Page 31 of Aftershock

Autumn: She offered me a ride on her jet to LAX. As soon as I land, I will rush over as fast as I can. We are taking off now. I'll explain the rest in person.

Autumn: And mom…I can’t do this without you either.

Lexi’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts as she sat down next to me and explained why she left so suddenly.

“Sorry, the medic had to check me out before take-off,” she stated calmly before yelling the next sentence, “Even though I said I was fine!” Just then, a young man dressed in scrubs appeared and nodded toward us before exiting the plane abruptly. I watched as Lexi fastened her seatbelt. She had taken off her hoodie. After she finished securing herself in place, I saw her gaze shift to my shaking hands. Offering a sad smile, Lexi lifted her hand and rested it on mine. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I mumbled. “Just a nervous flyer.” I don't know why my immediate reaction was to lie.

“Autumn, you're a shit liar,” she sighed. “Seriously though, it’s not like we didn't just pour our hearts out to each other like fifteen minutes ago. What's really wrong?”

“My mom,” I began. “I was so focused on my own feelings about the funeral that I never considered how my mom would feel about going, especially if she had to do it alone.”

“Well, you're considering her feelings now, aren't you?” She pondered.

“Of course.”

“Then that's all that matters,” she shrugged while looking down at our hands. “It doesn't matter that it took you a while to understand her pain, so long as you realize your mistake now.”

I squeezed her hand in response. “Damn,” I shook my head. “Are you some kind of omniscient God who knows the answers to all life’s questions?”

“I’ve unlocked my third eye,” Lexi chuckled back.

“Tell me, what is the meaning of life?”

“Food,” she joked back, prompting us to both break out into laughter.

The flight attendant then came over to the loudspeaker as Brian took his seat next to Andrew. “Please fasten your seatbelts as we are beginning our ascent,” the flight attendant instructed as the sign illuminated above our heads.

The plane began speeding forward as we hurdled down the runway.

Take Off

“Yeah, if you’re nervous about flying, it's probably not the best idea to book a six-hour flight.”

“Well, good thing it's not the flight that's making me nervous,” I admitted while scratching the back of my neck and looking away.

“What are you nervous about?”

It was the funeral that was making me nervous. It was seeing my mom after our argument that was making me nervous. It was being on a flight for six hours with my celebrity crush that was making me nervous.

“I’m nervous about a lot of things.”

“And pray tell, what are these ‘things’ you are nervous about?”

“Nope,” I refused while pursing my lips. “That's the only confession you're getting out of me for this whole entire flight. No more soul searching or heart-to-hearts.”

Lexi half-smiled as she raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?” I glared at her while nodding. “I guess we'll see in about six hours then,” she challenged.

And at that, the plane's nose lifted toward the sky as we climbed through the air, getting higher and higher until the ground could no longer be seen.

***

The fasten seat belt sign turned off as the plane steadied.

“So,” I dragged out the words before continuing, “Since we are going to California together, now are you gonna tell me what song you're shooting a music video for?”

“Let’s just say it involves drag queens.”

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