flight-risk {g.d.}

fourteen

grayson:

she's beautiful when she's running, even.
running away from me.
to the bathroom.
again.

i sigh and place my head in my hands, mad at myself for my choice of words. i know she's scared of hearing nice things about her because all she's heard are mean.

i feel a little stupid, developing a small crush when we're just going to part ways. i'd like to call it an "air fling" because that's really all it is. a fling. to me, at least. she doesn't even consider it a fling. hell, she barely considers me a friend.

i watch her take small steps down the aisle, still wearing my denim jacket. when she gets to our row, she avoids my eyes at all cost.

"hi," i say.

she crosses her arms and tilts her head down.
"elizabeth?" i try again.

she finally turns to me, eyes as icy as always. "go to bed. we're just going to leave this plane in the morning, anyway, and you'll never have to hear from me ever again. got it?"

"but i don't want that," i argue.

"i know." she retorts. "which is exactly why i want it."

"dang," i almost laugh. "that hurt."

even in the dim, minimal light coming from only the tv screens in front of us, i can still see a small smile peeking from the corners of her lips.

"you must break a lot of hearts, elizabeth." i say and recline back in my seat. i shut my eyes after i watch her shudder.

                                          ***

i'm awoken by a light tap to my shoulder, and the tickle of breath on my arm.

when i open my eyes, i see elizabeth leaning over the middle seat, eyes wide.

"your phone," she says, "it won't stop buzzing."

i reach for my phone and feel it buzzing in my hands. it must've woken up like, half the plane.

i smile when i see who the texts are from; ethan.

ethan: how's the flight?
ethan: i'm bored
ethan: gray
ethan: gray
ethan: grayson
ethan: grayson gtfu
ethan: grayson
ethan: i'm
ethan: bored
ethan: TEXT ME
ethan: text me BACK

i roll me eyes and type a quick explanation to why i wasn't answering, and turn to elizabeth.

"why aren't you asleep?"

"i couldn't." she responds honestly.

"wanna talk?"

i fully expect her to turn me down and i would fit back to sleep, but to my surprise, she hesitantly nods.

"how many more hours?"

"3.5."

i widen my eyes and run my hands through my hair. "wow."

"you really slept for awhile," she chuckles softly.

"watching me sleep? creep," i tease.

color drowns her cheeks as she stumbles out an explanation.

"i'm kidding," i laugh.

she tilts her head and looks at me like i've just said the funniest, weirdest thing in the world. her grin reaches her eyes and i see a dimple on the right side of her cheek.

"tell me about your favorite book in the entire world," she says, relaxing into her seat.

"promise you won't laugh?"

"i've probably never even heard of it, so i promise."

"it's not really a college level book. more like middle school, but i really liked it. i've read it cover to cover so many times i lost count."

"tell me then," she says, a ghost of a smile on her face.

"the sun is also a star," i answer. "it's my guilty pleasure book."

"why do you like it so much?"

"it tells the story of impossible love."

she cocks her head. "what do you mean?"

"these two polar opposites eventually... attract," i shrug, "and in a span of 12 hours."

"wow," she nods. "what's your second favorite?"

"easy. to kill a mockingbird."

she laughs, music to my ears. "that's more like it. i expected that."

"don't stereotype," i say and nudge her arm.

"wouldn't ever dream of it."