Watch Me Drown

30. Flight

(Phoebe Bridgers point of view)

I got the aisle seat. I'd had better seats on planes before. A lot of the time, I ended up with the window seat. A few times, like, very few, I got a first class seat. That's what I had gotten when I opened for Taylor Swift. Taylor always gave the very best.

At least my aisle seat was across from Lucy's seat. Abby got the window seat, Julien was in between us, and Lucy was directly across the aisle. We were lucky our seats were together. Lucy didn't even seem to care that she was somewhat separated. Maybe if Abby and Julien got too gushy I would swap with her. Lucy never minded their lovey dovey shit. She thought it was cute. She probably saw them as song writing material. Lucy saw everything as song writing material.

We hadn't even been in the air for five whole minutes, and Julien and Abby had been whispering when I decided to interject.

"Hey, lovebirds," I said. "You guys telling secrets over here?" 

Julien turned towards me, and when she did, I caught a glimpse of Abby's face. Oh no. She didn't look good.

"What's wrong?" I asked Julien. My tone wasn't jokey anymore.

"She feels like she's gonna pass out." Julien told me.

"What's going on?" Lucy leaned across the aisle.

Just as Julien was about to repeat what she told me, she turned back to Abby. I think Julien has Spidey-Senses. Abby had passed out, and she started to fall forward. Julien caught her right before her head hit the seat in front of her. A string of curses came from Julien's mouth as she attempted to get Abby upright. Me and Lucy watched, helpless.

"Is everything alright over here?" A flight attendant had appeared at our row, and was watching Julien desperately try to keep Abby in her seat.

"We're...fine?" I decided to handle the lady, but I really didn't know.

"The change in air pressure can...affect people." She was still watching Julien.

"We're good," I said. "Don't need any assistance."

The flight attendant slowly walked away. Finally.

"Are we good?" I turned to Julien.

She had finally gotten Abby still, yet it took half of her body. She was twisted out of her seat, her arms placed over Abby's to hold her in place. Abby's head was tipped to one side, her eyes still closed, eyelids fluttering lightly.

"It probably is just the air pressure." Julien said.

We waited for Abby to wake up. After what felt like hours, her eyes opened. We all sighed in relief.

"Abby? Can you hear me?" Julien asked her very softly. Her voice was basically a whisper.

"Yes." Abby whispered. "I just can't...move yet."

Julien turned back to me and Lucy. "She's alright. She just hasn't gotten control back yet."

Control? I realized then that this was more serious than I had ever imagined.

"Julien." Abby breathed. She sounded, and looked, disoriented.

"I'm here." Julien reassured her.

I tried to tune out their conversation. I didn't want to be nosy. I looked away from them, and watched some kids movie a few rows ahead. Their voices were still clear.

"Can you move yet?" Julien said. "Try moving your legs."

Abby must've been able to, because Julien sounded satisfied.