Delayed (8 page)

She hadn’t wanted to look up. They were sitting so close together, that any time her eyes settled on him, it felt too intimate. His features all came into view. His pointed nose, and the way his jawline seemed to have become more defined. The puppy like boy she’d seen at the debate a year earlier was gone. The more she stared at him, the more she found her facade of confidence waning.
 

“Why haven’t you been sleeping?” she asked.
 

He set the cup down. “I’m moving for the summer.”
 

“Oh. Why?”
 

“My grandmother wants to spend more time with us, Mimi and me, I mean. She sent us plane tickets a week ago, and called crying abut how lonely she was. And about how nice the summers in Shepton are.”
 

“Ah. She guilted you into it.”
 

He nodded, taking another sip of coffee. “What about you? Why Shepton again?”
 

Olivia sighed. “It’s a custody thing. I spend the school year with my dad and all vacations with my mom.”
 

Thinking of her mom made the anger emerge again. It felt fresh and heavy, like something that could only build up. The court had asked her which parent she wanted to live with, and without question she’d named her mom. Her dad had better connections though, and a larger salary. He’d made his ex-wife out to be an unstable and vengeful woman, who would only fill Olivia’s head with negative images of him.
 

Nick was staring at her. His dark eyes scanned every corner of her face.
 

“So you go to school in Boston?”
 

She shook her head. “Glensford. My dad moved there to be closer to his mistress.”

“I thought your parents were divorced.”
 

“They are.”
 

Nick didn’t comment on her obvious bitterness. The mere mention of Jocelyn made Olivia want to throw herself off the plane.

There was small span of silence. He stopped drinking his coffee. She could feel her hands shaking under the blanket again. She needed a conversation to distract her.
 

“So. Why don’t you have a girlfriend anymore?”
 

He looked up at her. His face fell into a defeated expression. “I um… I never had one. Not yet anyways.”
 

The answer made no sense. He was handsome, tall and lean and quiet. Most girls fell for that in an instant.
 

“Oh. So I guess that makes me your first girlfriend.” she tried to keep her smile hidden. It was so easy to mess with him, to act.
 

His defeated expression eased and he shrugged. “But we’ll break up when the flight lands, right?”
 

She nodded. “Those are the terms of the relationship.” She leaned in toward him, a strange surge of confidence flowed through her. “So what are we going to do for our first and only date?”
 

Nick’s eyes hit the floor. He bit his upper lip, hesitating. “Um. A movie?”
 

Olivia nodded. “Lady’s choice?”
 

He quickly nodded. “Pick what you want.”
 

She scrolled through the movie options, and settled for a horror film, about a monster that granted wishes at the cost of a person’s soul. Then she plugged in her ear buds and pressed one into Nick’s ear. Her finger grazed his skin as she did.
 

He kept his body pressed against his seat, never trying to lean in to get a better look at her screen. His remained on the inflight map channel.
 

Halfway through the movie, the hostess returned. Olivia saw her and panicked. This woman really did think they were a couple. She brought her arm over to Nick under the blanket, wrapping it around his right one.
 

Nick tensed at her touch, but said nothing as the woman approached them.
 

“How sweet,” the hostess said. “You two make a lovely couple.”
 

Olivia pressed her head against Nick’s shoulder. He remained frozen.
 

“May I get you a refill?” the woman asked him.
 

It took him a moment to answer. He handed her the cup, and she poured him more of his waking up tonic. Then she walked off as quickly as she had appeared.
 

Olivia didn’t release her arm from around Nick’s. She tucked her head between the blanket and his shoulder. It was warm and comforting, to be so close to him, a comfort that Michael had never quite given her.
 

“Um. She’s gone. We don’t have to pretend,” he said.
 

She felt the fabric of his shirt against her fingers. “It’s comfortable. Besides our break up isn’t until the flight ends. Let’s just watch the movie.”
 

She had no idea what she was doing. Her words were forward, and the suggestion childish. But she wanted to keep Nick close, because once they landed; the possibilities of seeing him again were slim.
 

He didn’t move. The movie played on, and with each person that died from their misplaced wish, the silence became more evident. She could feel him trying to pull back his hand. Then whatever confidence she’d felt was gone. Olivia sat up.
 

Nick retrieved his arm, and pretended that he had been reaching for his coffee.
 

“My arm was falling asleep,” he said, holding the cup to his lips. His eyes were fixed on the screen.
 

Olivia wanted to make him nervous. She wasn’t one to take rejection well. So she leaned in, before he had a chance to expect the move.
 

Nick jumped up and his cup spilled forward, landing partly on the blanket, but mostly on her blouse. The coffee wasn’t too hot, but the smell made her want to gag.
 

Olivia felt her cheeks flushing. He tried to reach down to retrieve the empty cup.

“I’m sorry. Are you okay?” he asked.
 

She undid her seatbelt and pushed her tray up. The blanket fell to the ground, as she stood. Nick remained sitting.
 

“I’m fine. I’ll just go wash it off.” Olivia ran for the bathroom. Luckily, it was only a few steps behind them and unoccupied. She pushed her way into the tiny cubicle like washroom. There was barely any room for her to walk around.
 

She took a few deep breaths, embarrassed by her attempt to hit on a guy she barely knew. It was probably her newly single status. It made her feel even more free and forward than usual. Nick had just been the wrong guy to try it on.
 

Olivia pulled a few pieces of toilet paper from the roll and opened up the sink. Water poured out. She brought the clear liquid to the giant spot on her white blouse. It made the stain darker. She blotted out the coffee, bit by bit. It would be better if she stayed in here for a while.
 

Nick could finish the movie on his own. Her plan sounded feasible, until the floor beneath her began to shake. It was a soft tremble at first, but then the movement grew harder. The airplane rocked from side to side, tossing her from the sink to the sliding door.
 

Olivia felt her hands shaking again. She knew what she was supposed to do: open the door and lunge back to the safety of her seat. Yet her hands did not comply with the command. She remained frozen in place, her breathing becoming heavier.
 

Flights had never been easy for her, but she’d always had someone to travel with, either her mom or dad. But with the divorce she’d learned to fly alone, or at least try to. For the past two years she’d forced herself to close her eyes and bear it, but this was different. The situation was too new for her to react properly.
 

The turbulence grew heavier. She toppled to the floor of the bathroom, banging her elbow against the door.
 

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing some temporary turbulence. For the time being, the captain has turned on the fasten seatbelt sign. Please return to your seats at this time.”
 

Olivia felt her heart racing. She remained on the floor, trying to find the will to get up. Her body did not respond. What if the plane crashed? She hadn’t seen her mom in six months.
 

Knocking came from the other side of the door.
 

“Olivia?” It was Nick. He knocked again. “Olivia? Are you okay?”
 

The turbulence continued.
 

“I can’t get up,” she told him. Her breathing was uneven. “I’m panicking.”
 

“Unlock the door,” he said. “I can help you if you unlock it.”
 

Olivia sighed. She focused. He was right. All she had to do was unlock the switch.
 

The plane continued to shake. She used the sink to hoist herself up, her eyes still closed. Her fingers shook as she reached for the lock. Her legs gave in again.
 

The door slid open and she fell forward, right into Nick’s arms. His hands wrapped around her, holding her up. She slid her arms around his torso and held on. Her eyes were still closed.
 

“You’re okay,” he whispered into her ear. “It’ll be okay.”
 

He moved them back to their seats, right as a hostess approached them with an impending lecture.
 

Olivia didn’t want to let go of him, and he didn’t force her to. Nick kept her hand in his as they sat down. He buckled her in, never noticing their proximity. He was about to lean away, when she spoke.
 

“Nick,” she said, grabbing his attention.

Their faces were mere inches apart. She saw him gulp down. “Yeah?”
 

Then without a bit of hesitation Olivia leaned in closer, but she didn’t stop. Their lips met, and her eyes closed.
 

He didn’t move, so she placed her hands on his cheeks and brought him closer. The warmth radiated through every part of her. After a minute, she pulled back.
 

“Thank you,” she said. Not specifying if it was for the kiss or for the rescue mission he’d just endured.
   

9

June 4, 2006

And just like that it was gone. Olivia took Nick’s first kiss without warning. He stared at her now, her face so close to his, his lips still warm, her aroma still lingering.
 

He couldn’t speak. In fact he’d lost the ability to form a coherent thought. How could she be so calm? They’d just kissed. Well she’d kissed him, but he hadn’t exactly turned away the offer.
 

She had thanked him. That was all he was sure of.
 

“You’re welcome,” he managed.
 

The turbulence had stopped, but the seatbelt sign remained lit for the rest of the flight. Olivia kept her eyes on the screen; distracted by the gory movie she’d chosen. The film was so bloody, that Nick reconsidered ever throwing a coin into a fountain or wishing on a star. Both of which were ways the monster had found his victims, a wish for their soul. It was simple.
 

The flight attendant came by one last time to collect their trash. His coffee cup was empty, most of it had poured onto Olivia’s lap. She still smelled like the bitter liquid. It hadn’t been his intention to spill it on her, but she’d caught him off guard, again.
 

They landed half an hour after the bout of turbulence. When she wasn’t looking, Nick passed a finger over his lips, not knowing why. Maybe it was supposed to make his lips softer? Had her lipstick rubbed off on him? Was she even wearing lipstick?
 

Olivia didn’t stir, until it came time to grab their things. She folded up her blanket, fresh coffee stain and all, and stuffed it into her bag. She hadn’t eaten her complimentary snack, which she promptly handed to Nick.
 

He jarred up, not sure what to do with her attention. Every part of him wanted to kiss her again or hold her closely like he’d done back by the bathroom. She was so at peace now, unstirred, different from the girl that had lunged into his arms back there.
 

“You can have these,” she said, placing the bag of graham crackers in his hand. “Think of it as a breakup present.”
 

He took the snack without objection. His fake two-hour relationship was now over. Mimi would laugh if he told her. Not that he would. If he told anyone, his Abuela would accuse him of sneaking around with strange girls, and he’d never be allowed to fly alone, even when he became an adult. His Abuela always argued with his grandma Joan about how eighteen was just a number. The two women liked to banter about it at reunions.
 

“I guess it’s really over,” he said, half-jokingly. He put the crackers in his pocket, careful not to crush them too much.
 

As his fingers reached inside, he grazed the outline of a palm tree. This was his chance. It was Olivia’s keychain, not his. He watched as she scooted out into the aisle, joining the others in line. He didn’t return it. They still had time.
 

The line moved slowly, until all the passengers filed out to the baggage claim. He stayed close to her, not knowing where else to go. The airport was half the size of the one back in Boston, and it already smelled of the sandy beaches of Shepton.
 

They waited together, for their suitcases to appear on the conveyor belt.
 

“So how long are you staying?” he asked, suddenly aware that whatever game they had been playing on the plane was over. They were back to being strangers again.
 

“All summer,” Olivia said. Her eyes followed the moving conveyor belt.
 

 
“Maybe we’ll see each other,” he said. The words were hopeful and already defeated.
 

She nodded, only once. “Maybe.”
 

Nick would have rather she said no. He knew the maybe was meant to be polite, but it was just as painful. Why had she kissed him?