Rolly Polly

Chapter 8

{Harper}

After exchanging pleasantries, we settled back into our seats in anticipation for the flight to take off. Since I had the window seat, there was no one to interfere with my view. People were still a few people shuffling into their seats, but mainly it was the flight attendants scurrying down the aisle to make sure that everyone was ready for the long flight ahead.

"Good afternoon everyone, this is your captain speaking. I just wanted to let you guys know that we will be leaving shortly. It's umm... 10:15 now, with a 10 hour flight ahead of us. We should be landing in Heathrow around 4 am local time. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight."

"Can you believe that we have to sit still for ten hours?" I turn to see Caden looking at me with eyes wide. I laugh.

"Well I mean it is quite the distance..." Honestly, what did he expect? My thoughts must been apparent on my face because he simply laughed.

"I'm not an idiot," he chuckled again, "I'm just trying to make conversation." I could feel my face starting to turn red with embarrassment. I looked down at my lap to avoid his gaze. I've been told that I can't hide my thoughts well and now I've just gone and insulted this attractive guy who will be sitting next to me for the next ten hours. Great. Just great.

"Sorry about that," I look up to see Caden looking at me, "let me start that over. Why are you heading to London?" I smile at his attempt to have a conversation with me.

"I have an internship with Bloomsbury for a little over a month." He stared at me a moment, his light eyebrows scrunching together. A small wrinkle forming between the two patches of hair. I could tell that he was raking his brain as to why that sounds so familiar to him.

"Bloomsbury... As in?" He paused waiting for me to finish his sentence. I raised my eyebrow.

"The publishing company?" His green eyes went wide.

"You managed to get an internship with the Bloomsbury?" I tried to laugh but it came out strangled. He blinked and gaped at me. His hand shot out and gripped my forearm.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry! I did not mean to just totally insult you right there like that. I just- "

The plane had been moving while we were talking, but now it had stopped. We were lined up to speed down the runway for take off. The engines began to roar and the plane shot forward. My arms worked on their own and seemed to latch onto my arm rest with a death grip, my head pushed against my seat with as much force as I could manage. As the plane got faster and faster, my heart began to race and my eyes squeezed shut. Somewhere in the back of my mind I heard someone saying my name over and over. I felt gentle strokes on the back of my hand, but I was too focused on trying not to die to really focus on what else was happening.

After what felt like years, but was probably a few minutes, if that, the plane leveled out and my muscles began to relax. I opened my eyes and turned to check out the window. We were in fact cruising through the air.

Now that all my energy wasn't being focused on breathing, my other senses were heightened and I could feel movement on my right hand. It felt a lot like someone was stroking it. But that can't be. So I slowly turn my head to examine the situation. Sure enough, my fingers were interlocked with Caden's and his thumb was stroking the back of my hand. While my eyes were widened in shock, I cautiously allowed my eyes to follow the connection of this hand to his arm and all the way up to his emerald green eyes. Which were already trained on me in case you were curious. They were dark with concern, but the twitch of his lips showed that he was trying not to laugh as well.