Page 123 of Stay for Me
I do too, but the conversation she and I need to have is better done in person. We fought and said shit that we probably shouldn’t have, but it made me realize that there’s no one else I want to fight with. I love her, and if that means that we fight until we fix it, then that’s how it has to be.
Me: And we will when we’re in the same state.
A few minutes go by, the little dots appear on the text, letting me know she’s typing. They start, stop, and start again.
Brenna: Okay.
That was a lot of time for one word, but I imagine that was difficult for her. I send a text to Sebastian.
Me: Break a leg, Kenickie. If I don’t make it back, know that I’m proud of you.
Sebastian: Do you think you’ll make it?
I don’t want to give him false hope.
Me: I’m doing my best.
Sebastian: Okay. We’re heading to the school to check on the stage crew. Mom is trying to remember all the things you asked them to do.
Me: I’m sure she’ll be great.
Sebastian: I hope you and my mom can fix things. She’s been crying a lot.
My fucking heart breaks. I hate that she’s crying. I never knew that heartache didn’t come from my own pain, it came from watching the woman I love hurt. That was the worst thing of all.
Me: Don’t worry about things. Just focus on your role and your lines.
Sebastian: Thanks, Jacob.
Me: We’ll talk soon.
Hopefully we’ll see each other sooner.
I toss my phone over on the side table, needing to stop watching the clock and wondering if the stage crew moved the light or if Danny shaved his head in protest of his mother making him eat spinach like he threatened to do.
The pilot rings the phone that’s next to my seat. “Hello?”
“Hello, Mr. Arrowood, this is Captain Elliot Lucas, we’re expecting a bit of turbulence in a few minutes. Please fasten your seatbelt and stay seated.”
Captain Lucas. Like Luke. My stomach does an odd flip, and I can’t tell if it’s a good thing he’s flying or an omen. “Okay. Thank you.”
“No problem, we should get through it pretty quickly. Just stay in your seat.”
I switch from the couch to the captain chair across the small walkway and pull my seatbelt tight.
The plane bobs once, and I grip the seat. I’ve never been afraid to fly, but I’m not a fan of turbulence either.
We climb back up, and it feels almost as if we’re going over a bumpy country road. I close my eyes, imagining that’s exactly what we’re doing. I hold on, trying to smile as we go over another big pot hole.
Only it feels like a sink hole. We plunge down before righting again.
Up and down the plane goes. There’s a loud explosion that comes from outside, and all at once, everything changes.
The lights go out, and the plane isn’t bouncing anymore . . . it’s just going down.
There is a pinging noise, and the flight attendant is stumbling her way toward me.
“What the hell is going on?” I yell.
