Wishful Deviltry

Chapter Five

     Jessica and Kaleb watched Karis pace back and forth in front of them while they patiently waited for Kenny and Titanium to show up at gate 42C.  There were several people sitting in the rows of chairs on one side of the room waiting for their seat number to be called to board the flight.  Meanwhile a line of passengers were slowly moving towards the boarding area or waiting their turn to board the plane.
    "What's taking them so long to get cleaned up?"  Karis asked anxiously.
    "It has only been five minutes, Karis."  Kaleb said as he rubbed his temples with his fingers then ran them through his wavy hair.  "The airplane is just now boarding, they'll be here soon."
    "Yeah, Kaleb's right.  Besides, dry blood is hard to wash off skin.  If you don't use the right kind of soap it'll leave an orange tinged area and Titanium hates that."   Jessica said calmly looking at her fingernails.
    "How often has Titanium had dried blood on him?"  Kaleb asked.
    "Oh, he has been in enough fights at school.  The guys with the strength power tend to want to see who's the strongest."  Jessica said as she pulled a nail file out of her bag and started filing her finger nails.  "Like I said before, testosterone runs high in the males with the strength power.  The females usually can hold their temper better.  One time Titanium got beat by a girl, let's just say he was not fun to hang around with for a week."
    "Well, remind me to stay away from those guys until I get my powers."  Kaleb said.
    Karis opened her mouth to ask Jessica another question when she looked up and saw Titanium walk through door.  She watched him as he gracefully walked towards them with Kenny right behind him.  He was wearing faded blue jeans with the knees ripped out.  His black button up short sleeve shirt was open revealing a red tank top with a large black Nike symbol on the front.  Karis couldn't help but think of how much he looked like an underwear model at that moment.  When their eyes met she felt an instant physical attraction that sent butterflies flailing   uncontrollably in her stomach.  Titanium stared straight at her with intensity as if they were the only two people in the room.  She saw one corner of his mouth twitch upward into a crooked smile showing the dimple in his cheek.
    Karis was brought back to reality when she heard Kaleb clear his throat loudly behind her.  "Now that we're all back together can we please board the plane and get the heck out of this place before something else tries to attack us."
    "That sounds like a pretty good idea if I don't say so myself."  Titanium said as he stopped right next to Karis.  "When Kenny and I came out of the bathroom security was running in the direction of the room we were attacked in.  If we board now we won't have to answer any questions the security guards might have.  Hopefully no one witnessed what went on and I didn't see any cameras in the room."
    "Wow, you agree with me!  That's a first."  Kaleb said as he lightly pushed Karis in front of him towards the boarding line.
    "It'll probably be the last, so don't get used to it."  Titanium smiled at Karis when she looked over her shoulder at him.  He motioned with his hand for her to board the plane as he follows Kaleb into the boarding terminal.
    Karis followed Jessica through the long tube like hallway to the doorway of the plane where a flight attendant was standing.  Karis had butterflies in her stomach as she handed her ticket to the flight attendant.
    "Enjoy your flight."  The flight attendant said as she took Karis's ticket.
    "Thank you."  Karis replied out of habit.  She started walking down the walkway of the plane with Kaleb right behind her with Titanium not far behind him.
    The plane was pretty big. It had two seats on both the right and left sides next to the windows with three seats straight down the middle.  Two narrow walk ways were on either side of the middle row of seats for the flight attendants to have easy access to the passengers that sit on either side of the plane. 
    Kenny was the first to board the plane.  He walked down the aisle slowly, checking every corner of every space cautiously until he found their seats towards the back of the plane.  He was in front of Jessica so he scooted to the last seat in the middle row and Jessica settled in the seat next to him.  Karis never flown before, so when she saw the chance to sit by the window she took it. She took off the backpack that Kaleb's dad gave them and placed it on the floor in front of her feet.  Kaleb was right behind Karis, but when he went to sit down next to her Titanium shoved him sideways into the seat next to Jessica.  Before Kaleb could get up, Titanium made his move and sat comfortably in the seat next to Karis.
    Kaleb straightened up in the seat and glared at Titanium.  "All you had to do is ask if you could sit by her and I would've let you.  I won't make it so easy next time."
    "I'll hold you to that when the time comes."  Titanium warned. 
    Kaleb leaned his head back in his chair and blew out an irritated breath.
    "There's no point arguing with Titanium, he would just turn it around and make you look like the bad guy."  Jessica chuckled.
    "Doesn't he drive you nuts sometimes?"  Kaleb asked through his teeth.
    "No, not really, he's only bugging you because he knows he can get a rise out of you, plus he knows you have feelings for Karis."
    "WHAT!"  Kaleb snapped as he looked at Jessica with a surprised expression on his face.  The people in front of Kaleb shuffled in their seats irritably.  "I don't have feelings for Karis except as best friends.  We've known each other since we were kids.  She's the only girl I can really talk to without being judged."
    "Yeah, okay, haven't you ever heard the expression that best friends make the best lovers?"
    "LOVERS!"  Exclaimed Kaleb, a little louder than he wanted to.  The people that sat in front of Kaleb turned around and glared at him.  He covered his mouth with his hand and whispered his apologies.  "Sorry.  Slip of the tongue.  I'll try to be quieter."  As the two people settled back down in their seat Kaleb focused his attention back on Jessica.  "Karis and I are different, we... we... we're like brother and sister, nothing more."
    "Okay, stutter boy, then you better learn to control your temper when she talks to other guys and or not get jealous."  Jessica said as she pointed over to Karis and Titanium talking.  Kaleb felt a sharp pain on the inside of his cheek where he bit down and tasted the bitter salty taste of his own blood.  It was then when he realized that he was very jealous of Titanium.  He stubbornly controlled his anger long enough to buckle his seatbelt.  Jessica giggled at Kaleb as she rested her head on the back of her seat, looking up at all the signs above her head.
    "Is it that noticeable?"  Kaleb whispered to Jessica.  "I mean, I treat Karis the same way Titanium treats you, don't I?"
    "What, that you like Karis or if you treat Karis like Titanium treats me?"
    Kaleb narrowed his eyes at Jessica.  "The first one."  He said irritably.
    Jessica snickered when she sensed the annoyance in Kaleb's voice "Oh yes! I can definitely tell you like Karis, but you don't have to worry about her noticing it; she's not in to you like that."
    "How do you know?"  Kaleb asked in a defensive voice.
    "Girls just know these things, but you might still have a chance with her."  Jessica said as she played with the button over her head that turned the light on and off.
    Kaleb looked at Jessica like she was crazy.  "I know I'm going to regret asking you this, but how?"
    Jessica stopped pushing buttons and looked at Kaleb with a grin.  "If you had paid attention then you would've notice that she's only physically attracted to Titanium.  If you play your cards right you might win her heart before he does."
    "Wait just a minute, I know Karis a lot more than you do and she wouldn't have told you she's attracted to... HIM."  Kaleb spat out the word 'HIM' like it was poison in his mouth.  "I believe you're the one that's jealous of her and Titanium talking.  Do you have some kind of secret crush on him?"
    "Boy, please!  I have too many boyfriends at school to worry about Titanium.  I don't chase after boys, they chase after me!  Although now that you mention it.  You better worry because Titanium is definitely a smoother talker than you, if you know what I mean.  He can make any girl fall for him, then crush her feelings like she meant nothing to him.  He's an awesome friend, but a horrible boyfriend."  Jessica turned and saw Kaleb staring at the seat in front of him like it would burst into flames any second.  "Oh, you don't have worry right now.  He won't make his move on the plane.  He doesn't work that way.  He usually stalks his prey first before he strikes.  He tries to figure out their weaknesses so he can use it to his advantage."
    "Whoa!  Wait a minute, Karis is NOT prey and if Titanium treats her that way he will definitely hate me because..."
    "Hold up Robin Hood, I didn't mean it that way.  Titanium isn't a bad guy, just a player.  Anyway, you better get some rest because you're going to have a big day ahead of you when we land."  Jessica giggled as she laid her head on Kenny's shoulder and closed her eyes.  Kenny did not budge.  He had his eyes closed and appeared to be already asleep.  Kaleb would have thought he was dead if he didn't see his chest rise and fall with each breath he took.  Jessica tilted her head slightly on Kenny's shoulder to talk to Kaleb without disturbing him. "Don't worry about it right now, you'll have time to talk to her later. Just try to lay low on the jokes."
    "Look Jessica, I know I have a lot of cracked up jokes, but that's the only way for me to express my feelings.  Yes I like Karis, but I don't want things to change between us and if my personality defaults one tiny bit she'll know something's up.  I'll tell her one day when the time is right, but today isn't that day."
    Jessica looked at Kaleb without raising her head.  "Maybe not today, but soon you need to tell her."
    "I can't!  I get all tongue tied and sound stupid.  I'll figure out how to tell her later."
    "Then you'll end up losing her if you don't watch out."
    "Now see there, you believe in stuff happening right now.  As for me, I believe in fate, if it's meant to be then I can wait, especially for her.  Losing is not an option."
    "Ok, whatever you say lover boy.  Just remember, girls like guys that take control and express their feels towards them.  We girls don't like to guess what a guy is thinking.  If you treat her like a best friend then that's what she going to think of you." Jessica shut her eyes again as she made herself comfortable on Kenny's shoulder.
    Kaleb looked over at Karis and Titanium talking.  He couldn't hear what they were saying, but they seemed to be in a deep conversation.  The flight attendant came on the speaker and started her announcements before takeoff.  Kaleb poked Jessica in the ribs to get her attention.  She flinched and sat up quickly, "Hey, why'd you do that?"
    "Tell me everything that Karis's mom told you on the phone, I want to know all the information you can give me about what's going on."
    Jessica smiled at Kaleb.  "I get it, you're going to use the information to buy some alone time with Karis.  Pretty sneaky is what I think.  Now you're thinking with your brain.  All I can tell you is the information her mom gave me isn't much, but it might help you with Karis.  All is fair in love and war, right?"
    Kaleb grabbed a pillow from the overhead compartment and put it behind his head.  As he closed his eyes listening to Jessica talk, he thought to himself, "I won't make her easy prey for him.  He'll have to go through me first."