." the banks girl waved indifferently, adam waving back. though charlie was pleased by his short interaction with the girl, leah cared too much about her previous conversation that the boy had interrupted. "so you did feed my chickens every single day, right?"

her parents laughed, guiding adam and leah out the airport. light conversation overtook their car ride home, both leah and adam admiring the familiar streets of minneapolis as they drove through the late spring weather. leah couldn't wait for their upcoming school day, a day where she could wake bright and early to sail out on the thawed pond beside the bus stop. driving through the blooming streets, leah realised how much she'd missed her familiar routine. part of her wished she never left.

looking over to adam, whose eyes were half shut, leah felt an uncontrollable grin pull on her cheeks. this was home.

"may we get mango smoothies?" adam shot up from his seat as her caught sight of the smoothie bar. their father swerved into a park against the curb as their mother cursed adam for his late timing, as per usual. leah realised that not much had changed in the few months she and adam were away, if anything at all.

charlie couldn't say the same.