Beyond the Iris

Familiarness

I walked towards the plane, my ratty backpack slung over my shoulder. I hear murmured conversations already, even though I’m a hundred feet from the entrance to the aircraft. A 7-47, the beautiful plane was prepped for takeoff, even though its pilots were nowhere to be seen.

I boarded the plane, and found my window seat. I sat down, my backpack between my legs. Taking earbuds and my Ipod out of my pocket, I played Demons for the fifth time. I looked out the window, not knowing what I was looking for. A jolt went through me when I felt someone touch my arm. I look over, and almost jumped a mile. It was the boy from my dream.

He smiled. “Is someone in this seat?” I shake my head no. He smiles again, then sits next to me, putting his own backpack between his legs. I just stare at him (figuratively speaking), not talking. I take out my earbuds, and still stare. He notices my stare, and looks over. “Something wrong?”

I shake my head no once more, but my gaze doesn’t leave his face. The image of him from my dream crops up in my mind, of a kind face, brilliant dark blue eyes, and a wonderful smile. He touches my arm again, causing me to jolt again. “Hey,” he said, in a caring voice,”Are you sure you’re okay? I mean, sunglasses in August when there’s fog is kinda strange, I guess, but not too much. You just jumped a mile when I poked you.”

I had trouble following his sentences. He seemed to be rushing through them, trying to get them out before he lost his nerve. He shakes his head, laughing a little, then puts out his hand. “Doubling. Trevor Doubling. And you are?” I try to find Trevor’s hand, but I guess I missed it a few times. Finally, I caught his hand, and shook it. “Karlee. Karlee Michael.”

I sensed him look startled at my failed attempts to grab his hand. I could almost hear his mind going She could grab my hand in the dream. Why can’t she now? I released Trevor’s hand, then sat back, sensing another boy coming up the aisle towards us.

I sensed Trevor tense, then relax. “Hey, Trev. Who’s she? She’s pretty.” I noticed the shift in Trevor’s emotions as the other boy said that I was pretty. Was Trevor getting protective of me? “This is Karlee. Jordan, Karlee. Karlee, Jordan.” I sensed Jordan hold out his hand, but I didn’t try to make a fool of myself again.

Trevor cleared his throat when I didn’t take his friend’s hand. Jordan’s attention turned to the black-haired boy, but I felt his eyes on me. “Karlee isn’t really a people person. She’s shy.” Jordan laughed,”Yet she talked to you? I highly doubt it. You’re ugly as it is. Yet I’m handsome.” Jordan walked off, his head held high. Anger sparked through Trevor, and he muttered,”Jackass.”

I laughed despite myself. Trevor smiled, looking at me. Then, I felt a jolt in the plane, and grabbed the armrest. I felt Trevor’s hand under mine, yet that seemed to calm me. Trevor held my hand as we took off, then released it when we were safely in the air.

“Sorry,” I muttered, putting my hand in my lap. Trevor laughed slightly. “Not a problem, Karlee. I’m used to flying. First time?” I nod, not trusting myself to speak with the heat rising through my cheeks. Trevor leaned closer to me, and murmured,”You’re blind, aren’t you? That’s why you couldn’t find my hand.” Fear washed through me, replaced by surprise. I nod again, turning to face the window to hide my flaming cheeks.

Trevor stayed quiet, letting me think. Suddenly, I asked,”Are you sure you haven’t met me before? Somewhere?” I felt Trevor tense again, then relax once more. “No. This is the first time I’ve seen you.” I could hear the lie in his voice, could sense the subtle shifts of his body. “Why do you ask?” I answered,”You have this...familiarness to you, I guess.”

Trevor laughed, then got something out of his pack. “Oreo?” I shake my head, even though my stomach growl betrayed me. Trevor put the cookie in my hand, and I ate it in one bite. Trevor chuckled once more, then handed me another. I said,”You laugh a lot.” Trevor, of course, laughed again, saying,”I guess there’s nothing to be sad about.” I smile slightly. How does this boy that I just met make me feel so happy just by sitting next to me?

For the rest of the flight, Trevor and I talk about nothings. Our family. Friends. Funny stories of our past. For that talk, I told stories about Matthew, as my own life was pretty sorrowful. Trevor made me laugh when he told me how his little sister, Abigail, had thrown him into the pool when she was nine. He laughed when I told him about the time Matthew first asked a girl out.

I felt comfortable around Trevor, but uneasy whenever anyone else came by. Especially Jordan. In the first ten minutes of flight, he passed us about seven times. Trevor laughed when I pointed it out to him. “Jordan’s found a new target to watch. Hard not to, after all.” I asked him what he meant about that, but he clammed up at that point, the first time he wouldn’t talk the entire time.

The ninth time Jordan passed us, I asked him why he had to pee that much. He got flustered, mumbled that he had a small bladder, then hurried off. Trevor laughed at me, which he seemed to do a lot.

When we descended, I grabbed Trevor’s hand again reflexively. He squeezed my hand back, but only pulled away when he got his backpack for leaving. I followed him off the plane, and down to customs. We were going to the same college, so I let him lead. I heard a few people mutter that we were a cute couple as we passed them. Trevor muttered,”Nice sunglasses. They match your eyes.” I stopped, then quickly started walking again. I hissed to him as we loaded a cab with our backpacks,”How’d you know the color of my eyes?”

Trevor just looked at me, then shook his head. I jabbed him in the ribs as we got into the cab. He ignored me, and told the driver the name of the college. He was silent throughout the drive to the campus. I was fuming: I was so close to getting him to give me the answer I wanted, but was turned down.

When we rolled up to the campus gate, Trevor got out first. He handed me my camo bag when I got out, then started walking up the long road to the front of the college. I followed, still angry with him. I heard other cabs pull up, could smell the gasoline in their tanks, the perfume and cologne of the kids getting out. I sneezed as three girls with horrible perfume walked past me, then jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

Jordan said,”Don’t worry, Karlee. I’ll help you to the main building.” He grabbed my hand, and started pulling me through the crowd. An electric tingle ran up my arm, but I felt like it was edged in desire instead of joy like when I had grabbed Trevor’s hand. Then, I was inside a building-huge, by the echo of feet-and was pulled to the right.

I felt Trevor’s presence on my other side as Jordan and I entered. I quickly let go of Jordan’s hand, sensing Trevor’s gaze on it. Jordan’s emotions spiked with rage and triumph, while Trevor’s hummed with barely contained fury and guilt. I quickly moved down the stairs that I sensed rimmed the room, then chose a row at random; Trevor and Jordan followed me. We sat down in three empty seats, and five minutes later the annual presentation started.