'vanessa wake up!' I felt a cold hand on my shoulder and when I didnt react it started to shake me vigorously. 'wa-what?' I peered through my half squinted eyes to find my sister Ashley standing over me. Her pale face had no blemishes but her eyes screamed with distress. 'we're going to miss our plane get up!' I quickly sat up causing a sharp pain to shoot through my head. I rubbed my temples and looked at the clock on my night stand 5am on the dot. Me and Ash had planned a trip to new york a month ago for spring break but, didnt realize we booked it in the morning and that im flying 1st class and she'll be in coach. which presented a problem because one I hate mornings and two I hate flying. 'v are you even listening!' I looked up and saw that Ashley had packed all my things. I half smiled and nodded slightly not to aggravate my aching head. 'well then get up and get ready dammit' I quickly got ready and threw on sweats and a baggy beetles t-shirt. I walked outside to see my late fathers 67' empala stuffed with luggage. Ashley looked me up and down and scrunched her eye brows together. 'what?' 'you look ridiculous' 'this is a 14 hour flight I dont care if I look like a white trash now lets go!' instead of arguing we got in the car turned up the radio and sped to the airport.
When I got to my seat I looked out the window and took a deep breath. This was going to be a long flight. I closed the window cover and grabbed my 'its not over' cheesy romantic novel and called the flight attendant to get me a glass of wine. I may hate flying but this was nice a book and a glass of wine to numb my brain. I used the seat next to me as a foot rest because none occupied it. Just before we took off a man ran on. He stopped when he saw my feet. I adjusted my body so that my back was on the window and my feet were on my seat. ' hey.' I looked up to see him watching me intently. 'hello.' I downed my glass of wine and went back to reading. 'good book?' I cleared my throat and placed the book in my purse. 'it was.' I removed the window cover and looked out. Panic arose in my chest so I reclosed it. 'afraid of flying?' I looked over and nodded. 'yeah me to.' I sat back in my chair and And took a deep breath. I laughed 'i must look ridiculous.' I opened my eyes to see that he was doing the same thing he smiled 'actually I think its pretty normal' My cheeks glew red and I awkwardly shifted in my seat. 'So uh whats your name.' I glared over through the corner of my eye to see him starring at me. I sat up and for the first time saw his crystal clear blue eyes. ' vanessa.' he smiled 'mines Zac.' he reached his hand out. I half smiled and grabbed his hand and shook it 'nice to meet you vanessa.' 'same' I released my hand from his and signaled the flight attendant for another glass. she quickly came over and handed me the bottle. I bit my lip when she bent over to expose her chest for Zac and he denied her by continuing his intrusive glare on me. I grabbed his hand and hinted at the ring on my finger. The flight attendant buttoned her top and stormed away. He smiled at me revealing his dimples and perfect teeth. 'thank you I thought shed never leave.' I smiled and took a long drink from the bottle. I went to pull my hand away but he intwined his fingers with mine and then grabbed the bottle and took several large gulps. ' it helps me forget im in the air' I smiled. 'me too but, it also helps me to calm down when talking to beautiful wemon' I bit my lower lip hiding the smile that so badly wanted to show. 'I didnt think you had problems with wemon' I smiled sheepishly. ' I dont but I cant seem to not be nervous when I talk to you.' 'whys that?' 'because ive never met a women as beautiful as you are before.' I laughed and pulled my hand away. ' how many wemon have you said that to?' 'im not sure but none of them called me out on it.' I grimaced at his response. 'you'll learn very soon im not like other women.' He leaned forward and whispered in my ear ' I know and thats what makes you beautiful.' I shook my head and looked at my phone. 'Vanessa?' 'yes?' 'why are you on a plane if you hate it so much?' I showed Zac my phones wallpaper that had me and Ashley at our first football game. 'Me and my sister Ashley are going to New York for spring break, shes sitting in coach we messed up with our tickets.' Zac smiled 'Shes lucky.' 'why?' 'because she has you' I smiled and nudged him 'why are you flying?' 'My parents are divorced I live with my mom most of the year so I decided that id go see my dad.' I nodded 'Do you guys get along?' Zac took a longer sip of the wine this time 'we get along about as well as cat and mice but its his 60th birthday in a week and hes been writting me non stop so I gave in.' 'I hope things work out.' Zac revealed his breath taking smile once again and said 'I hope I get your number before the plane lands' I shook my head '555-' before I finished I turned to write it down but when I did Zac was sound asleep.
I awoke several hours later to violent screams. I sat up and looked around the oxygen masks had been released and several people were screaming. I looked at Zac who was still sleeping and holding a now empty wine bottle. I tried to wake him up but he was passed out with no possible way of coming back to reality. I slipped his oxygen mask on and frantically fastened mine tightly to my face. I slid up the window cover to see that the plane was just seconds away from hitting the body of water beneath us. I closed my eyes and sat back. Shortly after I was fighting with myself trying to breath as the ice cold ocean water filled my lungs. I tried to swim up but a sharp pain shot from my leg. I looked down to see a large sliver of glass protruding from just above my knee cap. I could see the light coming closer but, in an instant My body fell limp and I gave up the fight to breath my head swirled and the light became farther away. I knew I was crying but surrounded by so much water my body had no power and, before I knew it everything was dark.
I woke up covered in sand. I looked around to see a fire burning intensely. I sat up and removed the jacket that layed over me. The air was warm and it was quiet. My leg had been wrapped in a long sleeved shirt and goze. 'Are you okay?' A frantic voice said behind me. I looked back to see Zac. He once was calm and well put together but now his eyes sulked and he looked paranoid. 'How did I get out of the water' my throat was dry and my voice cracked. 'Vanessa you saved me on the plain without the oxygen mask I would've drowned, I couldn't leave you' His words were soft and his eyes were bloodshot. 'Zac?' He looked down and closed his eyes. 'Thank you.' I wrapped my arms around his neck and smiled. Even though I knew life was going to be a struggle the sound of the water and Zacs heart beat made the situation calmer.
We spent the next few days looking for others. We found pieces of the plane scattered all over the island and the pilot sprawled out next to a lady their bodies blue from suffocating. Zac put his hand on my shoulder and pointed to a pile of leaves and then whispered 'I'm so sorry' I looked at him confused about his apology but when I approached the leaves I fell to my knees. Causing my leg to burn. I screamed not only from the searing pain but also that the lifeless body was Ashleys. Zac placed his hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see him looking at me apoligeticly. I gathered myself to speak 'can you give me a minute alone' without a world zac nodded and walked over to an open zebra stripped bag. I looked back and searched Her arms that were cut up and broken her eyes layed open and her face froze with the look of fear. I wish I could've been with her to tell her that everything was going to be okay even if I knew they werent going to be. I placed my hand over her eyes and slid her eyelids closed. 'I love you and im so sorry we weren't closer' I sat there crying before I caught a glimpse of movement. I looked over to see zac digging. I stood up and noticed that zac had been using a small glass. He looked up and pointed over to the flight attendants cart that was splattered in blood. I walked over and grabbed a cup. Under the cart was the busty flight attendant that not to long ago tried to get zacs attention. I sighed and a feeling of guilt arose in me knowing how rude I was. I walked over wiping one last tear from my cheek. I started to dig and didnt stop until the sun started to set. Zac helped me place ashley inside the wide hole and, cover her. I sat down next to the burned out fire. I watched zac rummage through the flight attendant cart I could see him start to get frustrated but then he stopped and smiled. He walked over carrying something. 'One bottle left' he smiled and showed me the bottle of wine we were drinking on the plane. I knew it was the same because the lable had two birds with ribbon in there mouth. I smiled and patted the ground next to me. He sat down and just before he took a drink we heard a faint noice behind us. I looked at zac and he grabbed a burnt stick from the fire. We walked over to a large tree and what we saw would haunt me forever.
