Page 15 of Between Here and There

He bursts into laughter, and it’s a sound that feels unexpectedly warm and genuine. “Oh, Emily, you’re something else. But don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” He leans back in his seat, still chuckling.

“At least one of us finds my misfortune entertaining,” I grumble, but I chuckle regardless.

When we finally arrive, Joshua pays for the cab fare and brushes off my attempt to split it. “Since you’re between jobs right now, I’ve got this, Tantrum,” he says with a wink. I roll my eyes and step out of the cab.

“Bye,” I say casually, tugging my luggage to the cart.

“Don’t want to stick around with me?” he teases.

“Oh God, no,” I reply. “I need a break from you before I have to see you every day.”

He laughs and says something, but I’m too focused on creating distance between us, so I just wave as I head into the airport.

Once I finish checking my bags, I scan the snack options near the boarding gate. I wasn’t able to have breakfast this morning because I overslept. Apparently even ten alarms with two-minute intervals are not enough when your body is dead tired. And no, caffeine will not ease your tiredness, something I learned the hard way when I downed an espresso shot before leaving the apartment.

With about fifteen minutes before the gates open, I decide on a tuna sandwich and a lemon soda. Finding a quiet bench, I settle down to eat in solitude and reflect on the disaster that is my life. Can someone call Oprah now? I’m ready for my life to be turned upside down.

I booked this flight three months ago during a seat sale. I clearly remember working late and taking a break to FaceTime with Rob. We were both (or maybe just me) gushing over Bon and Ryan’s engagement when I got a notification that the flight I’ve been tracking was at an all-time low. I booked it immediately. Rob was thrilled that we’d finally get to see each other after two years. Now, sitting alone with my sandwich, I can’t help but question how genuine his happiness really was. How sincere were his declarations of love and longing when he was involved with someone else? How could he tell me he loved me and stay on the phone for hours? Cheaters are such good actors, I have to give them that.

The truth stings. Moments shared, plans made, promises exchanged—all now tainted by betrayal. In the interest of not sounding like a sore loser, I’m gonna spare you the specifics of how I meticulously planned my wardrobe for this trip, in anticipation of Rob popping the question. We have, after all, been together for five years. I even bought a designer dress, perfect for the moment I’d imagined in my head. Like most things in my life, I’ve already lived every possible scenario in my head, so I’m either perfectly prepared or utterly devastated when reality doesn’t measure up. Unfortunately, this time, it’s the latter.

I stare at the half-eaten sandwich in my hands, its taste suddenly bland. Swallowing hard, I push aside thoughts of Rob and try to focus on the trip. Manila awaits, and right now, my thoughts are far away, waiting for the temporary escape from my tangled emotions and shattered trust. Of course, Rob will be there. But not even his presence will stop me from being the best maid of honor Bon could ask for.

But then, there’s also Joshua. I still don’t know how to deal with that either. Part of me hopes he’s on the same page—that we can just pretend nothing ever happened. Sure, I still find him ridiculously attractive. But I won’t go down that road. Not now, not ever.

As I board the plane, I reflect on how strange life is. Just when I think I’m escaping reality for a while, it always finds a way to catch up. I can’t help but wonder if there will ever be a time when reality is better than my escape.

CHAPTER NINE

Joshua

So much for keeping my mind off her. I am currently seated rows away from the girl, also known as Emily Rodriguez, who just happens to be my sister’s best friend, and unfortunately for me, the prettiest girl in the world. I should’ve known that night was too good to be true; there had to be a catch somewhere down the road.

After finding out that she was Emily, I thought it would remove any attraction I had for her. But nope. The attraction is still there. And now, I also instantly care about her. I used to always look out for her and Bon’s other friends. I would fight off her bullies, drive her around, and help her with her homework. Hell, I even chaperoned her first date when she was thirteen. Back then, all of it seemed like a task I had to do because I was the responsible older brother for both of them. But now… I don’t know where it puts me. It feels wrong that I’m physically attracted to Emily. But that’s all it is, anyway—It’s physical attraction. It should be easy to brush off. Except it’s not easy, it actually feels impossible, and it’s stressing the hell out of me.

Earlier, during the cab ride, I tried my absolute hardest to seem calm and nonchalant. I didn’t want to scare her off considering she was already freaking out that she kissed her best friend’s brother. I couldn’t care less about that fact, by the way. I wholeheartedly would not care if the whole population of Magnolia Heights found out I kissed Emily Rodriguez. Sure, it would cause a neighborhood gossip train; we would probably be the topic of dinner conversations, but I don’t care about that. But Emily, obviously, does. She cares a lot. So I had to lie to her. I told her it was just a single kiss and insinuated it shouldn’t mean anything. Even when it was all I thought about these past two weeks. But that seemed to calm her down as she realized she shouldn’t read too much into it.

I make a silent resolution with myself to keep my distance while we’re in Manila. Being in close proximity to her may prove to be more of a challenge than I originally thought, but I can handle it. I will simply lay low and stay busy with other things. I’m certain Bon has a list of things for me to do in preparation for the wedding.

When I get on the plane, I settle into my seat. I booked a business class seat because there’s no way I could survive twenty hours crammed with zero legroom. I need space. But when I peek out of the comfort of my seat, I see Emily visibly struggling in economy. She’s sandwiched between two guys, both of whom seem to keep invading her personal space. The guy on her right is smiling at her in a creepy way that makes my skin crawl, while she smiles back politely. And the other guy keeps brushing her arm, making her shift uncomfortably and lean against the first guy.

I can’t just do nothing, can I? I can’t just sit here in comfort while she squirms for hours. I have to at least try to help her. As a good neighbor, of course.

I don’t know if it’s possible to do what I’m planning, but I stand from my seat and walk over to a flight attendant.

“Excuse me,” I flash a smile—the one I know works in my favor when it comes to women. The flight attendant lets out a soft sigh as she smiles back, so I continue. “There’s an empty business class seat beside me. Would it be possible to upgrade that girl?” I ask, nodding in Emily's direction. “She looks severely uncomfortable.”

The attendant looks at Emily and the smile is instantly wiped from her face. She raises an eyebrow, clearly surprised by my request. “That’s an unusual request, sir. Do you know her?”

What I’m going to say next should convince her. The plane is leaving soon, and no one is seated beside me, so I guess the seat really is up for grabs. I run a hand through my hair and sigh.

“Yeah,” I say. “We’re actually together. Had a little argument earlier and she’s too stubborn to accept my offer to upgrade our seats. I can’t bear to see her like that, and I’d really like to make it up to her. Do you think I could upgrade her seat so we can sort things out?” I smile again and add, “Charge it to me when we land.”

The flight attendant’s eyes soften as she considers my words, her stance relaxing slightly. “Well,” she begins, “it’s not common practice, but under the circumstances...” She glances back at Emily, who’s still visibly uncomfortable, sandwiched between the two men.Hurry up, lady, or I’ll carry her over here. “Let me see what I can do.”

I stay there as she runs to the cabin and emerges a few moments later. She makes her way to Emily’s seat and leans in to talk to her. I lean against the entrance to the business class section and cross my arms. The flight attendant points to me. I hope Emily catches on and just goes with it. She looks confused as she follows the attendant’s gaze and locks eyes with me. I very casually wink and wave at her as her expression shifts from surprise to something unreadable, and I wonder if she’s going to go along with this little ruse.

After what feels like an eternity, Emily finally smiles politely and collects her things. As she approaches, she looks at me intently. She’s dressed in flared leggings and a simple white shirt, with a beige sweater casually draped over her shoulders. The outfit is understated, but on her, it looks effortlessly elegant. Maybe it’s just the way she carries herself, or maybe it’s that face.

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