OTP Overboard

Chapter 4- Plane Ride (pt. 2)

[Maya's POV]

So there I was, sitting on a crowded plane, no music, next to Lucas Friar.

Of all people, why did it have to be him?

I sighed and looked out the window. At least I had a window seat, I've heard that's a good thing. This is my first time on a plane.

Lucas tried to start a conversation. "So...is this your first time out of the country?" He asked. I nodded my head. He hesitated, expecting me to say something.

"Okay then," he said, and faced forward in his seat.

He must have thought I just didn't want to talk, but truth be told, I didn't trust myself to speak. That day my heart seemed to have control over my voice.

We started to take off. The plane rumbled and the passengers jiggled around in their seats. Nervous, I gripped the armrests on my seat. My knuckles were white, I was squeezing so hard.

Suddenly I felt a hand touch mine.
"You okay, Maya?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah, yeah, of course," I said, talking more to myself than to him.

His hand was still on mine.

"You sure?" He asked me.

"Yes, cowboy, I'm sure. I think all the cheering from your rodeos and hoedowns made your ears stop working," I replied.

He chucked and his hand lifted off of mine.

Was that...disappointment I just felt? When his hand moved off of mine?

No, of course not.

I leaned my head against the window. The glass was cool. We were above the clouds now. I shifted my eyes a fraction of an inch to take in the view. It took my breath away. The clouds were pink with morning sun, and I watched them float along slowly but steadily beneath us.

I could smell Lucas's cologne.

[Lucas's POV]

I had just helped Maya put her suitcase in the luggage compartment. Even with the fancy heels she wears all the time, she's still much shorter than I am.

Wait a second. I thought to myself. You noticed what shoes she wears?

I tried to shake it off but I just couldn't. Our hands touched, and I felt something. I think she might have too.

That's the one thing that's so frustrating about liking someone. You're always in the dark about their feelings, until they tell you.

I'm still stuck in that period, with Maya. I feel like there's a magnetic pull between us. Whenever I walk next to her, I feel like my hand is drawn to hers.

But her hand is always up on the hem of her jacket.

I just wish we could be thrown together in a situation where I could have a good chance to tell her how I feel.

I sat down in my aisle seat, next to Maya. There was awkward tension in the air between us, probably because of what just happened, with the luggage.

I tried to break the tension.

"So...is this your first time out of the country?" I asked her.

She only nodded her head.

A few minutes later, I glanced over at Maya. She was pale and greenish, and I was pretty sure her fingers were going to fall off if she kept clutching the arm of her chair so hard.

I set my hand on hers in an effort to calm her down. "You okay, Maya?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course," she replied. Her voice was quiet and she muttered the words.

My hand was still on hers.

I could tell she obviously wasn't okay, but I didn't want to pry. I learned quickly that Maya doesn't take well to prying. I had so many questions and concerns about her floating around in my head, but I only said, "You sure?"

"Yes, cowboy, I'm sure. I think all the cheering from your rodeos and hoedowns made your ears stop working," was her response.

I chuckled. She was back to normal, or at least she had put her mask back on.

I lifted my hand off.

I could have sworn I heard a little sigh slip from her mouth.

She leaned her head against the plane window. Her golden curls fell perfectly around her face.

I faced forward in my seat, and I imagined the pink clouds crawling along under the plane.

I could smell her perfume.