Together yet Far Away

I kissed my parents goodbye and proceeded to the check-in gate. I knew the airport by heart considering the number of times I've flown to different countries.

My life has been pathetically nomadic, and as soon as I settle down in a place we move elsewhere as dad gets transferred a lot. So you can imagine, I don't have any close friends as in best friends for life and whatever, but I do have quite a few good friends. Unfortunately they are all in opposite ends of the world, and it is rarely that I get to spend more than a few months with any of them.

And that's why this time, my parents decided to enroll me in a boarding school with facilities good enough to suit my needs. This way I wouldn't have to travel with them to all the god-knows-where places my dad gets transferred to. We weren't exactly rich, so dad and mom couldn't cough up enough to come with me to see me off at my new school.

Back to the airport. I was sitting in the packed waiting area, luckily I found a seat. I was reading a book I had bought at a souvenir shop long ago. After a while it got really boring, so I took to observing my fellow passengers out of the corners of my eyes.

There was a very old and fragile-looking lady with huge glasses reading a book. A businessman wearing a crisp black suit working on his laptop. Then this lady feeding her fussy toddler. Great, so nobody I could talk to or, like, keep me company.

"All passengers for flight no. N752 please proceed to gate no.3" , the system announced.

Finally. I took my bags and walked to my seat in the flight.

I was in the middle compartment, right near the window from where I could see the wing. The seat beside me was empty, and I hoped it stayed that way. After stowing away my baggage, I settled in to watch a movie on the screen.

Soon-

'Attention dear passengers, our extreme apologies to inform you that take-off will be delayed by fifteen minutes as a passenger is yet to board the flight.'

Oh crap. Each minute was long enough, and whoever this idiot was, they'd better come quick, I thought. Five minutes later, a boy about my age came up the aisle, searching for his seat. He had messy dark brown hair that nearly fell over his molten grey-brown eyes. I can't exactly say he was bad-looking, but I was still in a grumpy mood what with missing my parents and his delaying take-off.

Watching him out of the corner of my eye, I expected him to walk further to a seat maybe behind mine, but turns out, his was the seat next to mine. There goes my chance of sleeping with extra room.

I watched him inconspicuously. He looked like he didn't even see what clothes he'd thrown on as he was dressed in a faded orange shirt with the sleeves carelessly rolled up to his elbows. The khaki trousers looked decades old. His expression was strained, but friendly.

Soon the air hostess came with the first round of drinks. "One apple juice, please.",I said.

"And for you, sir?", she said, pouring out the apple juice into a plastic cup.

"I...", he opened his mouth to say something, but seemed to reconsider his decision.

'Its okay. I'm fine." The air hostess shrugged lightly and walked away.

Weird, I expected him to get himself litres of drinks; he seemed tired and worn out enough to do so. Suddenly all my anger towards him for delaying the flight seemed to dissipate. Poor guy, he must be having tough times.

"Hey, I'm Jonas. First time travelling alone. You?", the boy said in a friendly tone.

Uh..huh...Millie. Me too.", I said, a bit uncomfortable as I wasn't used to a stranger talking to me so casually. I consciously pushed a stray strand of my lavender smelling hair behind my ear.

"So, how old are you?", he asked me, focusing on small talk while fastening his seatbelt and connecting his headphones.

"Sixteen. Just starting senior secondary."

"Really? I should have thought you were older. " , Jonas said, his tone edged with mischief.

I frowned, mentally slapping myself for wearing my old glasses and frayed cream cardigan. "Why?"

"Trust me, you don't wanna know that" , he grinned. I wanted to look away and come up with a witty retort, but I felt like my eyes had glued themselves to his face. That face was.....hot.

Okay, I was staring at him a moment too long, maybe.

"Ahem." , he cleared his throat, at which I was forced to avert my eyes. I looked down at my lap, embarrassed.

"Sorry, its just that you.....um, seemed familiar.", I mumbled my its-obvious-you're-lying excuse to him.

He pretended to buy it, but I knew he didn't as a small smirk appeared on his lips.

He looked at me full on for the first time, his deep eyes scanning my face, searching for a memory. When he replied, his tone was soft.

"Hmm. I don't recognise you, though."

******