Flying Into Your Heart

Chapter Twenty-Three

                                                                AALIYAH

We were pulling up to the boating docks arriving on the outskirts of New Orleans. Jace was still directing me to park the boat careful and safely.

"Woah, woah, slow down!" Jace shouted a bit nervously. I giggled.

"I am slowing down!" I said playfully.

"Even slower please!" he then begged. I shook my head jokingly.

I did have a few minor mistakes during our voyage but for the most part, I was doing to pretty good I thought. This was hands down the most fun I'd had on this entire trip, and I was glad I could be sharing it with the guy who was starting to matter most to me.

The way he was so kind, sweet, protective, and really keen on getting to know who I really was...I had made a decision I had never thought I say 18 hours ago.

I was going to tell Jace how I felt.

No more flirty banter, bickering, sexual tension as he loved to describe us that I completely felt and saw every proceeding hour we spent together, hiding my true feelings for him.

I was ready. I just had to wait until the right moment to finally let him know.

Once we reached the dock, he jumped out and turned to me helping me land on the ground again holding me tightly. We reeled in the boat to tie it back up.

If we couldn't have a better way to get to Miami, this was going to be our only transportation.

"Thanks for helping me get my mind off of things for a minute Jace. That was amazingly fun!" I said, turning to him smiling.

"What are friends for right?" He asked.

I stopped moving with my back still turned toward him as I felt that pang of regret of why he was saying that.

"Yeah...friends." I said gritting through my teeth. I hated myself for even suggesting that before.

We continued trying to tie everything tight and together until we suddenly heard a voice near us.

"If ya guys keep tying it like that, boat's gonna drift away from ya faster than ya'll asking me who I am." A female voice said.

Me and Jace looked behind us seeing a young pretty woman, grinning and looking to us kindly.

She had medium brunette hair, not too short like I was, but just enough height to almost be close to Jace's, dressed casually in the normal t shirt and jeans.

I could feel her now eying Jace closely and flirtatiously as I should've known. She was definitely loving what she was seeing and I wouldn't blame her. I was doing the same thing.

"Who are you?" Jace asked baffled. She smirked and gestured behind me.

"The gal that warned ya." She simply said.

We both quickly turned around to see our boat traveling at what felt like a rapid pace and distance...floating away from us. Our eyes widened as I went down on my knees trying to reach for the rope we were trying to make work.

"No! No! No! Please come back! We need you!" I found myself shouting to it worriedly.

This just wasn't our day.

"I don't think it's gonna answer." She said. I stared out to it and sighed angrily and distressed.

"Are you kidding me?! We're never gonna get to Miami now!" I screamed.

This just kept getting worse. The hours kept pressing and pressing close to my breaking point. I sighed calming down and shook my head.

"Miami? That little thang wasn't going to take ya'll there. It would've easily crashed and sunk halfway." She told us.

"You know about boats?" Jace then asked intrigued. She smiled and nodded.

"Yep! I've been studying transportation operations for years. I just finished mastering my piloting license." She admitted. He smiled as I turned to her now also intrigued as she smiled and held out her hand. "I'm Belle." Jace shook it and smiled back.

"Jace. This is Aaliyah. That's incredible you can fly! So can I! I'm actually a pilot. Aaliyah here is a flight attendant. We missed our flight and have been trying to catch up with it while being undetected. It's why we need to go to Miami by 8PM tonight." He explained to her.

She giggled and walked up to him now more closely, sensually checking him out.

"Ya'll realize it's already 6PM right?" She then asked. I groaned to myself.

We were no closer to our destination by a long shot if it was by car, train, or boat.

"Yes. We are fully aware, hence our frustrations." He replied sighing.

I began banging my head against my hands. She smiled and shook her head.

"Hey now! No worries though! I can help get ya'll there if ya'll want." She offered.

"How?" I asked her curiously.

"My family has a private helicopter. We borrow it from a friend of ours. I can take ya'll there. I've been practicing! Well...somewhat." She said honestly.

Me and Jace looked to each other shocked and surprised. We could immediately say yes and for all we knew it could be a repeat of Miguel or Maribel. But as we were weighing out our options in our heads, like we could read each other thoughts...we had no other way clearly.

Besides, if anything from those two proved about me and Jace was that if we found ourselves in danger again, we would be there to protect each other. So it was now or never.

"Can you please take us?!" We both asked her eagerly.

"Follow me." She uttered smiling and nodding.

She turned around and began walking away to the upper dock. We both quickly followed behind.

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We were approaching a townhouse in a centered of the city of New Orleans.

I couldn't say a word so taken by surprised and astonishment how intricate and gorgeous the decorations of this place really were in person.

The colorful designs, the vibrant people and the music I could hear through the streets. This was what summer looked like over here. So much character all in one place, it was simply amazing.

Belle's car then came to a stop as we all got out and followed her to the front door smiling cheerfully. "Come on. More to see when we get up in the sky." She started to say turning to Jace winking. "You should know a lot that huh handsome?" She finished and entered in.

He cleared his throat, blushing as I could feel my face becoming hot with a sense of panic and worry.

It wasn't jealousy I didn't think. Just uncertainty.

Maybe I did miss my chance to show him I was ready for us to finally be us. Maybe me telling him my true feelings now was way too late. Maybe he was only showing care and real affection to me, because I was the only girl he had been with this entire time that wasn't crazy and beating up her ex's girlfriend, or just so I could have someone to comfort me just because of what almost happened with me and Miguel.

I felt like this was gonna to be the true test. To see if he really still wanted to be more than friends with me.

A lot of maybes.