Happiness + Magic

You Are Beautiful

We boarded the plane. I sat in between Zach and Marabelle. Austin and Caroline sat in the row opposite us with an older lady who, obviously, Austin began talking to immediately.

The plane started going. It drove to the runway. I knew in just a few seconds we would be speeding towards the sky. I'm not a huge fan of heights. And planes would probably give me a heart attack. I don't exactly remember my first plane ride, which is weird cause I was as old as 13.

"Are you scared?" Zach asked me.

"Yes." I said in between the deep nervous breaths I just realized I was taking.

Zach grabbed my hand and squeezed tight.

"It will be OK." Zach smiled.

I looked into his beautiful blue eyes and I immediately trusted him. I nodded and smiled nervously.

"Are you nervous?" I asked Marabelle.

"No. Daddy used to always fly us to the beach every summer." Marabelle smiled wide.

"Your dad sounds very kind." I smiled.

"He is. I'm just sad he married the wrong lady. She's a meanie." Marabelle looked down. "I just wanted a mom who would love me like in all the movies." She frowned.

"Well, I love you." I whispered in her ear.

That was the moment I realized that what I whispered was one hundred percent true. I do love her.

"I love you too, Kaitlyn." Marabelle rested her head on my arm.

The plane started speeding down the runway. I closed my eyes tight. My breathing was really fast and uneven. Zach squeezed my hand super tight and kept whispering in my ear that it was OK. I rested my head on his shoulder and fell asleep.

When I woke up, my head was still on Zach's shoulder. Marabelle's head was still on my arm but she was now asleep. I looked over at Austin and Caroline and they were both talking happily. I looked up at Zach and saw him looking at me.

"Sleep well?" He asked.

"Yeah. Uh, thanks for holding my hand and comforting me. And not screaming at me when I fell asleep on your shoulder." I laughed as I stretched.

"It's alright." Zach looked down and smiled.

"How long did I sleep?" I asked.

"Maybe a half an hour." He shrugged.

"How much longer do we have until we get there?" I asked.

"About an hour." He smiled and put his arm around me. "I put the window cover over the window so you wouldn't have to look out." Zach smiled.

"That's sweet, thank you." I smiled.

"You want a candy bar? I brought 3 Musketeers, Reese's Cups, and Snickers." He asked.

"All my favorites." I smiled and laughed. "Reese's." I answered.

He handed me the candy.

"I figured you didn't eat breakfast. Which is why I offered you a super unhealthy candy bar." He slapped his forehead and laughed.

"I'm not complaining." I laughed as I opened the wrapper.

"Be quiet, little kids." Austin laughed.

"Ha ha ha." I said annoyingly.

Later on the plane ride Zach told me we were about to land. I could feel us dropping and my stomach lurched. One time I actually screamed. Not that loud or long, just a small one.

Zach grabbed my hand again and kept whispering that it was going to be OK.

"Talk to me about something, maybe that will distract me." I suggested.

"OK, well, uh, let me think...you look beautiful today. Your hair looks stunning, and your outfit is insanely hot on you, and...what am I saying?" Zach said as he looked away.

We dropped again before I could think or say anything.

"Keep talking." I grabbed his arm.

"About what?" Zach asked.

"Just keep going with your last thing or something, I don't know!" I panicked.

"Ok, if you want me too. Um, I like your beautiful eyes, I just want to stare in the-no, forget that, um, what's your favorite color?" Zach asked, panicked.

We landed. My eyes were as wide as a bowling ball almost. Did he actually just mean all that stuff? Or was he just trying to distract me? Cause it sure worked.

"Are you alright, Kaitlyn?" Austin asked from across the row.

"Yes." I said, not looking at him.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have freaked you out like that, I was going too far." Zach said quietly.

I stood up, as everyone else was doing since we were getting off the plane, pushed past everybody and ran out the plane.

Meanwhile, back still in the plane...

"What did you do?" Austin asked Zach.

"I told her she was beautiful." Zach said, looking down.

"Aww, that's so sweet!" Marabelle smiled as she jumped up and down excitedly.

"I think I freaked her out." Zach frowned. "I was just trying to distract her." Zach looked down.

"I'll go talk to her." Marabelle said as she ran off the plane.

Meanwhile, back off the plane...

I needed to go somewhere alone. I ran through the airport as fast as I can, not knowing where I was going. I saw a Dunkin Donuts so I walked inside and ordered an iced coffee. I sat down and reflected on the plane ride.

He said I was beautiful. He said I was hot. No one has ever said that about me.

"Hi." Marabelle said as she walked up to me.

"Hi." I sipped my coffee.

"What happened? Are you mad he called you all that stuff?" Marabelle asked.

"No. Not at all. No one has ever called me beautiful before." I started crying.

"Well, you are. Your SUPER beautiful. Zach thinks you hate him now." Marabelle touched my arm.

Before I could reply, Zach walked in.

"I thought I would find you here." Zach put his hands in his pockets and walked up to me.

"I'll leave you two alone." Marabelle winked and ran off.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have freaked you out like that, I-" He tried saying before I cut him off.

"Don't be sorry. You should be the opposite of sorry. No one has ever called me beautiful before so I choked up. I should be sorry for running off from you like that." I looked down.

"Well, you are beautiful. Everything about you is. Your hair, clothes, eyes, body, smile, personality, everything. I wasn't lying." Zach said as he sat down.

"Well, I think you are...hot. Your hair, clothes, eyes, muscles, smile, personality. Every time I look at you I have a mini heart attack." I blushed.

"You know, I told Austin something earlier." Zach put his hand through his messy hair.

"What?" I asked, as he and I stood up.

"I don't think anybody can leave a conversation with you without feeling like a million bucks." Zach smiled.

That was when I knew it. I was in love. He grabbed my waist, pulled me close, and kissed me.