Fly With Me | ✓

18.1

Landing in New York made Everleigh remember how much she wholeheartedly loved that city. It was so alive and thriving and made her forget how tired the jetlag made her after a long couple weeks of school and clinical. Even reading week didn't feel like a break when she had statistics and mental health homework to do paired with a couple spare clinical shifts to make up for ones she'd missed. The nap on the plane left her feeling ready to go for the night ahead and dinner with Stevie and Brendon in spite of how tired she was.

Catching a cab was surprisingly easy for New York; the perfect start to what promised to be a good weekend. Everleigh was actually excited. For once. It would be nice to see Maverick perform when he loved it so much. In his element.

Part of New York's charm was how every street lit up with life; there were crowds of people and storefronts shining. Places had moved on from Valentine's displays to Easter ones. Pinks went to pastel purples and reds went to robin egg blues.

Everleigh paid her cab driver and walked into Din Tai Fung. Stevie had texted her that their dinner reservation was under Clementine (Eternal Sunshine, amazing) and the host informed Everleigh that the other members of her party were already seated. (Other members of her party, God, that shouldn't have felt fancy. But it did.) The smell from the kitchen was heavenly, exactly what Everleigh remembered the one other time she'd visited that chain.

As Everleigh walked over to the table, Stevie waved at her. "Everleigh!"

"Hiya, how are we?" Everleigh asked as she sat down; Stevie and Brendon were already sat next to each other, leaving an empty seat for Everleigh to put her backpack down. The best kind of flight was one she didn't have to wait for her luggage.

"We are starving," Stevie said.

"Hey, Leigh," Brendon said.

"We just ordered you a water for now if that's okay." Stevie waved the dupe for ordering in her hand. "Currently going through an existential crisis trying to figure out what we want."

"Thanks, water's great. That happens every time I go somewhere." Everleigh laughed. "Did you narrow it down?"

"Define narrow it down."

"She did not," Brendon answered.

"So we're at square one? Seems fair."

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to pick only one type of dumpling when there are so many," Stevie said.

Brendon yanked the paper from Stevie's hand. Feigned annoyance dressed his face; a hint of something else pushing through. "You don't have to pick just one. That's what the other rounds are for."

"I think I should be able to get at least... three types in round one." Stevie looked at Everleigh expectantly—a silent plea for help. Who was Everleigh not to follow the request? She had Stevie's back. For anything that came her way.

"Oh, definitely," Everleigh said. For someone who was probably going to throw it up later—that airplane food did not make her brain happy with her for eating—Everleigh was phenomenal at enabling them to order more food.

Brendon silently checked off three items on the dupe. Not asking anyone for their preference, likely for good measure. Everleigh wasn't sure how long they'd been sitting there before she arrived.

Stevie leaned a little closer to him to look at the paper. "Wait, can you get the kimchi ones too? Those look good. These vegan spicy wontons also look so good."