We Met On The Road To Recovery

6.

Faith Elizabeth
I was so nervous for Shawn's birthday. And the fact that I had to spend eight hours on a plane to get there made it all so much worse.
I gripped tight onto the arm rests of the plane, my knuckles soon turning white.
My anxiety was sky high. The anxious cloud around me filling up the cabin of the plane.
I kept thinking about what was going to happen when we got to America.
Who would we see?
Would I be recognised?
I didn't even want to think about what would happen when me and Shawn saw each other. I didn't know if I had feelings for him or not, and I didn't know if he still had feelings for me. Part of me wanted to know.
Part of me didn't.
I just wanted to live with the chance and possibility that Shawn could still have feelings for me. I didn't want to be shot down. But I was sure that if he had a new girlfriend, he would have rung to tell me. I knew he would have.

"I hate flying" I said to mum who was thinking through a magazine.
"I know. But we're nearly there now so it's all ok" she smiled and I shook my head at her.
"I hate it. We're just going to have to permanently live in America now because I'm not getting on another one" I sighed just as we hit another jolt of turbulence. I gripped the arm rests tight, so tight my knuckles turned white, and heard a low pitched laugh coming from beside me.
"You'll get used to that" a man said and I turned to see it was the older man sat the other side of the aisle.
"Pardon?"
"The turbulence. You get used to it when you've travelled as much as I have" he said, and I was suddenly intrigued by him.
He wore dark brown trousers and a white shirt with a brown knitted vest over the top. He had many rings on his fingers and I admired all the jewels that shimmered from them.
"I just, Im not used to being, out" I breathed, yanking the sleeves of my jumper over my hands, concealing my past.
"Enjoy it. There's a big world out there. Love it. Live it" he smiled. "Charles" he said holding out his hand to me.
"Faith" I replied shaking his hand lightly.

"I like your rings" I said, trying to crawl away from the previous topic of conversation.
"Oh thank you. I get them in all the countries I go to. This one here was from Italy, this one from Japan and this from Russia" he said the one from Italy taking my fancy straight away.
The band was silver, with minuscule jewels, red green and white jewels shimmering out at me.
"You like this?" He asked pointing at the glimmering band. I nodded and he smiled.
"I feel like there's an interesting past to you" he smiled and I shrugged, tugging harder on my sleeves.
"Everyone has a past" I sighed.
"Oh believe me I know. I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours" he smiled and twirled the ring in his hand.
"I had a famous boyfriend who forgot about me even though we were still dating. I had issues with self harm because of it and eventually tried to kill myself but didn't succeed so ended up in rehab" I sighed and I heard my mother spluttering from beside me.
"Faith!" She whisper yelled but the man put his hand up.
"What's to be embarrassed about?" Charles said and I smiled as he sent a wink my way.
Mum turned back to reading her book and I couldn't help but smile.
"That's why I don't get out."
"Well you told me yours and I'll tell you mine. I'm part of a secret organisation. Like the mafia, but not" he winked and my mouth fell open.
"Seriously?" I asked suspecting he was joking.
"Seriously. I'm on my way to America to stalk a target for information" he said and my eyes widened, "Do not repeat that" he laughed and I nodded.
"I won't. I promise" I said and he shook his head with a smile.

I didn't remember falling asleep. But I must have done. Mum was shaking my arm and I groggily opened my eyes to see we had landed and people were getting off the plane. I looked to my right to see that Charles was gone. I never got to say goodbye.
"You just missed him" Mum said rubbing my shoulder.
"Shit" I muttered, "I didn't say goodbye"
"He asked me to give this to you" Mum said handing me a napkin.

I unfolded the napkin and read his words.
'Ring me if you need anyone stalking. Or just for a coffee. I've left you this as you probably appreciate it more than I do now.
-Charles'
I unfolded more of the napkin and saw the ring Charles got from Italy sparkling.
"Why would he leave me this? He barely knew me?" I asked and mum shrugged.
"It's very beautiful. He was nice" she sighed as we walked off of the plane.

"So we can either go straight to our room in the hotel or we can wander around for a bit? Meet up with Karen?" Mum said and I shrugged twirling Charles' ring on my finger.
"I don't mind. What do you want to do?" I asked.
"I'd like to catch Karen for a coffee in the hotel lounge if that's ok? You can come" she smiled and I nodded. "Shawn won't be there"
"That's ok. Probably best" I sighed.

"I'm so excited you're here!" Karen said hugging my mother and me. "Some people are dotted in different rooms of the hotel, some live close by so it's ok for them"
"Why New York?" I asked. "Why not Canada?" As i said it, a shiver went up my spine.
"New York was just convenient as Shawn has shoes here soon" she said and I nodded.
As I sipped on my coffee, blocking out mum and Karen's conversation, I looked around the hotel lounge.
It was a huge hotel.
The biggest I had ever seen.
The theme was wood and golden decor.
It was beautiful.
"Faith, isn't that the man from the plane?" Mum whispered, pointing over to the bar area.

She was right.
Sitting at the bar in a completely different outfit, was Charles. He now wore black trousers and a black roll neck sweater, accompanied by a pair of glasses he wasn't wearing earlier.
He looked around the room suspiciously, and something in my heart was telling me it wasn't the last time I'd be seeing Charles.