Alexandria Laughlin Marshall (TO)

Airborne

   Once Ms. Forbes parks the car, in one of the large parking garages. She then walks us to check into our flight, and check our bags. Hope and I both put our larger bags on the scale to be checked onto the plane. Once reaching security, Caroline had to leave because she didn't have a plane ticket. Hope and I went through security no problem, and made it to our gate a half an hour before boarding. So we got in line for Starbucks, and finally after what seemed like forever we got to order.

The cheery barista there asks, "What would you like today?"

I put on a fake smile to match hers, and say, "Could I get a venti mocha with three shots of espresso." I then turn to Hope and ask, "What do you want?"

Hope turns to the barista and says, "Can I get a grande caramel mocha with extra cream." The barista nods her head, and writes it down on two cups. I give the barista money, and she takes it and gives me the change back.

As Hope and I walk to the pick up area, she says with smile, "I didn't know you are such a hard core coffee drinker."

"What?" I ask, confused.

"Three shots of espresso?" Hope asks, with her eyebrows raised.

I smile, and start to laugh, "Yah, that may be bad." Hope joins in laughing, and we both collect our coffees.

We then find seat near our gate, and right when I sit down I say, "Wow, these seats are uncomfortable."

Hope just laughs, and says, "Welcome to all airports everywhere." I then take out one of my mother's old grimoire, and Hope immediately shoves the book back into my bag, and whisper screams, "Are you insane!"

I laugh slightly, and she grows confused. So I whisper to her, "I put a spell on them, they will just seem like normal notebooks to anyone but us." We share a smile, and I open the book back up. As I flip through the old pages of the book, and start to read through the spell that I left on. After reading through a couple more pages of the book, I hear over the loudspeaker our flight is boarding. Both Hope and I get up from our seats, and I put my grimour back in my backpack. We get in the now long line to board the plane, and we both give our tickets to the flight attendant to be scanned.

Once we get in the tunnel to the plane, Hope turns to me, "Are you excited?"

I smile and say sarcastically, "No, I'm know I'm going to be bored spending a month with my best friend in one of the countries fun and unique cities." She smiles knowing that I'm joking. And I finish with a genuine, "I'm so ready!"

As we continue to walk down the tunnel, we get caught behind a couple of people before we can reach the plane. But as I was about to step onboard, I looked down at the crack between the plane and the tunnel. Suddenly there was an anxiety about getting on, the thoughts about how high it was going to go, and how many plane crashes I had heard about on the news.

I then look up, and it's like everything is in slow motion. I see Hope looking back at me confused, and I hear her ask, "Alex, are you okay?" I then remind myself that there are thousands of flights everyday, and only a handful of crashes, and most of the crashes don't have casualties. This seems to bring me out of the state I'm in, and I nod back to Hope; and step onto the plane. Once we get into the long skinny aisle going straight down the middle of the plane, I look down at what ticket I have. I see that we are in row 3 seat B, and we both sit down. I look at large first class seat. I turn to Hope, "These seats must have been so expensive."

Hope turns to me from the window, and whispers with a small smirk, "My mom probably compelled someone to get the seats. That's what she usually does." I let out a little laugh, while Hope smiles.

During the flight I look through my multiple textbooks, and when the flight attendant came around with food. She smiles at us, and asks, "Are you both out of school?"

I smile, "Yes-"

But Hope cuts me off, "Yah, but she doesn't know what a break is, and is already reading for next year."

Hope gives me a look, and I laugh, "Ok, I'll put them away."

I hear the flight attendant laughs too, and she asks, "Would you two like anything?"

"I'm good, thank you," I say.

"I don't want anything, thank you," Hope says.

Soon after, I hear that the pilot announcing the plane will be landing soon. We then suddenly start to decline, and the plane starts to shake. My breath quickens, and I turn to Hope. She gives me a smile, and places her hand out. I take it, and she shares another supporting smile. I then feel the plane decline more, and I close my eyes and then the forceful bumps of the plane.