Wishful Thinking

Chapter Two

chapter two

               Eighteen hours and two naps later, a flight attendant spoke into the PA system, letting passengers know that we would soon be landing in Canberra,  Australia.

               I blinked twice and let out a groan. I had airplane ear. Ah, the gifts of traveling by flight.

               Next to me, Ava was scrolling through her phone's gallery, making noises of disgust whenever she came across a picture of the clouds that she didn't like. I yawned and smiled at her. "Back in my day, we didn't have fancy camera phones to take pictures of the clouds with, and if I wanted to go to Australia, I'd have to walk there. Damn this generation."

               Ava didn't look at me as she replied, "I didn't know you were from the 1400s. Did Jesus grant your bloodline with the walking on water gift too?"

               "Damn straight," I lied, and whacked her with the complimentary pillow.

               Ava looked up. "What even is our friendship?" She wondered.

               Around us, passengers cheered and clapped. I rolled my eyes. "I'm guessing we've landed," I sighed. Ava cleared her throat and ran her fingers through her hair a few times. She touched up her lipstick in her face-powder-thingy's mirror and once the plane cleared out, she smiled at her reflection.

               Unlike my best friend and her one track mind, I actually wanted to exit the plane. I threw my hobo-bag over my shoulder and walked into the aisle.

               "Hurry up," I rushed.

               Ava muttered a "chill" and reached for her carry on luggage. She stuffed her make up in one of the pockets then joined me in the aisle. We reunited with Mr. Cameron and Lynn and headed towards the baggage claim area.

               "Holy craperdoodles, this place is amazing," I breathed. The view from the car ride here was breathtaking, but the hotel was definitely worth at least seven stars.

               "I thought you'd like it, Ned Flanders." Mr. Cameron joked. Mr. C was usually quiet around us, but every now and then he'd make a pun or flirt with my mother, somewhat stuck in his highschool days.

               I flew back onto one of the three beds in this room, mentally claiming it as mine. Lynn was setting up her iPad near one of the beds in the corner, and Mr.  C went into the other hotel room next to ours, seeing as both rooms were connected by a door.

               I stood up and put my hair into a bun, unconsciously pacing the room. Ava raised a brow, "Something wrong?" My eyebrows flew up, wondering what the hell she was talking about, then I realized I was pacing then stopped. "Nope."

               Across from me, Lynn was video calling her girlfriend, Kat. Although they've been together for about a year now, they were still sheepish around each other, and were just nervously smiling into their cameras. "Hey, Kat," I greeted, smiling. Kat had been over at the Cameron's place at the same time as I was on several occasions, and we would sometimes exchange pleasantries.

               "Hey, Teagan," Kat answered, but she didn't take her eyes off of Lynn, looking pretty dazed. I grinned once again, pointing between the two of them. "You two are goals." I commented with a slight laugh. I walked to the door and slipped on a pair of flip flops. "I'm going to the beach."

               If Ava was awake, she would've wanted to join, but she was already drooling on her pillow. I slipped out the door, thinking of how pointless it was of her to put on that make-up.

               The hotel we stayed at was almost right on the border, giving visitors the ability to come and go to the beach as they pleased. I walked along the shore, watching the setting sun with a little smile on my face. I stopped and spread my arms out, spinning in slow circles to take it all in. Wait. I halted. Turned back around.

               Hello, gorgeous.

               Mere yards away was the son of Poseidon himself.

               I did the sane thing any idiot would do. I stared.

               I've never been one to deny someone's obvious attractiveness, but it was rare that I myself would find the person attractive. I tilted my head, admiring Poseidon-boy. His perfect proportions, noticeable symmetry, the boy/creature/god was pure art. So I approached him to let him know this. With all the insecurities in the world, it was nice to compliment people.

               I tapped his shoulder and looked up at his intimidating, yet welcoming figure. "Hi, you are..." I paused, momentarily lost in his hypnotic green eyes. "Beautiful." I breathed. He smiled, revealing dimples that immediately made me self conscious. Teagan! Your hair is in an extremely messy bun, you just got off of a plane, your clothes must look terrible and—

               "Thanks, you're not so bad yourself." Poseidon-boy responded in a thick Australian accent. I furrowed my eyebrows. Australian? But this was a hotel, and it was mostly inhabited by American tourists.

               He nodded, "It's kind of a long story, but yes I'm Australian."

               What? Oh. He must've read my thoughts using some of his Greek god magic.

               "Nope, you're just talking out loud." He corrected, nodding with a slight smirk.

               My eyes widened. "Oh," I said, blinking and cursing myself for my idiocy, "that explains a lot."

               He smiled again, and I got that unfamiliar fangirl feeling. "I'm Carter."

               Now, maybe I should've been thinking about stranger danger and such, but this was the age of making and meeting up with internet friends, and I wasn't four. Keeping this in mind... "I'm Teagan."

               "So, you're staying at this hotel?" I asked, walking in the direction of the lobby.

               "Mhm, room 204."

               "Why?"

                Carter stopped walking and didn't answer.

               "I mean, I know hotels are open to everyone," I pointed out, feeling the pointless babbling coming on, "it's just that this hotel is mostly for rich tourists and I mean, I myself am no rich tourist but--"

               Carter finally looked at me and, God, if facial expressions could kill.

               At first glace, Carter would appear content, but once you looked into those eyes.

               I've always been terrible at mood-reading, but I could tell from Carter's green sea of sadness that all was not well.

               Although my curiosity was eating me up, I wasn't heartless. I pulled Carter into the most awkward hug ever and didn't question him further.

               When he pulled back, some of the sadness had dissipated, and it wasn't wasn't as painful to look into his eyes anymore.

               A tiny smile appeared on his face and he resumed strolling in the direction of the back entrance. "I should be creeped out by you."

               I grinned and caught up to him, scoffing. "I was about to get offended and defend myself, but, nah, you're right. A mysterious stranger appears to you, tells you you're gorgeous, then randomly hugs you? Pretty positive that's not an everyday occurrence."

               Carter chuckled and before we entered the lobby, I turned, searching the sky. I found it the first star. Skipping over the cheest poem, I thought to myself, a new friend.