Mission impossible with Mr impossible

Chapter three: What the heck just happened?

Chapter 3: What the heck just happened?

My mind couldn’t comprehend what she had just told me. The gears in my head were working overtime, trying to process her words.  Suddenly the noise around me was droned out as time slowed around me.  All I could hear was persistent beating of my heart. Turning on my heels, I run as fast as my feet will let me from Sarah. I’m not sure of where I’m going just as long as I’m far away from her. 

My head feels like it’s going to explode from information overload. Tears threatened to spill over my flushed face as I try to contain my emotions. The air rushes out of my lungs as my body absorbs the impact of hitting a solid object that just so happens to be Ryder. His hand snakes around my waist stopping me from face planting on the floor.  Ryder’s musky scent envelopes me in a warm embrace. My breath hitches.  Concern fills his grey eyes, staring at me intensely. I feel vulnerable as if all my secrets have been exposed.

I turn my head away from him, breaking our deep eye contact, my bottom lip trembling. I didn’t want Ryder to see me cry. His thumb reaches out and trails my cheekbone, catching a stray tear. It seems that realisation dawns on the both of us because we instantly pull apart, the trance broken. What the heck just happened?

Ryder runs his hand through his already unruly hair. He lets out a frustrated sigh.

“We better get to the departure lounge.” He says, breaking the awkward silence. I suddenly become very interested in my black chucks.

“Okay….”I mutter to myself.  I see him nod and he starts walking away from me.  I have to run to keep up with his longs strides.

“Wait!” I pant a little from the exertion. “What about my clothes?”  I see Ryder roll his eyes and let out the breath I’ve been holding, good to know old Ryder was back.

“What is it with you chicks and your clothes?” He mumbles. I glare at him a little and cross my arms.

“That ‘chick’ has a name and I wouldn’t piss her off right now if I was you.” I tell him a warning tone in my voice.

“Of course little mermaid.” He smirked. “Your Aunt packed you some stuff.” He waves me off and I stiffen at the mentioning of her.

“I told you not to call me that!” I scowl.

On our way over to the departure lounge, Ryder fills me in on the things I’ll need to know about where we’re going. He keeps it brief, only going over key points like where we’re actually flying to which from what I’ve heard is someplace in the middle of nowhere in Ireland and what we’re doing there, attending a special academy. Whatever that means? Fiddling with a strand of thread that’s come loose on my white tank top, I begin to get rather nervous with every passing second of the clock. I find myself checking it constantly. See, here’s the thing, I’ve never actually been on a plane before. The closest thing I’ve come to flying is when I was 6 and my friend convinced me that it would be a smart idea to tape make-shift wings to my arms and run off the top of the barn where we use to live. Lucky for me, I got away with only a broken arm and a dislocated shoulder because I landed in the hay bales. Honestly I don’t know how I was persuaded so easily but I guess I was six and at six you’ll believe anything.

“Everybody boarding flight 232 going to Dublin, Ireland please make your way to Gate four, thank you”

I manage to stand up without my legs buckling under me. Walking over to the already long queue of passengers and taking up a place in the line, I glance behind me. Just over Ryder’s shoulder, I spy a familiar head. My stomach starts to do mini somersaults as I watch Aunt Sarah get closer and closer. I notice that Ryder’s jaw clenches as she approaches us. I wonder why?