Before I Met You

Chapter 16

The pilots were beginning to open the doors to board up the plane. My palms were sweaty and my throat was so dry. "Okay, I have to go so I can find our seats," said Leona. She took both of our luggage and held her bag with her free arm. I started to panic. "What if they take off," I said, rocking on my heels and looking everywhere around the airport. "I'll tell them not to."

Yeah, as if they're going to listen to her. After a few seconds of seeing the line get shorter and shorter, I agreed to wait here for him. "I will wait here," I told her. She nodded. "And if he's not here by the time they're closing that door, leave." A woman on the intercom announced that our flight was taking off in 5 minutes, and to check for all passengers.

I watched Leona as she hurried through the door and into the plane after showing them our passport. One of the guys stopped her but I couldn't hear what he was saying. She then pointed over at me and he nodded.

My phone was on 5%. I was hurt, angry, and tired all at once. "Asshole," I whispered. I took a seat on the chair before I was startled by a tap on my shoulder. It was the pilot. "Goodness," I said with my hand over my heart trying to catch my breath. "Oops, sorry." I hurried and tried to explain myself before he tries to force me on the plane. I read his name tag and it read, "Nick."

"Nick, I'm waiting for someone. He was supposed to be here 30 minutes ago but he still hasn't shown up and I can't get on that plane without seeing him."

He held both of his hands out in defense. "I understand that mam, but you can't hold up the plane any longer. They will take off without you." His voice was strict and hoarse.

I let out a groan and checked my phone one last time: 10:43am. No notifications. I felt like I could bawl my eyes out right there in front of him, but I get that he's just trying to do his job. I stood there a few seconds longer because for some reason my legs wouldn't move. It's like my feet were glued onto the floor. "You're right. Sorry." He smiled just a little and gestured to me to get on the plane. "On you go."

I finally had the strength to walk away. I couldn't explain how I felt at that moment. Angry? I had no right to be. Or maybe I did. Betrayed? Yes. He promised he'd be here. A single tear strolled down my cheek. The same cheek he wiped off when I cried in his office. How could I be so clueless?

I was finally on the plane, in my seat when I let it all go. The tears were so hard and my heart felt so heavy, breathing was the least thing I was worried about. Leona put her arm around me and pulled me onto her shoulder. I didn't even care if the whole plane was looking at me crazy.

She calmly shushed me. "It's okay....It's okay." But it wasn't. I never wanted to cry like this again; to feel this type of pain again, EVER. But the feeling is so familiar, except it just hurts worse because I had such high expectations of him.

The guy on the intercom began telling us to fasten our seatbelts and stay quiet so the lady could go over the safety procedures. Leona wrapped the seat belt around my waist for me and clicked it, all while still holding me and stroking my hair. The lady walked out with a life jacket and began telling us what to do if the plane crashes into the ocean.

Not. Helping. At. All. She began to put it on and showed us how to tighten and adjust it. I cried even harder as I closed my eyes. The lights were too bright.
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When I was little, my mom told me all about love and pain. About how it can be the worst, yet the best thing to ever experience in life. I remember us sitting in my bed as she braided my hair. My lights didn't work so all I had were warm lamps lighting up the room.

My stuffed animals and toys made shadows on the walls. "How did you know you really loved him?" I asked her after sitting in silence for a while. She was telling me about my dad. How they met, fell in love, and got married.