Freya
I glance around the terminal once more for my family, and when I come up empty, I continue forward, hoping they are already on the plane.
My phone rings as I hand over my ticket and passport. I force an apologetic smile at the ticket agent before answering the phone.
“Mum, where are you? Are you on the plane?”
“We’ve just landed, dear,” she replies.
I nearly trip over my own foot as I move onto the ramp. “What do you mean you’ve just landed?”
She clears her throat. “The thing is, sweetie, when Esther bought the tickets, our flight was full, so she got you on the next one out.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose as I reach the plane. “Of course it was,” I bite out.
“You were late booking the ticket,” she reminds me.
“Because we were given three weeks’ notice and I wasn’t planning on coming,” I snap.
“Do not take that tone with me, young lady,” she scolds.
“Just in the middle, on the left,” the flight attendant directs me when I show her the ticket.
“Thank you,” I mouth to the flight attendant. “None of you thought to tell me you were on another plane? You didn’t think that maybe, just maybe, I didn’t want to fly to another country on my own?”
“Me and your father will be coming to pick you up,” she tells me quietly.
I let out a heavy breath as I find my seat. “No. Just stay with the others. I’ll grab the coach.”
She clears her throat again. “There was a mix up whilst booking and Esther accidentally opted out for the complimentary coach transfer to port.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“It was an accident, sweetie. She’s been organising a wedding and making sure everything goes to plan. She didn’t do this on purpose.”
“Of course she didn’t. And again, did no one think to tell me this since I’d evidently be stuck at the airport?”
“That’s why me and your father are going to come back and meet you. Esther has a lot to do, otherwise she would come back to greet you. She did manage to get you a coach seat for the drive back to the airport.”
“Mum, it’s fine. Can you see if you can book a taxi for me? If not, I’ll find one when I’m there. I have the port address.”
“We really are sorry for the mix up. If we had known before, I would have given you warning. It completely skipped her mind.”
Of course it did. I want to believe Esther didn’t do this on purpose, but I know she did. She’s been going away abroad with her friends for years so she knows exactly what she is doing.
“When did you know?”
“When we were boarding. Handing the tickets over made her remember. Your father was going to call, but it was so late and we didn’t want to wake you.”
“Mum, I have to go. I’ll see you when I see you.”
“Safe travels.”
“Yeah,” I whisper, ending the call. I shove my bag in the overhead cabin and retake my seat, putting on my headphones.
I’m scrolling through my playlist when someone stops beside me. I take off my headphones, and my lips part when I see who is standing there.
Could today get any worse?
I glare at my neighbour. “Are you kidding me!”
“How did you know I was going away? Have you been stealing my post again?” he accuses.
I shake my head, utterly dumbfounded. “What? No! Are you following me?”
He rears back. “Fuck no!”
“Will you sit down?” another guy snaps, coming up behind him. “Hey, aren’t you Mark’s obsessed neighbour?”
I glare at my neighbour, wishing we weren’t on a plane right now. I don’t want to risk being kicked off—however tempting that is. “Yes, but I’m not obsessed. Unless you are talking about being obsessed with killing him.”
“I told you she was a stalker, didn’t I, Liam,” Mark gloats.
“I’m not a stalker,” I argue, feeling my cheeks flush.
“Then explain why you are on the same flight as me,” he demands.
“He does have a point,” Liam states with so much pity in his tone, my left eye begins to twitch.
“Because I fancied the view,” I bark, ignoring his friend. “Jesus, I’m clearly going away.”
Liam leans over the seat, whispering conspicuously. “This is great and all, but can we take our seats so others can get to theirs? Mark, get over it. There’s nothing you can do.”
“I can get Beau to arrest her,” he tells him.
Liam rolls his eyes. “No, you can’t. You’ll piss your sister off if you make him work when he’s on his honeymoon-slash-stag-do.”
“Are you serious?” I ask, beginning to worry he may actually get me arrested. “You’d actually try to get me arrested when all I’m doing is going away?”
He eyes me up and down. “On your own?” he asks doubtfully.
“I’m meeting my family there. They evidently got an earlier flight.” I don’t even know why I’m explaining it to him.
Mark sighs in pity, or maybe annoyance—the jury is still out. “Move over,” he demands.
“Let me get out, and you can get in.”
“Sit by the window,” he tells me, annoyance lacing his tone.
“This is my seat,” I point out.
“Does it matter?”
“If the plane goes down then yes. I want to be identified properly.”
His friend snorts. “He’s afraid of flying so it’s probably best if you sit by the window before he moves you to it.”
“Oh my god,” I hiss out, moving over to the window.
“Was that hard?” Mark asks as he drops down in the seat next to me.
“Harder than it would be to throw you off this plane whilst we are in the air,” I taunt, and find amusement when he goes a little green.
“Fucking hell,” Liam moans. “I don’t want to listen to this the entire flight.”
“What are you moaning about?” a girl in front asks as she leans over the seat in front of us. She’s beautiful, with big doe brown eyes. “Hey, aren’t you Mark’s obsessed neighbour? I love the dedication but, girl…”
I growl low in my throat. “I’m not obsessed with him,” I cry before turning to him. “Are you really that full of yourself that you need to tell people I’m obsessed with you? You are the one who stole my doormat.”
“You weren’t using it,” he argues.
“And my cat,” I remind him.
“Dude, that’s low,” the girl mutters.
“Her cat broke into my flat,” he cries for the entire plane to hear.
“And he steals my food,” I tell them, puffing out my chest.
“I don’t steal your food,” he snaps. “Why do you keep accusing me of ludicrous things?”
“Funny, because the delivery driver said you took it from him,” I admit snidely.
The guy beside him leans forward. “That might have been me. I hadn’t eaten in forever.”
“And the time it was taken from my own doorstep?”
The girl clears her throat. “That was actually me. I don’t like seeing food go to waste and it smelled so good.”
“See, I didn’t steal your damn food,” Mark confirms.
I glare at him. “You still stole my cat and doormat.”
“For the last time, I didn’t steal your cat.”
“Sister, switch places with me. I will do anything,” Liam pleads.
She grins. “Fuck no! I’m happy next to my man, thank you.”
“Please, Hayden.”
“Your begging doesn’t bother me,” she reminds him sweetly.
“Oh God,” he groans. “I’m going to be driven to a midlife crisis.”
Hayden’s eyebrows pinch together. “You are in your twenties. Grow up and man up.”
“It’s fine. I’ll be listening to music or watching a film the entire time,” I assure him. “I’m going to pretend he isn’t even here.”
Mark glances down at me. “Really? Now you do it, when we are about to be on a flight for eight hours?”
I smile sweetly. “And if you keep pissing me off, it will be eight hours until someone can come and save your arse.”
Hayden sticks her hand out. “I like you. My name’s Hayden. I’m his cousin and that one’s my triplet. All our family are on here so you’ll probably meet all of us at some point.”
I shake her hand. “I’m Freya. Can you please tell them that he’s delusional and I’m not a stalker?”
“Already sent the text out,” a voice from behind me states.
I turn at the same time Mark does, smacking my head against his. “Seriously,” I growl.
“She’s my sister,” he remarks.
“I think she was talking to me,” I snap. I notice how close we are, so I pull back, ignoring how good he smells.
He rears back. “She’s my sister.”
“You told me,” I state slowly, in case he’s not understanding me. “And she wasn’t speaking to you.”
“I wasn’t,” she confirms. “I’m Faith.”
“Freya.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” she tells me, and my god, she’s so pretty. She’s Summer pretty. Summer is a knockout, and has never had to try to look pretty. It comes naturally, just like it does for the woman in front of me. “This is my fiancé, Beau.”
I eye the hottie next to her. “Would you really arrest me?”
He doesn’t even waver when he answers. “No.”
“Wait, his obsessed neighbour is on here?” I hear someone boom.
“I’m not obsessed with him,” I yell, startling Mark next to me.
“Dad, sit down,” Hayden warns as a tall, bulky man stands up from the other side of the middle row.
Why is this family so hot?
Talk about good genes.
“Do you want me to get Beau?” he asks, and I notice he’s not looking at me. He’s looking at Mark. “We could get her arrested.”
“I’m not a badge you can use whenever you feel like it,” Beau snaps.
“Oh my god,” I growl. “No. There is no need.”
His eyes widen. “I’ve had a woman obsessed with me.”
“Good for you,” I reply, rolling my eyes.
“How did that work out for you?” Mark asks with a weary sigh.
He shakes his head, his lips twisting. “I married her.”
“Max, sit down now before I make them kick you off,” a woman next to him snaps. “And don’t lie to the children. You were obsessed with me. Get it right.”
“I’m starting to think you are obsessed with me,” I mutter to Mark when the man sits down.
He inhales sharply. “Obsessed with you?”
I smile sweetly. “That’s what I said.”
He turns to his cousin. “Are you hearing this?”
Liam sighs. “I’m beginning to see where she’s coming from.”
I beam at his words. “Thank you.”
“Seriously? You’re meant to be family,” Mark growls.
“I’m also realistic. You do talk about her a lot,” Liam mutters, and I see him shake his head in pity.
“Because she’s always trying to get to me. You heard about the time she broke into my flat,” he cries. “I can’t help it if I’m irresistible. Don’t victim blame me.”
I snort. “Victim blame? Are you for real right now because I’m beginning to worry about your mental stability. The only victim here is me.”
He jabs his finger in my direction. “See, she’s worrying about me.”
“That’s what you took from what I just said?” I grumble, shaking my head.
“She has a point,” Liam mumbles.
“I don’t know what game you are playing but you can’t get to me through my family,” he declares.
I lean in closer. “Then drop this charade of me being obsessed with you. There are three things I’m obsessed with in this world and you aren’t one of them.”
“I don’t believe you,” he hisses.
“I don’t need you to. I just need you to shut up, let me listen to my music, and we will be good.”
“Bro, you missed the emergency briefing,” Liam announces.
The flight attendant speaks up. “Please fasten your seatbelts at this time and secure all baggage underneath your seat or in the overhead compartments. Please keep seats and table trays in the upright position for take-off.”
I shove my headphones on and grab my sweets from my bag, popping one in my mouth. I shove my handbag under my seat and lean back as the plane makes its run down the runway.
When the speed picks up and I’m pressed against the seat, I grip the armrest, closing my eyes. This, and the landing, is the only part about flying that I hate. I’m good as soon as I’m in the air and I can finally relax.
A hand smacks over mine and takes it in a tight grip. I turn to the man in question, my lips parting when I see his face scrunched up like he’s in pain. It’s that pain and fear that keeps me from telling him to get the fuck off me.
Once we reach the air, a group a few rows down from us begin to holler and bounce about.
“Oh my god, please tell them to stop before they cause the plane to go down,” Mark groans.
“Going to take a lot more than that,” Liam grumbles.
I clear my throat. “You can let go of my hand now,” I mutter.
Mark tugs his hand away, mumbling, “Sorry.”
I press play on my iPod and lean back against the seat, ignoring his existence.
This flight is eight hours long, and it will go a lot quicker if I don’t spend the entire time bickering with him.