After New York

Chapter One: Ghosts

Song for this chapter:

Hardin

I sit back in my chair, laying my notebook out in front of me on my lap. Pencil still in hand. My eyes transfixed. She's on her knees. The sun beaming through the open window, casting its hazy glow on the yellow strands of hair that fall softly over her face.

I watch as the soft skin above her brow wrinkles, marking her concentration on the pile of books she has scattered across our rug. She's carefully selecting her favorites to place on the open shelf. Tolstoy, Camus, Bronte. I smile, appreciating the way my t-shirt lays flush against the soft curve of her hips before meeting the bare skin of her thigh.

"Are you just going to sit there and watch me?" I hear her ask. Breaking me from my trance. "Or are you actually going to help?"

"I like to watch." I respond, smirking. Noting the soft flush that colors her cheeks at my words.

"I bet you do," she laughs softly. Smiling up at me from her place on the floor.

Her Blue gray eyes beaming.

*DING* *DING*

My eyes flutter open at the sound. Slowly adjusting to the dim lighting in the cabin. The seatbelt symbol overhead now casting its muted orange glow in the dark, alerting me that we will be landing soon. I rub my eyes with the back of my hands. Slowly settling back into reality.

Fuck. These. Dreams.

I run my finger through my hair, pushing the length back and out of my face, as I turn my attention to the small window beside me. Lifting the screen slightly as moonlight floods across my lap. I lean my head back, stretching my arms overhead with an exasperated sigh.

My eyes are heavy. Too fucking heavy. The image of her still lingering just behind my eyelids.

"Mr. Scott?"

The flight attendants' words break me from my haze, and I turn to the young woman hovering over me. My gaze falls first to a yellow stain on her white blouse, just next to her nametag, and then quickly back up to meet her eyes. She shifts uncomfortably and pulls her brown locks over her shoulder to cover the stain.

"Can I get anything else for you, Sir?" She asks, gesturing to the empty glass sitting on my tray table.

Sir? The formality throws me off.

"um...No." I say finally. Shaking my head, and handing her the glass in front of me. "Thank you though...Leanne" I say glancing again at her nametag, and trying my best to offer her a smile. She smiles back, and I hear a soft "you're welcome" as she moves past the black curtains hanging behind my seat.

Looking through the window I can see the soft flickering lights of the city in the distance. I rub my eyes again. Aching for more sleep.

Or is it the dreams?

I try to ignore the latter thought. Blue eyes flashing once again in my mind.

Get a fucking grip.

Checking my phone, I see it's already almost 1 am. The pilots voice overhead echoes my thoughts and I shift in my seat, placing my laptop in my bag to prepare for landing.

Before I know it we are on the ground, and O'hare airport is dim and quiet when I exit the tarmac. I'm exhausted, and slow moving from the gate. I pause on one of the moving walkways, leaning slightly on the railing to gather myself. Shifting my shoulder bag to the opposite side, and placing my headphones over my ears to drown out the loud hum of the airport's ventilation system. I can't fight the yawn that escapes my lips when I step off the platform - pulling my carry-on case behind me as I sluggishly walk to the escalators.