I'm not broken

Chapter 18

I was at the waiting gate on my laptop, looking through my old pictures while listening to music. I scrolled past a bunch of pictures of me and Ella until I came upon a picture of me and Ray when I was five and when Ray was eight. I was in the middle, my eyes light up with childhood happiness, my smile broad and too big for my face.

The camera caught Ray in mid-laugh, and his eyes were happier than I had seen them before. And right above the both of us was my mom, her brown eyes soft and kind, he face worry free, her pale skin beautiful and without a blemish.

The camera had also caught her in mid-laugh, and her smile was perfect, sweet and inviting.

My eyes swelled up with tears. I scrolled past the picture and stumbled upon a picture of my dad.

He was young in the picture, with dark hair and piercing green eyes. I noticed I had the same face features as him, the same nose and cheekbones, and the same arched eyebrows. And we both had the same smile.

I scrolled past that picture too, my dream of him pulling the trigger washing over my mind again and again.

"At this time, we will begin boarding on the plane that leads towards New Jersey Remember to check all bags and never leave them unattended. Thank you for flying with United Airlines."

I sighed, then turned off my laptop. I put it away and grabbed my bag, and as I looked out the window and out towards the roadway where the plane would be taking off, I felt a surge of excitement, to see what was out there, waiting for me to discover it.

"First class, please begin to make a line in group one." I got up and looked at the line:

Only three other people were in that line, and two of them looked wealthy enough to have their own private jet.

Nervously, I got behind an old woman who was dressed elaborately, wearing a fur coat and pearl earrings. Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone staring at me, but I stared straight ahead as I gave the airplane lady my passport.

"You're all good to go honey," she said sweetly, smiling. I smiled back, then jerked my head to the side, enough for me to make eye contact with the person who was staring at me:

A boy about my age with drop dead gorgeous eyes and stubble around his chin and lower half of his cheeks, and with black hipster glasses.

I stared at him for one second, and he stared at me back. He had a hell of a jawline, and I knew I was a sucker for jawlines. He had dark, rich, brown hair, almost to the point that I thought it was black, His hair was sort of messy, like he had no time to worry about it.

I felt my pulse quicken when I saw him walk towards the second group, and I almost stumbled, then looked away. I walked down the hallway that lead into the plane, inhaling that airplane smell.

I don't think I will ever get tired of that scent.

I saw the literal airplane cabin, with the two airplane ladies smiling at me as I approached them.

"Hello, and welcome to United Airlines!" I smiled at them nervously, then stepped into the cabin. The first lady with the soft blond curls and bright blue eyes glanced at me with worry.