Spy School King's Cage (Completed)

I need some sleep

Hello everyone! I'm updating two chapters because...why not?

The engine of the jet rumbled, shaking me awake. I forced my eyes open and saw Erica fast asleep on the other bed. I stretched and yawned, not exactly knowing what time it was. I looked at the time on my phone. It was midnight in Washington D.C. I figured that we still had a long time to land, so I tried falling back asleep.

Only I couldn't. I got up and slowly walked out of the room, making sure I wouldn't wake Erica up. The rec room was empty, and I could hear soft snoring from one of the bedrooms. I slowly opened it, and saw Mike and Jamie fast asleep. The seats were empty as well, meaning that Zoe and Cynthia must be asleep too. I walked into the mini-kitchen and warmed myself a bowl of pasta.

"No sleep?" came a voice. I looked up to see a sleepy Cynthia trudge into the kitchen and sit on one of the barstools.

"I've been asleep for like, eight hours," I replied. "I just woke up."

"Oh." Cynthia rubbed her eyes, stifling a yawn. "Stupid time zone difference. It's midnight back at school and I'm struggling to stay asleep for ten minutes."

"This detour is going to be longer than expected," I murmured, pulling my heated meal out of the microwave and placing it on the table where the barstools sat.

"Fifteen hours? More?" Cynthia pulled out her hair tie, and her hair fell in waves around her shoulders. "Warm me a bowl too, will you?"

I set another meal in the microwave and smoothed my hair back. "Are you excited?"

"Sort of. This is my first real mission and it's exciting and all, but it's also absolutely terrifying." She twisted a lock of hair between her fingers. "You?"

"I've been on so many missions, but it only seems to get worse every time," I admitted. "People expect me to be perfectly accustomed to danger, but almost dying ten times over isn't great. I can't even count the number of times Erica or someone else had to save my life."

She smiled. "Erica really likes you."

"Over the summer, she was...melted. Now that icy barrier's back. I know how hard it is for her, and how much her family expects of her. But she's...different. She's not like any other Hale."

I passed Cynthia's meal to her and sat on a barstool next to her. The heat from my food spread warmth around me.

"They should seriously install a heater," Cynthia grumbled. "We're so high up, and they install air conditioning in the jets. It's pitch black outside."

I was in a small t-shirt, and I was freezing. I got down and grabbed a plush blanket from one of the seats and returned to my spot, wrapping the blanket tightly around me.

Cynthia quickly finished up her meal and stifled a yawn. "I'm full. I'm going to try and get some sleep."

"See you later," I said as she walked back into the room. The jet was oddly quiet. The only sounds were the engines, but it was only a low hum. The air conditioning produced a noise as well, but that made me feel less scared.

"Sleep well?" came a voice.

Erica walked into the kitchen, poured herself a mug of steaming hot chocolate and sat on a barstool.

"Hi," I mumbled. "Do you know how much time we have before we reach Alaska?"

"About six hours or so," she replied. "Did you get a good sleep?"

I nodded. She smiled softly, taking another sip of her hot chocolate. The smell of cocoa surrounded us.

I finished up my food, tossed it in the trash can and laid my head in my hands. "What about you?"

"I only slept for about three hours," she responded. "I honestly don't get more sleep than that."

We sat there in silence. I looked up once and saw into her beautiful blue eyes. I held her gaze for a long moment, and after a while she rested her head in her arms like me, and we just stared into each others' eyes.

I resisted the urge to lean in and whisper "I love you" to her. Even when she was sleepy, she looked stunning.

She suddenly lifted her head up and got off the barstool. Her face was clouded. "I'm going to go to the bedroom," she said flatly and walked away before I could open my mouth to answer.

I got up as well and sat in one of the seats. I wasn't sleepy at all, so I played a movie and let it roll for a while.

Erica's POV

Was it a bad thing that every time I looked into Ben's eyes, I felt my cheeks go hot?

Yes. that would be Dad and Granddad's response. I walked back into the room, unable to hide the bright pink spots blooming on my cheeks. I curled up in the bed, wondering what in the world had happened to me.

I wanted him, and he wanted me. The only problem was that until we graduated, I would be in control of my family. I wouldn't be allowed to choose the person I want.

The plane tipped slightly downward again, and I sat up quickly in bed. I waited until the plane was stable before exhaling softly.

Mom walked into the bedroom. "Turbulence," she informed me, and looked over Ben's empty bed. "Where's Benjamin?"

"He's outside," I responded. Mom nodded and hurried out of the room.

After thinking long and hard, I got up and walked out of the room. Ben sat in his seat, watching a movie I couldn't recognize. He saw me and paused the movie, standing up."Hey."

"Hi," I said, because I didn't really have anything else to say. "Can I watch?"

"Sure, why not?" he replied, and I sat next to him, plugged in another set of headphones and put them on.

For another two hours we watched a Star Wars movie, sitting next to each other silently. Every once in a while I looked up from the movie and saw his beautiful brown hair atop his head. Then I would mentally scold myself and return to watch the movie.

When it was finally over, I sighed, laying my head back against the seat. Ben turned the screen off and looked at me. "Did you like it?"

"It was a nice movie," I answered, partially lying. I was never a big fan of Star Wars. Nevertheless, it made him smile, and that made him look so cute.

Get over it, Erica, I scolded myself. Ben stood up and walked to the bedrooms. "I'm going to try and get some more sleep," he said.

I stood up. "Me too."

I followed him into the bedrooms. He lay down flat, staring at the ceiling. I got into the other bed and lay down on my back. The low rumble of the jet was calming, and I was about to fall asleep when I heard Ben.

"Goodnight, Erica."

"Goodnight."