Playing Matchmaker

Chapter 1

"Yes mom I packed my toothbrush."

"What about your phone charger?"

"Yes I packed that too." I said in a flat, bored voice.

"I'm just making sure sweetheart." She said taking my hand. I leaned my head against her shoulder and closed my eyes, memorizing her scent.

"Flight 24-b Alaska Airlines will be boarding first class now at gate A." Droned the intercom voice. I hugged my mom tightly and suppressed the tears filling my eyes. She handed me a bulging packet with my name written in all my friend's handwriting, along with various inside jokes and bad words. Then she handed me a little gift bag with my name written in her own flowing script.

"Remember to call me when you land, baby." She said swiping her hand across her face to catch the tears that had started to fall down her cheeks. I sniffed and hugged her one more time. "I love you Reagan. " "I love you too mom. " She squeezed my hand and held it until our fingers wouldn't reach anymore. I turned around and walked onto the platform into the plane. I honestly didn't want to sit with the other snobby people in first class but my mom insisted for the 20 hour flight. Despite my protests before, when I settled into my spacious seat I was thankful that my mom had decided to pamper me. The stewardess came out and said her spiel and then the seat belt light flashed and we were taking off. I only had my carry on because we shipped my life over before hand. I opened up the package from my friends first. The crushing truth that I wouldn't see them for a full year hit me as I read their familiar handwriting and I suddenly wanted to yell to stop the plane, to go back and face what I was running away from. I didn't try to stop the tears flowing down my face. I didn't explain to the other passengers looking at me weirdly why I was making whale noises and shaking uncontrollably. After reading all their notes and little stories I packed everything away into the envelope and decided that I would save my mom's gift for when I got "home. " I put my headphones in and let the quiet music from my slow playlist pull me into a dreamless sleep. I was awakened by a light tapping on my shoulder.

"Excuse me miss but would you like any breakfast? " asked the smiling stewardess.

"uh, yes please. Do you have bacon? " I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Yes we do. "

"can I uh, can I just get a plate of bacon and a black tea? "

She nodded and walked away. I looked at the little screen on the back of the seat in front of me. It displayed where we were flying over at that moment. I was surprised to see that we were flying over Germany. It said we had about 5 hours until we landed. The stewardess came back with a plate that had about 15 pieces of bacon and a steaming mug of black tea.

"that's an interesting breakfast you got there. " said the stewardess with a plastered smile.

"yeah my dad used to make it for me every day." I said

She raised an eyebrow, probably wondering how I was so skinny if I ate this every day. I was 5'9 and weighed 125 pounds. She walked away without saying anything more and I sipped my black tea and nibbled at my bacon but I just wasn't hungry. I already missed my parents and friends. I fished around in my bag and pulled out my charger. There was an outlet conveniently built into the back of the seat in front of me. I wish there was an outlet I could plug into myself that would recharge the excitement that had drained out of me. I put my headphones in again and played my Disney playlist. I fell asleep, as there was nothing better to do for the remainder of the trip. I was awakened by the severe looking lady sitting next to me. She didn't tap my shoulder to wake me up or anything but as she was reaching up to grab her carry on, the giant purse dangling off the crook of her arm hit me in the face. I woke with a start and sat up. The plane was mostly empty so it was no problem grabbing my carry on and backpack and tottering tiredly off the plane. I went to baggage claim and got my two huge suitcases. I was struggling to manage all my bags when he came up behind me and tapped my shoulder. I was so surprised that I dropped everything in my hands

"Reagan? " he asked in a proper English accent. I nodded, at a loss for words, he was kind of perfect. The way his lips curved, his muscular arms, his strong jawline, piercing blue eyes.

"I'm Cade. I'm your host brother." I regained my composure and stuck my hand out.

"I'm Reagan. Oh, but you already knew that hah." I chuckled awkwardly. He laughed genuinely, grabbed my two suitcases and easily carried them, leading me to his car. This was going to be an interesting year.