Sam and Colby: The Amusement Park

• Chapter Eleven •

"Ladies and gentlemen, flight number 420 to Springfield Missouri will be boarding in ten minutes. Boarding group A, please make your way to the check-in. All veterans, active military members, persons in wheelchairs, and solo passengers under sixteen are welcome to come aboard," The woman announced as people all around them began to stand excitedly.

"Thank hallelujah," Sam praised, quickly standing with a sudden burst of energy.

Andi pulled her ticket out and looked to see which boarding group they were in. She could have just asked Sam since the boy had literally memorized the ticket, but he was doing a happy dance that she knew not to disturb. Her ticket said that they were in group C, so they still had a few minutes left before they boarded.

While Jake rushed to re-pack his array of random things that he had spread around the floor, Andi gathered their trash from breakfast and journeyed across the gate to the nearest trash can. By the time she got back, they had completely packed up their things and Colby had slung her backpack over his shoulder as they waited for group B to finish boarding.

"Thanks," Andi said, moving behind Colby and in front of Corey in the long line of people.

"Line cutter," Corey mumbled from behind her, stuffing his phone into the black fanny pack that hung diagonally across his chest.

"Oh cry me a river," Andi joked, playfully flipping him the bird. She turned back around to face Colby with her hand extended.

"What?" Colby asked, "Do you expect me to shake it or something?"

"C'mon Colbs," Andi sighed as the boy hid a mischievous grin, his blue eyes glowing brightly. "Give me my bag back."

"Nope," Colby shrugged, turning to face forward. "I've got it, don't worry."

"Colby." Andi huffed, dragging out the 'y' in his name. She loved his manners most of the time, but she felt like an ass knowing that he was carrying her stuff around for her.

"Fine," He agreed, looking back down at her. "What's the magic word?"

"Pretty please," She said, a sarcastic smile curling around her lips.

"I hear your pretty please," Colby shrugged playfully, now speaking in a terrible British accent. "But I have decided to retract my previous statement."

"Haha," Jake giggled from behind Corey. "Flight 420."

"Did you just now realize that?" Corey asked with a laugh.

"Group C may now begin boarding the plane," The airport employee announced, the five of them cringing as she practically yelled into the mic yet again.

The five of them slowly shuffled forward toward the check-in as the people in front of them finally boarded the plane. When they reached the desk, the attendant checked their tickets and then waved them on, not even bothering to ask about Sam, Andi, and Jake's backpacks. The group made their way down the long boarding tunnel leading to the plane and then stepped through the actual doors, Sam first, naturally taking the leader position, and then Colby, Andi, Corey, and Jake.

The female flight attendant greeted them, smiling kindly at Andi as she waved them on. The people further in front of them in the line were still putting their bags into the overhead bins, so the five of them were almost completely at a standstill as they waited. A group of teenage boys sat down and they finally began shuffling forward past the rows and rows of people. Andi slowly followed behind Colby, though his height made it impossible to see how far in front of them their seats were.

Andi went to move forward again and almost tripped into Colby as Corey stepped heavily on the back of her shoe. She turned around and slightly glared at him, Corey throwing his arms up in surrender at her nasty look. Another minute went by and they had only moved a few more steps, Jake whining the entire way that he was getting claustrophobic. Andi was also starting to get antsy, quickly feeling overstimulated by the many voices talking over each other and the cramped plane aisle that they had been packed into like sardines.