The Third Man (Friday Barnes)

Duck Tape

"I love packing suitcases. Everything has a place, and everything is proportionally accurate to minimize storage space" I said showing Melanie my miniature toothbrush (Friday's note: I love tiny things, I have known idea why I just do)
Melanie rolled her eyes "Yeah packing suitcases...FUN!" She sat on top of her suitcase tugging at the zip, suddenly the zip broke and the Melanie's potential energy suddenly converted to kinetic energy, and she went flying backwards along with the zip, classic example of Hooks law if you ask me.

I walked over to Mel, offering my hand to help her up. Evidently, I fell down with her, my head collided with Her's, and I felt a throbbing pain across my forehead.

"Ouch!" we both said in unison.

I lay down on the floor, my eyes focusing on a steady point so as not to faint. Melanie joined me.

"What are we going to do in Vienna" she asked.

"I'm not sure. Bernie's says whatever we want just as long as we help out his friend" I said.

"Oh, then you and Ian will have plenty of alone" Melanie teased.

"Shut up" I muttered looking away so she couldn't see my face turning beetroot red. I've read somewhere that blushing is a natural reaction to threats, stress, shame, and embarrassment, I also read that if you regulate your breathing and press your face against something cold it can stop you from blushing. As you can imagen, I was lying on my side breathing like a maniac and pressing my face against the floor. It worked to no avail.

"What time is it" Mel asked.

I looked down at my watch "half past 5".

Melanie's shot up "holy mother of triangles were going to be late" she ran over to her desk and started scavenging through her draws, while also swiping out her phone to call Bernie (Friday's note: that girl is a master of multi-tasking) Bernie picked up and Mel started shouting down into the speaker "BERNIE WE'ER GOING TO BE LATE!"

He muffled something along the lines of no need to shout you sound like a deranged monkey and he will be there soon.

I slowly sat up and turned to Melanie "What are you going to do about your case?"

Mel smiled and pulled a roll of duct tape from her draw. I laughed a lay back down on the floor.

Soon I was sitting at the gate waiting to board the plane. Mel was asleep next to me, and Bernie was sitting facing us, working on one of his cases. He looked up at me and smiled. Then reached into his computer bag and pulled out a small rectangular box.

"Ian told me you needed it" He said handing it to me "He complains that you're always using his."

For those who are too vague to deduct what it was I'll gladly inform you it was a phone. A good one, intact and not a scratch to be seen.

"thankyou" I said reaching over and giving him a hug.

"Don't thank me! Thank Ian" Bernie laughed "He paid for it."

"What is it" Melanie murmured sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Her eye's laid on the phone and she grinned "Cool... where's mine."

"Ian didn't get you one sorry" Bernie laughed.

Melanie turned to me and muttered "must be nice to have a boyfriend."

I smiled. She was right it was nice.

"Those flying on flight PA77 please head to the gate to prepare for boarding."

We gave Bernie one last hug and joined the que. I don't know what it was about the feeling of boarding, but it gives me a calm sense of freedom. Like for once I was in control of where I was going.