The Aviation Diaries

CHAPTER 7

"How did you manage to walk till here?" My eyes were on the road. I didn't want to risk looking at her's and die in my mid 20's.

"I don't know. The cab driver didn't answer my calls and my phone died. I wanted to leave from that place as soon as I could so I just started walking. While on it I didn't realise how far did I-"

"Breathe."I stopped her from blabbering like a maniac.

"Thank you." For once Miss. Grace sounded genuine.

"My pleasure. Where shall I drop you?"

"Um.. where are you headed to? Home? Where do you live?" She asked. I could feel my hands sweat under her stare. She was scrutinising everything. Well, I felt she was.

"I'm not taking you to my place." I knew why she was asking me where I lived but it seemed like a necessity to lower the tension down. May be not tension but the awkwardness.

"What? No no I meant-"

"Hahahaha.. I'm just kidding." I guess nobody's got the skill to catch my humour.

Miss. Grace didn't say anything thereafter. She moved her face away from me and turned around to see outside. It was difficult to see anything on the road with the heavy downpour.

"Hey? Where do you live ? I'm going to drop you to your place irrespective of where my home is." I cut the silence after crossing the highway and reaching our city.

"516 Main Street." She replied.

"Is everything okay Miss. Grace?" I asked as we drove slowly but safely through the streets. It was getting difficult to drive in this weather. I couldn't move my eyes from the front even though I wanted to see her, I couldn't.

"Yeah."

"Why did you disappear from the party? Your fath-"

"Right"

"What?"

"Mr. Ford, take a right from here!" She jumped in her seat when we almost missed the right turn.

"Oh oh sorry." I took a sharp right and her head dashed into the window behind her.

"Owww" she winced rubbing her head.

"I'm so sorry. You good?" I was surprised with the concern that was evident in my voice.

"Yeah no worries." She looked at me with an innocent face. Her face was so captivating, although she had a nose longer than a perfect one and her cheek bones weren't especially high but there was an undeniable symmetry in her features. I must've stared at her for too long that she felt embarrassed and I could see her cheek turn a shade of red. Immediately I shifted my eyes from her to the road.

'Don't look at her...don't look at her'

Once again a heavy silence settled in the car. I had seen Miss. Grace fly an aircraft and won't deny, I was impressed. She was skilled and experienced. Why did she take her father's help to reach this height when she could've achieved everything by herself?

When we were almost there she cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. I assumed she felt uneasy with the question I asked earlier and decided not to intervene in her life.

"Mr. Ford, thank you so much." She unbuckled her seatbelt once I stopped the car in front of her door. Her house wasn't a mansion that I was expecting it to be.

"Coffee?" Formalities.

"No thank you. I'll take your leave now. We'll meet at the airport tomorrow?" I had a flight tomorrow at 12 in the noon to Dubai.