Christmas at the airport (H.S.) (one shot)

Christmas at the Airport

He climbed out of the cab at the departures terminal at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, swinging his black laptop bag over his shoulder before shutting the door. The cab driver came around and opened the trunk, taking out his small black roller luggage before the man thanks him and pulls his stuff to the curb. He watches the cab drive away as another one immediately takes its place. He looks out at the landscape, blanketed in snow and admires the idyllic Christmas Eve scene.

As he is about to head inside, another car that has pulled to the curb has got his attention. It's an older man and a woman and they are saying good-bye to you. They are both hugging you simultaneously and you feel suffocated by their squeezes. They're each talking in your ears, begging you to stay and not go. They know there's a work emergency but they haven't seen you in a long time and they were looking forward to spending Christmas with you. You reassure them that you will visit again soon, only half meaning it.

He watches this scene take place, pretending to type on his phone but looking up enough so he doesn't miss any of it. He watches your face grimace in their holds not with disgust but with something else. Maybe guilt, he thinks? Or is it exhaustion? Annoyance? It's hard for him to tell, he's only got to know your face in the past five minutes. He's trying to figure you out. He watches you escape their clutches and quickly grab your one small bag of luggage and head inside. He grabs his bag and follows in after you.

He watches you approach the British Airways line and he feels hopeful that perhaps you're on the same flight. He waits behind you in line and watches you look back at the door, where you just left your parents. You take a deep breath and blow it out, your shoulders relaxing a little when you see that their car is gone.

The airport is teeming with people today, as to be expected for the day before Christmas. It takes quite a bit of time before you make it to the front of the line and check in with the airline. Quick trip the man remarks to you, noticing you flew into Buffalo only two days ago from London. Yeah, you respond, not eager to make small talk. You know, next time you can use the other line for members, he says. You shake your head at him so he shrugs and politely hands you back your passport and gives you your boarding pass and you're on your way to security. You feel slightly guilty about your travel itinerary but no one but you knows so no one can be hurt by it.

The security line moves slowly. More people than usual with carry-on bags full of presents. They don't trust to check their luggage with the airlines out of fear that it will get lost and not make it in time for Christmas. You always travel light and wish they had an express lane for single people, with no electronics and not wearing anything that would set off the metal detectors but alas you are stuck waiting.

When it's your turn, you put your luggage in the bins, removing your shoes quickly. You hear a British accent speaking jovially across from you with security. He's around your age, mid-20s, short brown hair, around six feet tall. You marvel at his ability to make the woman working laugh while everyone else is so tense and anxious. You find yourself smiling at their interaction and at that moment he lifts his eyes and catches you smiling. His smile widens and you see a large dimple in his left cheek that you hadn't noticed before. You feel your cheeks heat up and you drop your eyes, sliding your bins along to go through the scanner.

You walk through the metal detector with no beeps and you wait for your stuff to come along the conveyor belt. You are trying your hardest not to look up but you feel eyes on you. Your carry-on comes through first and you take it off and pull the handle up. Next comes your jacket, shoes, wallet, keys and phone. You slip your brown wool coat on, tucking everything into your pockets. You bend down to slip on your black leather ankle boots and as you do you lift your head and your eyes catch his again. He's staring at you with a smile on his face, as he, too, is slipping on his leather boots and long black wool coat. You nearly stumble but regain your balance and when you look up again he is smirking, before he turns and walks away. Your cheeks blaze red with embarrassment and you grab your luggage and slowly walk out of the security area.