The lady in Red (REWRITTEN!)

Chapter 7

Laying around and resting until the plane touched down was my end goal. I wanted to remain calm and steady, not so much freaking out all the time. But remaining still was obviously not working out here. I sat on the small bed, bounced myself, and had to keep reminding myself not to turn my head to look out the oval window. Night had fallen and not that I could see anything but that right there was the scariest part. Not knowing anything and not being able to see anything through the sheer darkness surrounding me. The last time I tried, I had to strain my eyes to really look. And still, saw absolutely nothing. 

 Already being afraid of the heights was one thing. But going to the extreme and then feeling like something was terribly wrong was another. If I was on the ground I'd knew what to do but being so far in the air-- I was helpless. The plane was bouncing every six minutes. I could hear the pressure of the wind and no matter how hard I tried to block the sound it was damn near impossible. I just wanted the plane to stop bouncing. I wanted all of this to be a smooth ride for me.

"Reece," I whisper under my breath, hoping he'd come to my rescue and explain this horror to me. I was hyperventilating, I could feel it in my bones before it even came. I didn't want to cry to make a fool out of myself but this was a fear I couldn't overcome. And like some sort of cue, the door flew open. I beckoned him silently and it was like he heard me before I could have even acted on making it known.

"Catherine." He's by my side within seconds. As if he can sense my discomfort, he makes himself known by climbing on the bed with me. The intrusion is welcoming. He grabs my hand and instantly I feel energy blossom into me. I close my eyes.

"Are we dying?" I ask. Everything is stupidity coming out of my mouth but this was rather a legit question that I wanted an answer to. The seatbelt sign flickers somewhere in the room. I hear it before I see it.

"Look at me," he commands, his voice automatically pulling my attention to him. My eyes meet his. He grabs my hands the second the plane bounces again and squeezes hard to keep my lids from drooping. I look at him, I mean really look at him.

"Reece—"

"We're okay. It's just turbulence. It happens," he whispers into my ears. His minty breath fans my face and I visibly relax into him.

"Are we going to crash?" I don't think this was a stupid question coming out of me either. 

"Strong winds will not cause us to crash like this. You're okay. I won't let anything happen to you." And suddenly, I believe that. The plane immediately stops bouncing the minute the clouds start to pass us. The plane glides across the sky effortlessly and with ease. When I turn our faces are just mere inches apart. I can't miss a slight twitch that works in his jaw.

"I'm not used to this," I whisper, feeling like I need to defend myself. I'm dizzy, too dizzy and I can't think straight. 

"What?" he asks, leaning forward to grasp a stray piece of hair. The moment his fingers touch the stray hair, a new, profound feeling detonates inside me that makes me visibly shiver. And when the pad of his fingers lightly brushes my earlobe to push the piece of hair behind my ear, an audible breath whooshes out of my mouth.

Flying. That's what I'm not used to. But I don't say it. I can't because when I open my mouth to say something nothing comes out of it. I'm rendered speechless by just one gesture. Reece pulls back and a chill takes his place. He walks towards the door and stops before turning his head towards me.

"Come eat. You will feel better." A reassuring smile puts an ease to me and I nod before standing. Eating won't help, that I know for sure but I know one thing-- I need another reassurance that I'll be fine in this plane for another twenty hours. I follow him in vain, feeling more nauseous than ever before.