Butterflies in Row 19 ✔

Hour 1: Obviously

Rosie

I don't like the fact that that I couldn't sit with my parents on this flight. We took whatever seats worked and I had insisted on them staying together, since this trip to Vietnam was their weird second honeymoon, and I refuse to ruin their trip back to California.

I stumble into my row, which already had a guy sitting in the aisle seat. I carefully step around his knees, but trip over his shoes and fall flat on his lap. My eyes widen, feeling something stiff on his thigh. I immediately stand up and glare back at him to see that it was his phone.

Sighing in relief that my neighbor on this stupid fifteen hour flight isn't a perv, I plop down on my seat with my earbuds in hand. I look out the window with music blasting in my ears.

I see the reflection of the guy next to me realizing that he's insanely hot. From his profile, to the little curve on his lips, I can't help but stare at that almost transparent reflection. His hair is straight and fine, but despite its flimsy features, it stands up in the air and holds more volume than it should. He looks perfect.

>>>Departure

I have a book laid out on my tray as I silently read with music playing in my ears. I try to ignore the trembling of plane every now and then as we take off into the skies. I glance over to see Mister Hottie McCuteFace reading, too.

I bite my lip as I wonder what his favorite genres are. Maybe fantasy or sci-fi, like me. His looks don't scream nerd, but he has a vibe to him that does.

>>>15 minutes into the hour

My hot neighbor scribbles something onto a notepad that he pulled out of his bag. I try to keep my eyes on my own book, because I don't want to come off as a creep, but then he places his notepad in the center of my open book. I read the scribbled handwriting.

Hi, I'm Jackson. I noticed we're reading the same book haha

I turn to look at him and find an adorable grin stretched on his lips as he holds up the cover of his book, which indeed was the same as mine. I smile back before turning down to respond with the pencil that clings to the spiral spine of the notepad.

Hi, I'm Rosie. Yeah, we are. How do you like it so far?

I pass it back, and before I knew it, we were having a full on conversation.

>>>Halfway through the hour

J: Are you Vietnamese?

R: We're both Vietnamese, dork. This plane is flying FROM Vietnam.

J: Did you like it? Your trip?

R: Meh. I felt like a third wheel with my parents.

J: Same. I still liked it though. We went to this really cool cave. They told me if an earthquake hit while I was under, I would for sure die.

R: Oh, WOW. Ugh, you're such a boy for being fascinated in things that could kill you.

J: Men are stupid, it's in the statistics. But we answer the toughest questions, like 'You think I can make this jump?'

R: You grow wiser with age, though.

J: How old are you anyway? Are you still in school?

R: Just graduated and going to college in the fall. My parents said that this trip is like their last chance to treat me like a child.

J: Yeah, same here. My parents wanted to go on a trip with me before I move away for school.

>>>45 minutes into the hour

"Oh sweet!" I hear him mutter as he flips through the channels displayed on his screen. He lands on a channel that's playing Supernatural and I silently think to myself that I wouldn't mind falling for a guy like him.

He turns to me and whispers into my ear, "Want to share earbuds? We can watch TV together."

I try not to react having him so close to me, his lips almost touching my ear. His breath tickles my neck as he spoke and I bite my lip to hold back my smile. I turn to him and nod, but then holding up a finger for him to wait.

Reaching down to my bag, I pull out my earphone splitter, which is shaped like a heart. I hold it up for him to see and he nods excitedly. We plug in and I scoot closer to him, our arms touching, so that I could watch on his screen.

He turns to me every few minutes to watch my reaction and I pull his notepad onto my tray to write him a message.

R: I watched this one already! I don't like it when he ended up in purgatory. I got super confused.

J: You watch this show? And here I thought you'd be one of those girls who squirm at these things. I was going to yawn and make a move. Now I can't even be that protective movie date.

I blush, wondering if he really meant for it to sound like this were a date for us. We're just watching TV after all.

R: I'm tougher than that! I love this stuff.

J: I know that now. Rosie Tran, you're pretty cool.

R: Stating the obvious?

J: Obviously haha