By Your Side

Chapter 14: Unexpected Hangout

The final call for boarding was made as the last family stumbled onto the plane and the flight attendant prepared to close the door. Everyone kept their eyes looking straight forward while the chief flight attendant stood at the front of the aircraft.

Ladies and Gentlemen, My name is Kelsey, and I'm your chief flight attendant. On behalf of Captain Morrow and the entire crew, welcome aboard Australia Airlines flight 7624, Non-stop service from Canada to Australia.

Our flight time will be nineteen hours and fifty minutes. We will be flying at an altitude of forty-three thousand feet at a ground speed of one thousand and fifty kilometers per hour.

At this time, make sure your seats back and tray tables are in the upright position and that your seat belt is correctly fastened. Also, your portable electronic device must be set to 'Airplane' mode until an announcement is made upon arrival. Thank you.

Flight attendants, please prepare for gate departure.

The flight attendants along the aisles where all looking back at Kelsey now as she prepped the safety demonstration. On the screen in front of James, the instructional video walkthrough took precedence over the flight attendants. 

Initially struggling to focus since he was still in awe of the plane, the flight attendants wrapped up their presentation, and the plane stopped on the end of the runway, allowing the captain to do final read backs before take off.

The flight attendants all returned to their seats at the front of the cabin, while James looked over at Clare who had excitement racing across her face. Beside her, though Hannah had cut off all communication by pulling out the sliding wall putting her into a makeshift cubicle. To James' left, Nathan was still focused on the window occasionally rubbing his cheek where a slight discoloration was forming. All in all they were all distracted until the Intercom line opened once more.

Flight attendants please take your seats for take off, we'll be taking off here momentarily.

Everyone buckled in, and James checked his and saw Clare do the same on the other side. The moment passed quickly as the turbines started to rev up and the plane started to accelerate down the runway. All their heads were pushed back and pressed against the seat's headrest as the plane began to tilt up and leave the ground.

The aircraft climbed quickly into the sky until it reached its cruising altitude in only a few minutes and began to level out. Above them the seat belt sign turned off and Kelsey stood back up at the front of the first class cabin.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the captain has turned off the fasten seatbelt sign, and you may now move around the cabin. However, we always recommend keeping your seatbelt fastened while you're seated.

In a few moments, the flight attendants will be passing around the cabin to offer you hot or cold drinks, as well as a breakfast option. Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight. Thank you.

Seeing as things had smoothed out, James unbuckled the seatbelt and turned to look at Clare as Nathen grabbed his arm. His eyes were puffy with a red tinge that could've only been created from crying. James had no choice but to give him his full attention as Nathan's cold eyes looked at his.

"Dude you okay?"

"Yea, do you want to go up to the lounge on the second floor."

"There's a lounge?"

"C'mon let's go."

James slid out first as Nathan followed behind him, forcing James to move quickly and leaving him oblivious to the fact that Clare looked up at the boys with earbuds already in her ears watching as the two left. It was evident that this wasn't the first time Nathan had been on an airplane like this before as he expertly navigated them right to a staircase that led up to the upper floor.

Following Nathan up the stairs into a room with a bar in the middle and tables on either side of it lining the windowed walls. The bar was operated by one bartender that was awaiting his first set of passengers. The boys were the first ones up in the lounge, taking a seat at a table each sitting on one of the horizontal benchs and faced one another. Nathan waved at the bartender causing the man to walk over to them, with a less than genuine smile.

"Can I help you sir?"

"Yea get me you're finest whiskey, James do you drink?"

"Nah just a coke or something is fine."

"Alright, I'm going to need to see some ID."

In a swift move as if he had it prepared, Nathan pulled out his passport and flashed it to the bartender. The man took one quick look at it then nodded, and Nathan quickly put it back in his pocket.

"Alright checks out."

The bartender said before walking away as Nathan turned his attention back to James. In their peripherals, they could see the bartender behind the counter as he pulled out a glass and began to pour Nathan his requested glass of whiskey.

"So what's going on Nathan?"

"What do you mean?"

"You and Hannah?"

"What about us?"

"Well, it's kind of odd for a couple not to want to spend a nineteen-hour flight together."

Something in James' sentence struck a nerve in Nathan, as he stared down at the table trying to force back his emotions. His hands closed into fists as he wiped away more tears from his eyes.

"Look James, just between you and me. Hannah and I had a fight last night, and it got out of hand. For weeks now I've told her that I didn't want her to go."

"Dude you can't control that."

"I know but its a five thousand mile separation, do you know what that's like?"

Nathan was right, it wasn't something that James had ever really considered of felt he'd ever have to deal with. Even if his plan to break them up worked, he'd still be in the same boat as Nathan except he didn't have the money to come visit her.