takes the seat farthest away from Tanner and I. “Renée obviously borrowed it. A fact I’m sure will delight him.”
He can’t quite disguise the bitterness in his voice. I can’t help but remember what I read about Sebastian’s father refusing to pay the ransom. I wonder if he blames his father for his mother’s death.
Of course, he has no idea that I’m aware of what happened to him.
When the jet takes off, it startles all of us. Tanner gives a yell and falls off the couch, and I shriek in a decidedly unsexy way. I don’t know what I was expecting—that Renée would pop into the cabin, maybe, and tell us how she wanted to give us a tour of the jet—but not that it would just leave ground with no warning.
What the hell is going on?
The flight attendant returns with Tanner’s drinks. She hands both Sebastian and I a menu. “Ms. Crane would like to request that you both settle in, as this flight will be approximately four and a half hours long. You may select any movie you wish, and anything on the menu is free of charge.”
“And did Ms. Crane mention where we happen to be going?” Sebastian’s voice drips with sarcasm.
The flight attendant gives a trained smile, though I can tell Sebastian’s tone has slightly unnerved her. “Ms. Crane requests that the destination remain secret for now.”
“Four and a half hours?” Tanner kicks off his shoes and sprawls back. “Bring it. Let’s see how many of these I can drink in four and a half hours.”
The answer, as it turns out, is five. At my insistence, Tanner and I watch Bridesmaids, and he gets more into it with each drink he downs. Sebastian puts on a pair of heavy-duty plane headphones and ignores both of us, resting his forehead against the glass window with his eyes closed.
Every time Tanner guffaws with laughter at the movie, I try to smile along like I’m paying attention, but with Sebastian so close, my head’s in a cloud. I want to ask him about the kiss. I want to know what he meant when he said not talking to me anymore would be his gift to me. I want to tell him I know about the kidnapping. I want to apologize, though I’m not sure for what.
Eventually Tanner falls asleep, snoring over the movie credits as the flight attendant quietly collects his array of empty glasses. One of his arms dangles toward the floor. I watch the clouds pass outside as long as I can stand it, and then I look back toward Sebastian. He’s motionless, and at first I think he’s asleep too, but then his eyes open slightly—and his expression is surprisingly sad as he gazes out the window.
Unable to hold back anymore, I get up and slide into the seat in front of him, leaning over the back of the chair so he can see me. At first he pretends I’m not there, but finally I reach out and pull his headphones down over his neck. I catch a note of classical music.
He looks at me, and suddenly everything I wanted to say flies out of my head. “Hi,” I manage.
He just waits.
I swallow, double-checking to make sure Tanner’s still asleep. “Look, um… what happened last week, we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want. I understand if you felt like it was a mistake—”
“It was a mistake,” he says.
I try to pretend that doesn’t hurt. “That’s okay. I don’t expect anything from you. But wherever we’re going, just for this weekend, maybe you could keep talking to me? I bet Renée’s planned something neat, and we could just try to have fun. Relax a little. On Monday, if you still don’t want to be around me…I can leave you alone.”
I’m taking a risk. I need to use this weekend to find out for sure why Sebastian pulls away—if he really dislikes me, or if he’s actually afraid of hurting me. If it’s the second one, I’m sure I’ll be able to convince him he’s wrong. He’s intimidating and cold, but I’m not afraid of him. I don’t think he’d let anything bad happen to me.
For some reason, I trust him.
“And you
He can’t quite disguise the bitterness in his voice. I can’t help but remember what I read about Sebastian’s father refusing to pay the ransom. I wonder if he blames his father for his mother’s death.
Of course, he has no idea that I’m aware of what happened to him.
When the jet takes off, it startles all of us. Tanner gives a yell and falls off the couch, and I shriek in a decidedly unsexy way. I don’t know what I was expecting—that Renée would pop into the cabin, maybe, and tell us how she wanted to give us a tour of the jet—but not that it would just leave ground with no warning.
What the hell is going on?
The flight attendant returns with Tanner’s drinks. She hands both Sebastian and I a menu. “Ms. Crane would like to request that you both settle in, as this flight will be approximately four and a half hours long. You may select any movie you wish, and anything on the menu is free of charge.”
“And did Ms. Crane mention where we happen to be going?” Sebastian’s voice drips with sarcasm.
The flight attendant gives a trained smile, though I can tell Sebastian’s tone has slightly unnerved her. “Ms. Crane requests that the destination remain secret for now.”
“Four and a half hours?” Tanner kicks off his shoes and sprawls back. “Bring it. Let’s see how many of these I can drink in four and a half hours.”
The answer, as it turns out, is five. At my insistence, Tanner and I watch Bridesmaids, and he gets more into it with each drink he downs. Sebastian puts on a pair of heavy-duty plane headphones and ignores both of us, resting his forehead against the glass window with his eyes closed.
Every time Tanner guffaws with laughter at the movie, I try to smile along like I’m paying attention, but with Sebastian so close, my head’s in a cloud. I want to ask him about the kiss. I want to know what he meant when he said not talking to me anymore would be his gift to me. I want to tell him I know about the kidnapping. I want to apologize, though I’m not sure for what.
Eventually Tanner falls asleep, snoring over the movie credits as the flight attendant quietly collects his array of empty glasses. One of his arms dangles toward the floor. I watch the clouds pass outside as long as I can stand it, and then I look back toward Sebastian. He’s motionless, and at first I think he’s asleep too, but then his eyes open slightly—and his expression is surprisingly sad as he gazes out the window.
Unable to hold back anymore, I get up and slide into the seat in front of him, leaning over the back of the chair so he can see me. At first he pretends I’m not there, but finally I reach out and pull his headphones down over his neck. I catch a note of classical music.
He looks at me, and suddenly everything I wanted to say flies out of my head. “Hi,” I manage.
He just waits.
I swallow, double-checking to make sure Tanner’s still asleep. “Look, um… what happened last week, we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want. I understand if you felt like it was a mistake—”
“It was a mistake,” he says.
I try to pretend that doesn’t hurt. “That’s okay. I don’t expect anything from you. But wherever we’re going, just for this weekend, maybe you could keep talking to me? I bet Renée’s planned something neat, and we could just try to have fun. Relax a little. On Monday, if you still don’t want to be around me…I can leave you alone.”
I’m taking a risk. I need to use this weekend to find out for sure why Sebastian pulls away—if he really dislikes me, or if he’s actually afraid of hurting me. If it’s the second one, I’m sure I’ll be able to convince him he’s wrong. He’s intimidating and cold, but I’m not afraid of him. I don’t think he’d let anything bad happen to me.
For some reason, I trust him.
“And you
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