First Class (Calum Hood)

1 - now boarding

"Now boarding Delta flight 307 from LA to Sydney, we'd like to welcome first class passengers on board," the gate attendant announces. I grab my backpack from the floor and go to the boarding line. I've never flown first class before, but my dad used this ticket as an incentive to come visit him on his month-long business trip in Australia. As someone that can barely afford a full tank of gas these days, I was not going to say no.

As I walk to find my seat, I see the guy next to me is already in the aisle seat. "Excuse me, I'm by the window."

"Oh yeah, sorry," he says with an Australian accent as he gets up to let me in. He's the model definition of tall, dark, and handsome. We make eye contact as I scoot past him, and it takes everything in me to not stare into his beautiful brown eyes for an inappropriate amount of time. I prayed all night that I wouldn't get stuck next to an old creepy guy for this 16 hour flight, and the Delta Gods delivered. I slide my backpack under the seat in front of me and sit.

I take observations of my giant seat, where I feel like a tiny pilot of an escape pod. There's a huge screen with a little remote, a swivel table, instructions on how to move my seat into a bed, and a bunch of unnecessarily extra freebies like eye masks and pillows. I start messing with my seat, as I hear the guy next to me chuckle. I look at him, a little self conscious of how out-of-place I probably look.

"I remember my first time in first class too," He comments in amusement.

"Let me have my moment, or this is going to be a long flight for you," I responded sassily.

"Don't tell me you're a plane chatter," He jokes.

"Don't tell me that you can sit there with your airpods in for 16 hours without feeling bored. I created like 12 different playlists and I don't think they could fill the entire flight without repeating songs," I exaggerate.

"This isn't my first rodeo, and usually I'm sitting next to a smelly business man that I have no interest in talking to."

"Well, you're in luck, because I'm not smelly and I'm not a man. Men on planes are the worst."

"Hey now, what am I?"

"Well you're an Australian man on the plane, which is 100 times better than sitting next to an American man on the plane."

"I'm guessing I'm the first Australian person you've ever met? 99% of them are just as smelly and gross." He knowingly smiles at me.

"Well yeah, but so far you're the 1% of good. Or at least you were until you made fun of me for playing with the gadgets in my seat. Not all of us can fly first class over the ocean regularly. If I was buying a ticket, I'd be on a Spirit flight wearing 7 layers of clothing so I don't have to check a bag."

"I would never make fun of you, it was cute. It is refreshingly nice to sit next to you. Even though this has been my normal for a few years, that doesn't mean I'll ever get used to the free cocktails and comfy seats going home."

"Free cocktails? I love this place."

"You didn't know?" He raises his eyebrow and presses the button for help. "Could we please get two jack and cokes?" He asks the flight attendant politely.

"I like your style," I tell him, "I'm Jordan, by the way."

"Calum," he extends his hand out to me to shake. His warm hand swamps mine, and I can tell I'm really going to enjoy this flight.